TPAssist Blog

TPAssist 2007 version 1.8.6 - Release Notes

2011-11-22T14:58:00.000-08:00

TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager® has been updated.

Version 1.8.6 is a maintenance update.

Improvements:

Task start/due date and duration handling adjusted for MindManager 2012
Journal Dialog supports "Minutes" in duration (MindManager 2012 only)
Task "Levelling" uses map calendar (for MindManager 2012 and MindManager 9)
Outlook Integrated Linkage Module compiled for MindManager 2012 (10.0.445)
Journal Tab adjusted to include "Active" button
Send Map and Send Topic support "date"

Fixes:

Journaling in multi-map now updates parent map's topic after child map (so correct priority/percent complete/flags are reflected).
Task Summary correctly collecting "due date" as overdue not just today
Auto-Journal no longer leaves "NOTES MACRO" tree in new maps
Hours in day handled correctly.
Auto-Clear Background will be skipped if font colour and background colo are the same.
Topic Tree Template no longer processes Research and other control topics

Download the update via our download page.

Known Issue - MindManager 2012

2011-09-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

There is a known issue with TPAssist v1.8.5 and MindManager 2012.

When editing task information using the Journal Tab of the TPAssist Console, changes made to Duration are not reflected on the topic when you click apply.

The issue is being worked on. For now, it would be wise to make Duration related changes with the MindManager task tab.

NEWSLETTER: Get an 'optimal' start in 2011

2011-01-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

Included within this newsletter is news of our latest product updates, company information and resources.

UPDATES

TPAssist 2007 - Version 1.8. (download)

Our flagship add-in for Mindjet® MindManager® has been updated. Version 1.8 includes two new features, Auto Follow and Quick Links v2, plus several key improvements (Tell me more..) (See our latest video on YouTube)

TPAssistCapture - Version 1.3 (Download)
This update introduces hot key functionality, includes the new look capture dialog boxes developed for TPAssist 2007 version 1.8 and also includes some minor bug fixes. (Tell me more...)

TPAssistCapture for Web. (Web capture...)
We've introduced another Getting Things Done® (GTD®) focused tool: TPAssistCapture for Web is a simple web capture tool that sends your items directly to your e-mail.

GTD® / MindManager web based training. (Web Training)
We have just introduced affordable personal 1 on 1 web based tuition in Getting Things Done® (GTD®) and using MindManager as your list manager etc .

Register and save time. (Register here...)
By registering on our web site, you can download templates and product updates quickly and easily, i.e. you avoid having to re-enter your details.

Information

Who and What is TPAssist? (Tell me more...)
As you may have already discovered our resources and software add-ins aim to extend the return on your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Catalyst.

Tools for Getting Things Done® (GTD® Tools)
We have a three part approach to assisting with using MindManager as your GTD® next action manager and general list manager.

Task management & productivity add-in for Mindjet® MindManager® (TPAssist 2007)
Visualize, Act, Journal and Automate in the Context of Your Goals: Our flag ship add-in for MindManager is must have for everyone harnessing the power of Mindjet MindManager to understand and manage the complexities of work and life.

Capture tool for all your ideas and e-mails. (TPAssistCapture)
TPAssistCapture helps you realise the concept of instantly capturing, storing and processing your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions. Whilst not limited to, TPAssistCapture is a must have for anyone utilising MindManager with the Getting Things Done®.

Resources

Dashboards and Mind Mapping (Work Place Templates)
TPAssist provides a FREE online resource for workplace mind mapping, included videos, templates and instructions for role based dashboards, project templates and much more.

TPAssist First Steps (Life Management Templates)
TPAssist provides FREE templates, videos and resources for mapping and managing personal productivity.

Tell us about your experiences. (Survey)
Help us help you by tell us more about how you found us and your experience in using TPAssist 2007.

Become a fan of TPAssist products. (Facebook)
Join the TPAssist Facebook community and help shape the product future.

What's New in TPAssist 2007 - Version 1.8

2011-01-02T13:40:00.000-08:00

Version 1.8 of our addin for Mindjet® MindManager® contains a raft of new capabilities and improvements (Read the details here).

See the latest updates in action on Youtube.

These new capabilities include:

Quick Links Map V2 (Group Headings, Linked Lists, Speed Keys and Tagging)
Auto Follow (ability to interact with the target of a hyper linked topic)

We have optimised the following to make them more "GTD" like:

Journal Tab
Some of the Ribbon commands (Activate Task and Defer Task).

