UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                   ----------


                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT



                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 28, 2003



                               BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)



        DELAWARE                      001-16393                 74-2126120
(State of Incorporation)      (Commission File Number)       (I.R.S. Employer
                                                          Identification Number)


               2101 CITYWEST BLVD.
                  HOUSTON, TEXAS                   77042-2827
    (Address of principal executive offices)       (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (713) 918-8800


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ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)  The following exhibit is being furnished herewith:

         99       News Release, dated July 28, 2003, of BMC Software, Inc.

ITEM 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

         The following information is furnished under "Item 12. Disclosure of
Results of Operations and Financial Condition" in accordance with SEC Rules.
Such information, including the Exhibit attached hereto, shall not be
deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.

         On July 28, 2003, BMC Software, Inc. issued a news release to report
its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2003. The release is
furnished as Exhibit 99 hereto.





                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated:  July 28, 2003

                                   BMC SOFTWARE, INC.


                                   By: /s/ ROBERT H. WHILDEN, JR.
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Robert H. Whilden, Jr.
                                       Senior Vice President, General
                                       Counsel and Secretary


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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<Table>
<Caption>
Exhibit No.     Description
- -----------     -----------
             
99              News Release, dated July 28, 2003, of BMC Software, Inc.
</Table>


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