Ascend to new scheduling heights!



Author: Brad Albee and Paul Lanzi

Date: April, 1994

Keywords: Franklin Quest software program review schedule PIM
application organization 

Text:
Ascend 3.0 is one of those programs that you want to like because if
you did and you used it, you would be on ''top of the world'' and
unquestionably the most organized person at work. You would probably
also have this summer planned, next year's Christmas shopping done, and
know what you serving for dinner for the next three months. After all,
Ascend 3.0 is the most complete ''PIM'' (personal information manager)
or scheduling organizer you could ever imagine. 
     Ascend does have some very good, useful attractions. One is the
Journal. This is a separate module that keeps journal or diary entries
for personal thoughts, logging work hours, or jotting ideas. Another
attraction is called Red Tabs. This is a module that allows you to
quickly enter, store, and print mis-cellaneous information with your
computer-a miniature word processor, only faster. I found this very
useful when looking at my calendar and realizing that I needed to get a
quick memo to someone. No need to fire up Word; I didn't even have to
leave my computerized date book. Finally, the Turbo File module is more
useful than I thought it would be. It lets you store miscellaneous
''things.'' A ''thing'' can be a magazine article you once read and
found interesting, a statement you heard and wanted to remember, or in
my case, a quick lesson plan for my elementary students. 
     There is also a Focus module. This tool is intended to help you do
what is most important first. If you use a computer during the day, the
Focus feature allows you to view and concentrate on the Highest
Prioritized Task from your Daily Task List that has not yet been
completed. Unfortunately, I spent a day trying to get this to work, so
now I'm really behind! Fortunately, I didn't need this feature, so I
quickly give it up. 
     It has an interesting start up message when you first turn on the
program. It says ''This Program Will Turn Off in 60 Days,'' and follows
with something about sending in registration cards, asking for serial
number, etc. I paid little attention to this and used the program for a
while. I later called the company to see if they had possibly sent us a
demonstration disk. The representative at Franklin said, ''Yes, it is a
demo.'' After a few days (the software counted 6), I decided to put my
name in the personalization field with the serial number and a key
number. After I did this, my troubles were over. The software has
stopped counting days till it quits.
     The manual is clear with many screen shots, nice charts, and some
graphics. It tends to be a little wordy and spends plenty of time
defining terms (such as beliefs, needs, productivity pyramids, values
and the like). Reading this manual cover to cover would be essentially
the same as taking a semester course on the Theory of Time Management.
     The first item to set up is the Daily Task List. Tasks are defined
as ''any job that is assigned on any day.'' For example, ''write a
review,'' ''lunch with Paul,'' and ''Presentation at HSU'' are all
tasks. Tasks can be prioritized into 8 different levels (My favorite is
''Delegated & Completed''). You can also prioritize them again by ''ABC
or D'' labeling. The actual line describing the task can only be 30
characters long, but notes containing multiple lines can also be
included about your tasks.      
     Ascend has an extensive name, address, and phone number feature.
It begins with a ''HyperCardish'' picture of an address book. After you
go to the Edit menu, you have lots of fields to enter about you
contacts. If you have friends or associates that have 5 phones this is
the program for you. Notes and categorization (Best Friend, Business
Client, or just plain ''Fun at a Party...'') can be applied to each
person. I had to do real research on even some of my best friends to
attempt to fill in all the blanks in this section. This information can
then be applied to the note section of the appointment scheduling. (Oh,
how Newton-like...). This module will also print labels and envelopes
using the information you put in. It supports all the major types of
computer printer labels. If your printer can take envelopes, it will do
that using a variety of sorts and filters. 
     Ascend 3.0 is published by Franklin Quest Company. ''Franklin
knows Time Management.'' These are the same guys that make the Franklin

Day Planners and produce books and tapes such as Gaining Control: Your
Key to Freedom and Success, and ''Increasing Personal Productivity
Through Effective Time Management.'' 
     To run Ascend you will need to have the following system
resources: a Macintosh Plus or higher, System software 6.0.x or System
7 (Ascend does not publish and subscribe), 2 megabytes of RAM, and a
hard disk with at least 2 megabytes free for use. We had no problems
with extensions, 32-bit access, or using it with virtual memory. 
Ascend uses the familiar installation method known as a SEA or
self-extracting archive. There is a tutorial section in the manual, but
no computer tutorial file. It does not use Apple's Help Balloons
either. (What does?)
     This program looks like the ''Microsoft Word 5.1'' of the date
book software arena. Below the menu bar is a series of buttons (12 in
all) that when pressed, bring up modules that do various organizational
tasks. For example, there is a Prioritized Daily Task List, a Daily
Record of Events, an Appointment Schedule, an Address and Phone
Listing, and others. As if those weren't the essentials, there is even
a button for your Values and Goals (in case you have forgotten) and
your Favorite Quotes (which you can program to display a random quote
every morning if you wish).
     There is also a master task list which is a ''back burner'' for
projects that you are unable to complete in the near future. A nice
feature is that you can transfer projects or tasks from the master task
list to the daily task list when you are ready to work on them. You can
even categorize your master task items with labels such as Work, Home,
Personal, etc. 
     Appointment scheduling is pretty much like most scheduling
programs. You type in what you want to do and at what time. Alarms are
available and notes can be written about your entry. It also has a
unique time block feature. Time blocks can be assigned for an
appointment. For example, putting a 12 in the time blocks column of the
appointment scheduler will schedule the next 12 fifteen minute periods
for that activity. This helps you keep on schedule by ''graying'' the
time on the scheduler for that area. 
     In conclusion, the good thing about Ascend 3.0 is that it's so
complete. The bad thing about Ascend 3.0 is also, it's so complete. I
liked the program for all the organizational things it would do for me.
It kept all my appointments and contacts, and even other items like
daily journals, phone numbers, quotes, and more. Anything I threw into
it, came out clear, formatted, and primed to fit into a Franklin Day
Planner. I have never felt more organized. On the other hand, I was
pouring a lot of time into this complete scheduler. I wasn't making an
appointment, I was prioritizing and evaluating my communications in
regards to my governed and long range goals. Whew...  The program is
good; complete but involved. 
     If anyone would like further information about this program, I
would love to hear from you. Just be sure to call early enough so that
I can enter it in my date book...
     Ascend ($149.95 retail, $129.00 mailorder) is published by The
Franklin Quest Company, 2550 South Decker Lake Blvd., Salt Lake City,
Utah, 84119. 1-800-877-1814.

Copyright © april, 1994 by Brad Albee and Paul Lanzi