The dialog used by the following have been completely re-worked:

Send Topic
Link At
Send Map
TPAssistCapture (System Tray) and Outlook

The capture tools have been further optimsied with multi-select support and other cool features.

And finally, we added the ability to customised Excel export colours and added a new template for financial data.

Read about all the details via our help file.

TPAssistCapture version 1.3 - Release notes

2011-01-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® has been updated.

This update introduces hot key functionality, includes the new look capture dialog boxes developed for TPAssist 2007 version 1.8 and also includes some minor bug fixes.

The new look capture dialog box, where Category/TAG and Link At are displayed side by side and each list areas is wider allowing for longer Quick Link title. The new capture dialog box also includes configurable ALT keys and buttons to increase the speed at which frequently used Quick Links can be accessed. Next to the Category/Tag and Link at label is a text box for searching the category/tag list. In addition, whilst searching you can use the UP and DOWN arrow keyboard keys to select the PREVIOUS/NEXT item that matches the search string. This new capture dialog box is used in the Capture Tool in Windows System Tray, within MindManager's send topic and send map commands, and within Capture for Microsoft Outlook.

This version now has system wide Hotkey capability (configured via the options for the Capture Tool in the Windows System Tray).

See our product help pages for further details.

Download these updates via our download pages:

TPAssist 2007 version 1.8.3 - Release Notes

2011-01-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager® has been updated.

Version 1.8 is a major feature update.

Additional capabilities within version 1.8:

Quick Links Map V2 (Group Headings, Linked Lists, Speed Keys and Tagging)
Auto Follow (ability to interact with the target of a hyper linked topic)
Journal TAB "GTDised"
New Look Capture Dialogues
Topic Ribbon Commands "GTDised"
Capture tools optimized
Excel Enhancements

See the help web site for further details.

Fixes:

Minor fixes to Journalling in multi-maps
Minor typos in dialog boxes
Fixed Journal Reference - Central topic if missing
Minor typos in Basket Processing dialog boxes

Download the update via our download page.

Optimise your usage of Mindjet® MindManager® as your GTD List Manager

2011-01-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

Web based 1 on 1 training in the GTD approach for Mindjet® MindManager® users

Are you an avid GTDer and MindManager user?

Are you keen to make better use of MindManager and leverage it for your lists, projects and a lot more?

Get 1 on 1 training in the use of MindManager for the integrated management of:

Next action lists.
Project and Someday/May lists.
Integrated management of Focus Area.
Goals, Vision and Purpose / Principles.
Natural Planning Model™.

As you know, being focused and ready for anything, means you all can get more out of your day, complete more of the important things and to do it all stress free. MindManager is a great tool for helping you achieve this outcome.

Check out the details here - http://www.simplyorganised.ie/mindmanager.htm

Simply Organised for web based training in MindManager

2011-01-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

Training and related activities are now delivered under the banner of "Simply Organised".

We have recently introduced web based 1 on 1 training in the use of Mindjet® MindManager® as your GTD List Manager.

Read about our new service here - http://www.simplyorganised.ie/mindmanager.htm

Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD)

2010-12-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

We have a three part approach to assisting with using MindManager as your GTD next action manager and general list manager:

Part 1 is our GTD Template.
Part 2 is TPAssistCapture, which is a tool for sending content to your maps - It helps you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and actions.
Part 3 is the "Capture / Process / Store" capabilities delivered as part of TPAssist 2007.

We also have included a comprehensive and must have "Getting Started" guide with TPAssist 2007, it includes setup and routines for "Zeroing In", the Weekly Review and more. All you need to do is download the FREE 30 day trial and open the Help.

Who and What is TPAssist?

2010-12-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

As you may have already discovered our resources and software add-ins aim to extend the return on your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Catalyst. Here is a snapshot of how and where:

Use MindManager as your Getting Things Done® (GTD®) list manager.
Instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.
Automate and Integrate your task based mind maps

Automate task dates with finite control.
Get multi-map task detail roll-up.
Capture and roll-up financial information.
Create workplace Dashboards.
Manage work / life balance.

Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel®.
Integrate action mapping with Microsoft® Outlook®.
Work with complex projects and task based maps in Multi-map mode.
Roll-up & Publish multi-maps to Microsoft Project.
Enable multi-user workflow and auditing with Mindjet Connect.

We deliver this capabilities with two products: TPAssistCapture and TPAssist 2007.

TPAssistCapture for Web BETA

2010-09-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

Explore the latest Getting Things Done® (GTD®) focused tool from TPAssist.

