EXHIBIT 31.2



                                CERTIFICATION OF
                            CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                             OF BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
                            PURSUANT TO SECTION 302
                       OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


I, John W. Cox, certify that:


         1.       I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q/A of BMC
                  Software, Inc. (the "registrant");


         2.       Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain
                  any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
                  material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light
                  of the circumstances under which such statements were made,
                  not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
                  quarterly report;

         3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
                  financial information included in this quarterly report,
                  fairly present in all material respects the financial
                  condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
                  registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
                  quarterly report;

         4.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I are
                  responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure
                  controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
                  13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

                  a.       designed such disclosure controls and procedures to
                           ensure that material information relating to the
                           registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,
                           is made known to us by others within those entities,
                           particularly during the period in which this
                           quarterly report is being prepared;

                  b.       evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
                           disclosure controls and procedures as of a date
                           within 90 days prior to the filing date of this
                           quarterly report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

                  c.       presented in this quarterly report our conclusions
                           about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
                           and procedures based on our evaluation as of the
                           Evaluation Date;

         5.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I have
                  disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the
                  registrant's auditors and the audit committee of registrant's
                  board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
                  function):

                  a.       all significant deficiencies in the design or
                           operation of internal controls which could adversely
                           affect the registrant's ability to record, process,
                           summarize and report financial data and have
                           identified for the registrant's auditors any material
                           weaknesses in internal controls; and

                  b.       any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                           management or other employees who have a significant
                           role in the registrant's internal controls; and

         6.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I have
                  indicated in this quarterly report whether or not there were
                  significant changes in internal controls or in other factors
                  that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent
                  to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any
                  corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and
                  material weaknesses.


Date:  August 1, 2003



                                           By: /s/        JOHN W. COX
                                              --------------------------------
                                                          John W. Cox
                                                     Chief Financial Officer