TPAssistCapture for Web is a simple web capture tool that sends your items directly to your e-mail.

To get started, you simply login in using your TPAssist Web Account (Register here).

Then under "My Account" check the option to "enable TPAssistCapture for Web BETA".

Now simply, add the capture path to your Internet Browser favourites.

Default capture web site: http://tpassist.com/cw
Mobile device capture web site: http://tpassist.com/m/cw.aspx

When you need to capture a thought, just hit the URL in your web browser, enter the thought and click 'capture'. In an instant the thought will be delivered to your e-mail in-box ready to be processed.

NEWSLETTER: TPAssist and Mindjet® MindManager® 9

2010-08-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

We've updated TPAssist 2007 and TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® 9.

In this newsletter we outline the following:

Product Release Update
Who and What is TPAssist?
What is TPAssist 2007?
What is TPAssistCapture?
Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD).

Product Release Update

We have recently provided an update to TPAssist 2007 and TPAssistCapture (Download the updates here).

TPAssist 2007 version 1.7 is a maintenance update. The update addresses two areas. Firstly the update includes a new licensing capability that works with Vista 64 and Windows 7. And secondly, version 1.7 is enable for Mindjet® MindManager® 9.

TPAssistCapture 1.2.5 is enabled for MindManager 9.

NOTE - If you are using Windows XP or Vista (32 or 64bit), please check this blog before upgrading to MindManager 9.

Our plans for TPAssist 2007 version 1.8 may be delayed but we are still committed. The update will focus heavily on reducing drag with your GTD system.

Please help us shape this next update by participating in our new features survey.

Our next major update, version 2.0, is some way off at this stage. Our plans with 2.0 is to overhaul the interface.

Who and What is TPAssist?

As you may have already discovered our resources and software add-ins aim to extend the return on your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Catalyst. Here is a snapshot of how and where:

Instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.
Automate and Integrate your task based mind maps

Automate task dates with finite control.
Get multi-map task detail roll-up.
Capture and roll-up financial information.
Create workplace Dashboards.
Manage work / life balance.

Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel®.
Integrate action mapping with Microsoft® Outlook®.
Work with complex projects and task based maps in Multi-map mode.
Roll-up & Publish multi-maps to Microsoft Project.
Enable multi-user workflow and auditing with Mindjet Connect.

We deliver this capabilities with two products: TPAssistCapture and TPAssist 2007.

What is TPAssist 2007?

The majority of the capabilities mentioned above are achieved through the use of TPAssist 2007 For Mindjet® MindManager®, if you haven't already, Get the free 30-day trial today!

TPAssist 2007 is must have for everyone harnessing the power of Mindjet MindManager to understand and manage the complexities of work and life.

"Visualize, Act, Journal and Automate in the Context of Your Goals."

What is TPAssistCapture?

TPAssistCapture helps you realise the concept of instantly capturing, storing and processing your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

Whilst not limited to, TPAssistCapture is a must have for anyone utilising MindManager with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (http://www.davidco.com/).

TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® are FREE.

Download TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® today!

Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD)

We have a three part approach to assisting with using MindManager as your GTD next action manager and general list manager:

Part 1 is our GTD Template.
Part 2 is TPAssistCapture, which is a tool for sending content to your maps - It helps you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and actions.
Part 3 is the "Capture / Process / Store" capabilities delivered as part of TPAssist 2007.

Known Issue - MindManager 8.2/9.0/9.1

2010-07-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

We are seeing an issue with TPAssist 2007 and TPAssistCapture when used with MindManager 8.2, MindManager 9.0 / 9.1 on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

It appears something changed in the add-in achitecture when Mindjet adjusted MindManager to take advantage of new capabilities in Microsoft Windows 7.

Whilst we are working with Mindjet to understand and resolve the issue, unfortunately at present we are unable to support users wishing to use TPAssist products with MindManager 8.2 or MindManager 9 on Windows XP or Vista (32bit and 64bit). To avoid any issues, you could stay with MindManager 8.1, MindManager 7.2 or MindManager 6.2.

FYI - the issue seen is:

Ghost Ribbon commands - see this blog post.

(Updated 2/Mar/2011 - the issue is now being seen in Windows 7 too).

TPAssistCapture for Outlook version 1.2.6

2010-03-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

We're recently released an update to TPAssistCapture for Outlook.

This update, version 1.2.6, fixes a bug when capturing e-mails with the exact same "sent date/time".

You can download the update from here: http://www.tpassist.com/Downloads/DownloadReadMe.aspx?prod=6&release=1

Remember to close Outlook before you run the download.

Known Issue - 8.2/9.0/9.1 - "Ghost" Ribbon command issue

2010-01-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

For your information - there is a known issue in MindManager 9.0.240, 9.1.157 and 8.2.319, whereby intermittently ribbon and quick-link commands fail to function.

This appears in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

The button will still be there and will appear to click when you hit it with your mouse, but nothing happens. This issue applies across the board to all add-in, i.e. this includes Mindjet extensions (like Remove Filters, Task Management and Export) as well as 3rd party add-ins (like TPAssist 2007). Mindjet acknowledge the issue but can't offer a solution at this stage.

In the meantime, if you click a button in the Ribbon and nothing happens, see if closing and re-opening MindManager resolves the issues. Alternatively you can find all our commands listed in the "Customize Quick Access Toolbar", so as a work-around you could add the missing command to the Quick Access toolbar.

(Updated 2/Mar/2011 - seeing issue now in Windows 7 and 9.1, plus Mindjet acknowledge they can re-create the issue for the "Remove Filters" button by simply having an add-on or Mindjet code display a dialog box or something before all Ribbon commands have finished building)

NEWSLETTER: Happy Holidays from TPAssist

2009-12-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

We have just made available a minor update for TPAssist 2007 (version 1.6.9). We updated TPAssistCapture (version 1.2.4) a few weeks back. The details are below.

These are truly interesting times and as such our plans for additional functionality in the second half of this year didn't come to fruition. However, be assured we're still here and keen to bring you easier and better ways to manage your tasks and project maps.

In this newsletter we outline the following:

TPAssist 2007 1.6.9 and TPAssistCapture 1.2.4
Using your TPAssist2007 license on multiple computers?
Who and What is TPAssist?
What is TPAssist 2007?
What is TPAssistCapture?
Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD).

TPAssist 2007 v1.6.9 and TPAssistCapture v1.2.4

We have updated TPAssist 2007 and TPAssistCapture. These updates are version 1.6.9 and 1.2.4 respectively.

This update addresses the execution issues with Windows 64bit operating systems. We are still working with our e-commerce partner to resolve the Licensing Wizard issue, so please continue to contact us directly when activating your licenses on 64bit Windows. Otherwise, you should see no issues with TPAssist on either 32bit or 64bit machines.

Visit our download site to obtain these updates.

Using your TPAssist 2007 license on multiple computers?

Did you know you can use your TPAssist 2007 license on all of your workstations. TPAssist 2007 is licensed to the individual and not the computer. The license is linked to your "Journal TAG".

See this support article on our web site for further details.

Who and What is TPAssist?

As you may have already discovered our resources and software add-ins aim to extend the return on your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Catalyst. Here is a snapshot of how and where:

Instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.
Automate and Integrate your task based mind maps

Automate task dates with finite control.
Get multi-map task detail roll-up.
Capture and roll-up financial information.
Create workplace Dashboards.
Manage work / life balance.

Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel®.
Integrate action mapping with Microsoft® Outlook®.
Work with complex projects and task based maps in Multi-map mode.
Roll-up & Publish multi-maps to Microsoft Project.
Enable multi-user workflow and auditing with Mindjet Connect.

We deliver this capabilities with two products: TPAssistCapture and TPAssist 2007.

What is TPAssist 2007?

The majority of the capabilities mentioned above are achieved through the use of TPAssist 2007 For Mindjet® MindManager®, if you haven't already, Get the free 30-day trial today!

TPAssist 2007 is must have for everyone harnessing the power of Mindjet MindManager to understand and manage the complexities of work and life.

"Visualize, Act, Journal and Automate in the Context of Your Goals."

What is TPAssistCapture?

TPAssistCapture helps you realise the concept of instantly capturing, storing and processing your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

Whilst not limited to, TPAssistCapture is a must have for anyone utilising MindManager with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (http://www.davidco.com/).

TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® are FREE.

Download TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® today!

Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD)

We have a three part approach to assisting with using MindManager as your GTD next action manager and general list manager:

Part 1 is our GTD Template.
Part 2 is TPAssistCapture, which is a tool for sending content to your maps.
It helps you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and actions.
Part 3 is the "Capture / Process / Store" capabilities delivered as part of TPAssist 2007.

TPAssist 2007 works with MindManager 8.2 BETA

2009-12-04T15:33:00.000-08:00

Mindjet is approaching the release of MindManager 8.2. You can read more about it and download the latest BETA via Mindjet's Blog. http://blog.mindjet.com/

We've been actively testing TPAssist 2007 (v1.6.8) and TPAssistCapture (v1.2.3) with MindManager 8.2 (build 302) and thus far have seen no issues.

Feel free to try MindManager 8.2 yourself.

Download TPAssist 2007 here: http://www.tpassist.com/Downloads/

Note: as with MindManager 8.1, TPAssist customer who are also using the Outlook Integrated Linkage Module (OLIM) must wait for the next update for TPAssist 2007. This is because TPAssist 2007 must be compiled against specific versions of MindManager in order for the Outlook 2003/2007 add-in to load correctly.

NEWSLETTER: TPAssist and MindManager 8.1

2009-10-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

Mindjet has recently updated MindManager version 8. What does this mean for TPAssist users, find out below.

In this newsletter we outline the following:

MindManager 8.1
Who and What is TPAssist?
What is TPAssist 2007?
What is TPAssistCapture?
Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD).

MindManager 8.1

For users of TPAssist 2007:

If you are using MindManager 6 or 7, there is no issue.

If you are using MindManager 8, you should consider the following before updating your copy of MindManager.

If you are NOT using the Outlook Integrated Linkage Module, there is no issue, you can upgrade to service pack 1 immediately.
If you are using the Outlook Integrated Linkage Module (OLIM) you must wait for the next update for TPAssist 2007. This is because TPAssist 2007 is compiled against specific versions of MindManager.

Finally, there is no impact on any of our TPAssistCapture components with relation to MindManager 8.1.

Who and What is TPAssist?

As you may have already discovered our resources and software add-ins aim to extend the return on your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Catalyst. Here is a snapshot of how and where:

Instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.
Automate and Integrate your task based mind maps

Automate task dates with finite control.
Get multi-map task detail roll-up.
Capture and roll-up financial information.
Create workplace Dashboards.
Manage work / life balance.

Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel®.
Integrate action mapping with Microsoft® Outlook®.
Work with complex projects and task based maps in Multi-map mode.
Roll-up & Publish multi-maps to Microsoft Project.
Enable multi-user workflow and auditing with Mindjet Connect.

We deliver this capabilities with two products: TPAssistCapture and TPAssist 2007.

What is TPAssist 2007?

The majority of the capabilities mentioned above are achieved through the use of TPAssist 2007 For Mindjet® MindManager®, if you haven't already, Get the free 30-day trial today!

TPAssist 2007 is must have for everyone harnessing the power of Mindjet MindManager to understand and manage the complexities of work and life.

"Visualize, Act, Journal and Automate in the Context of Your Goals."

What is TPAssistCapture?

TPAssistCapture helps you realise the concept of instantly capturing, storing and processing your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

Whilst not limited to, TPAssistCapture is a must have for anyone utilising MindManager with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (www.davidco.com).

TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® are FREE.

Download TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® today!

Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD)

We have a three part approach to assisting with using MindManager as your GTD next action manager and general list manager:

Part 1 is our GTD Template.
Part 2 is TPAssistCapture, which is a tool for sending content to your maps.
It helps you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and actions.
Part 3 is the "Capture / Process / Store" capabilities delivered as part of TPAssist 2007.

TPAssist 2007: Known Issue - MindManager 8.1 & Outlook Integrated Linkage Module

2009-10-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

Mindjet has recently updated MindManager version 8, with service pack 1 (i.e. MindManager 8.1.920)

What does this mean for TPAssist users? For users of TPAssist 2007:

If you are using MindManager 6 or 7, there is no issue.

If you are using MindManager 8, you should consider the following before updating your copy of MindManager.

If you are NOT using the Outlook Integrated Linkage Module, there is no issue, you can upgrade to service pack 1 immediately.
If you are using the Outlook Integrated Linkage Module (OLIM) you must wait for the next update for TPAssist 2007. This is because TPAssist 2007 is compiled against specific versions of MindManager.

Finally, there is no impact on any of our TPAssistCapture components with relation to MindManager 8.1.

TPAssist 2007: Known Issue - Vista SP1, SP2, Vista 64bit and Windows 7

2009-09-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

There is a known issue with TPAssist 2007 operating with-in Windows Vista (SP1 or SP2), Vista 64bit and also Windows 7.

This issue causes the Licensing Wizard to hang or crash when attempting to purchase or activate a license key. We are working with our e-commerce partner to resolve this issue, in the meantime you need to use the online web store to purchase licensing and also contact our customer support regarding assistance in activating your license.

In contacting our customer support (support@tpassist.com) please provide the following details:

1. Your serial number (please visit our online store if you need to purchase a license)
2. Your Journal tag* (i.e. initials)
3. Your operating system (i.e. Vista SP1 or Vista 64bit)

* Your Journal Tag is embedded in your activation key and is used by TPAssist 2007 when recording journal notes and task detail changes.

(Update 1/Sep/2010 - this issue is now resolved - we have replaced the licensing engine so there are now no issues regarding licensing on any of these platforms).

TPAssist 2007 version 1.6.7 - Release Notes

2009-08-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager® has been updated. Version 1.6.7 is a maintenance update.

Tips for applying this update:

If using Microsoft VISTA Service 1 or 2, please use the Control Panel to uninstall TPAssist 2007 before applying this update (if using the Outlook Integrated Linkage Module, please uninstall all occurrences of TPAssist 2007 listed in the Control Panel).
In all cases, MindManager and Outlook should be closed before uninstalling and installing updates.
Download and install the update.

Additional capabilities within version 1.6.7:

Options dialog now support the capability to "override" Outlook protection when in Mindjet Connect maps, the dialog also supports the capability to switch off OILM integration (performance increase); and ability to inherit Central Topic for %r macro if the Journal Reference is omitted in the topic tree.

Fixes:

Multi-map Tree Update now using specific map's Tree Update properties.
Link At now copying Financial Capabilities correctly.
Send Topic command no longer has option to "delete topic" if used on a central topic.
Link At and Add to Quicklinks commands now disabled in unsaved maps.
Typo in Options dialog.
Journal Tab and Tree Update not calculating "%y" macros in Status Callouts.
%y0 and %y1 Macros incorrectly counting current topic in count (not just subtopics).
Create auto-command now works in Floating Topics.

GTD Routines - The magic of the e-in-basket

2009-06-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

David Allen often highlights the power of the in-basket to manage the stuff in your world (Those who are GTD Connect members can see a video of this concept)

I've adapted a method that makes use of this concept in an electronic form, i.e the e-in-basket. I've implemented this using mind mapping software. As well as using this e-in-basket for capture and clarifying, I use it to manage interruptions and I also use it to manage routines in a way that is efficient, effective and fun!

Using the e-in-basket to capture and clarify:

I use the e-in-basket as my "collection" point for anything that needs further clarification. I use capture tools on my desktop, in Outlook and with-in my task and project maps to "send" my "stuff" to the in-basket with, I simply process using the first-in-first-out approach. The "magic" in this aspect comes form the integration and simplicity of the integrated mind mapping environment: I can visually see my list of unprocessed stuff; I can "send" them to a project map and at the same time have them "linked" on the appropriate next action list; I can easy file items; and finally for less-than-2-minute items, I can just delete them when done.

Using the e-in-basket to manage interruptions:

A really effective way to "manage" your lists is to use your e-in-basket as a temporary location for the item you are "doing". For example, if I have a twenty minute window and I choose an activity from your @COMPUTER list, since I am physically at my computer, I simply select the item, and "send" item to my e-in-basket. Then I work away on that item. The "magic" in this process it that if I get interruption or complete the task, I just return to my e-in-basket to regain focus or move forward to the next action.

Using the e-in-basket to manage routines:

I adapted the "zero-in" process, the Weekly Review and focus area review to suit my needs. I have built myself mind map templates containing each of the steps with-in these routines. When I come to the point where I need to carryout this routine I simply "toss" this list of tasks onto my e-in-basket.

The "magic" of this method is that because I'm using mind mapping software, I simply delete each task as I complete it. I don't need to record completing each individual step, so a simple delete, removes it from my focus and allows me to move on to the next item (or divert to handle an interruption). Very quickly my list of steps in my routine are all gone and I am clear and ready for anything.

Having a set of predefined steps for what appears to be very straight-forward activities, may seem over the top, however until these routines become habits, a predefined list is essential to ensuring I spend as little time as possible thinking about how to do it, rather than just doing it.

A SIDE NOTE: This method is can be used as effectively in the physical in-basket context. i.e. you could develop each routine in your word processor and then print a load of them. When you decide you need to execute one of these routines, you simply grab one of these printed sheets and toss it into your physical in-basket.

This "magic" is not restricted to GTD routines. You could use it for all kinds of routines. Some example that come to mind include goals setting, personal performance reviews, weekly administration processing, yearly "spring cleaning".

Why I use Mindjet MindManager as the center of my GTD implementation.

2009-06-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

I have a belief that the Getting Things Done (GTD) systematic approach as developed by David Allen, is a form of art.

I suggest the idea of art relates to how you wield your focus, your lists and apply your routines. When all the parts are working together GTD gives you amazing satisfaction and clarity, you gain perspective and control. Further more, you see beauty that perhaps only you appreciated, it is your art and you are the creator.

So what does this have to do with mind mapping software?

Well, in doing art, I prefer to use a blank canvas rather than stencils or traces. With a blank canvas I can go where I want, when I want and how I want. The blank canvas doesn't impede my creativity.

Mind Mapping is like a blank canvas, in that it is relatively free form and definitely a facilitator of creativity. Further more, by using software mind mapping tools, like Mindjet MindManager, I can save my work, revisit it, easily erase it and also remodel it. Ultimately, these tools help me get things done by allowing me to explore, re-use and evolve my "art".

Working in a mind map, allows me to visualise how my list items relate to none another, I can "picture" where I am at and where I need to be. For now, anyway, it is where I want to focus my GTD implementation.

You can read how I use MindManager for GTD via my blog.

TPAssist Limited is not licensed, certified, approved, or endorsed by or otherwise affiliated with David Allen or the David Allen Company which is the creator of the Getting Things Done® system for personal productivity. GTD® and Getting Things Done® are registered trademarks of the David Allen Company. For more information on the David Allen Company's products, please visit their website: www.davidco.com.

How I use MindManager and TPAssist as my GTD list manager (Version 2)

2009-06-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

Our tools have been evolved and so too has my approach to using MindManager for the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (http://www.davidco.com/).

My evolved approach takes advantage of the new capabilities in TPAssist 2007 version 1.6 and TPAssistCapture 1.2. My environment and system (described below) has been setup as per the Getting Started Guide in TPAssist 1.6's Help.

So here is how I currently implement my GTD Next Action and general list management with Mindjet MindManager and TPAssist tools ... (See a video of this approach)

I have an extensive implementation of TPAssist's “My Life” template and also the TPAssist role based Dashboard, resulting in near on 150 linked maps, some of which are whole projects and some of which contain lots of mini-projects.

My GTD "runway" map or as I am calling it, my “Ultimate Dashboard” mirror’s GTD’s “Organizing Categories” (see or download the template here). This is now my default map when MindManager opens. I have linked the Outcomes section to separate maps for a cleaner picture. I have linked my “My Life” and workplace dashboard to the “Areas of Focus”.

Adding in projects and actions is presently achieved using three methods:

Firstly, I instantly capturing, storing and then "sending" new items to the Dashboard by using TPAssistCapture.

Secondly, emails that I don't delete are "sent to" my GTD system for further processing using TPAssistCapture for Microsoft Outlook.

And finally, I enter results of any natural planning directly into a project map, then link the next action to my Dashboard via TPAssist 2007's "Link At" capability.

Any items I capture are generally sent to the focus map to which they relate and in the same motion they are linked to the appropriate ACTION category. Capture items that require further clarification or filing are sent to my run-way "IN-BASKET".

As I complete actions (and the projects), I drop into the focus area or project map, update it using TPAssist’s existing journaling capabilities to record my progress and success, and then use TPAssist 2007's "Link At" command to send the next action to my run-way map. I don't get too worried about accurately grooming my run-way list because I know that my weekly and monthly reviews of Areas of Focus will show up anything that is new or duplicated.

In addition, I am using TPAssist 2007's Outlook Integration to keep some of the next actions synchronised with Outlook and therefore my mobile device.

My key routines include my daily "zeroing", my weekly review and my monthly focus area reviews.

My "Zeroing" routine is as per the TPAssist 2007 Getting Started Guide (see our blog for a summary of this routine). A further technique I use to keep me on track, is that I have added these routines to the Map Parts Library in MindManager. To "zero", I simply add the Map part to my GTD IN-BASKET topic. The steps then appear as task topics and I just work through them. If I get interrupted, I can quickly and easily pick-up where I left off, avoiding the costly process of restarting.

My Weekly Review generally follows the steps outlined in David Allen's latest book, Making It All Work. (See our blog for a summary of this process). For the weekly review, I also use a Map Part and drop the list of items into my GTD In-Basket, as outlined above in "Zeroing".

On a monthly basis, I review my focus areas. I've split the reviews over three weeks, so I don't have too much to get through in any one sitting. i.e. at the start of the month I review my job related focus areas, then mid month I review my professional development and in the 3rd week, I review my personal and family focus areas. (See our blog for a summary of this process). As per the Zeroing and Weekly Review routines, I use a predefined set of steps that I drop into my GTD IN-Basket on the day of the review, so if I don't get through everything immediately, I can easily pickup the next step later in the day or the next day.

Though I am really happy with my current implementation of MindManager as my GTD list manager, there are still areas for improvement, especially around reducing some of the steps in reviews and working with completed items. There are also some areas of the Outlook integration that I would like to see improved. But for now it works, it keeps me focused and it definitely aids my productivity.

TPAssist Limited is not licensed, certified, approved, or endorsed by or otherwise affiliated with David Allen or the David Allen Company which is the creator of the Getting Things Done® system for personal productivity. GTD® and Getting Things Done® are registered trademarks of the David Allen Company. For more information on the David Allen Company's products, please visit their website: http://www.davidco.com/.

GTD Tip: Weekly Review with MindManager and TPAssist

2009-05-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

This blog provides tips on conducting your weekly review when using MindManager and TPAssist tools as part of your Getting Things Done (GTD) system.

(Note: This material is mostly as suggested in David Allen's 3rd book, Making It All Work).

STEP 1: Get Clear

Loose papers & materials collected

Get "In" to zero (See our TIP on "Zero-In")

Mind Sweep

STEP 2: Get Current

Review Action Lists:
- For each main area (i.e. "Calendared', 'ASAP', "Agenda", etc, perform a TPAssist 2007 "localised" Tree Summary (Not Multi-map, leave that for the Monthly Reviews).
- Process the items overdue etc and review the rest.

Review Previous Calendar Dates.

Review Upcoming Calendar Dates.

Review Waiting for Lists.

Review Project (and Larger Outcome) Lists
- Open Project List.
- Sort the list and remove any duplicates (If sub-divided focus areas, do one area at a time).
- Read the title of each project and consider it's status in your own mind (Your review of your actions, calendar and waiting for above should be sufficient to "know" where each project stands.)
- Drop into Projects that you feel may need further consideration.
- Use TPAssist "Send To" for projects you want "parked" on the Someday / Maybe list.

Review Any Relevant Checklists

Review Calendar Later Starts

STEP 3: Get Creative

Review Someday / Maybe List
- Sort the list and remove any duplicates (If sub-divided focus areas, do one area at a time.)
- Read the title of each project and consider it's status in your own mind.
- Drop into Projects that you feel may need further consideration and then "Link At" if the project is being acted on again.
- Back in the list, use TPAssist "Send To" and put the project title back on the projects list.

Be Creative & Courageous

GTD Tip: Focus Area Review (Monthly) with MindManager and TPAssist

2009-05-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

This blog provides tips on conducting your Getting Things Done (GTD) monthly focus area reviews when using MindManager and TPAssist tools.

If you are using separate Focus Area dashboards, i.e. one for your life management and one for your workplace responsibilities, it may be worth scheduling the monthly review for each aspect on separate weeks, to reduce "block" time required to complete your review. The process below applies to each of your focus areas, i.e. your life management and your workplace responsibilities:

Open Focus Area Dashboard.

Drop into Each sub area (map):

Organise "new items" into their approach place
- "New Items" are those that have been delivered directly to the map via TPAssist Capture tools and may not be correctly organised. Drag these around your map so any "Link At" topics on your Dashboard can still find them.

Run a TPAssist 2007 Task Summary, in "Normal" mode.

Using the Task Summary, process items found in < 1 month.

Follow the hyper-linked Task Summary topics.

Use TPAssist 2007 "Link At" command to add new projects to project lists (If not sure, just add them anyway, the weekly review will pickup duplicates)

Use TPAssist 2007 "Link At" command to add next actions for new projects to the actions list (As per project list, if unsure, add them anyway as use of the lists and then weekly review will pickup duplicates.)

Disgard the remaining Task Summary.

At the conclusion update the Focus Area Dashboard:
- In the Focus Area Dashboard, with all sub maps open, run a TPAssist 2007 Tree Update in Multi-map mode

Review the Projects List
- Run a TPAssist 2007 Tree Update in Multi-map mode to bring in latest project status for the focus areas under review (Use "Localised" scope if only reviewing a subsection of the project list).

GTD Tip: Zero-In using MindManager and TPAssist

2009-05-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

As you use your system and even conduct your Weekly Review, you will inevitably be "Zeroing IN".

Below is a variation of the "Zero In" process populated with steps that you may find useful as you manage your lists via MindManager and TPAssist tools.

Empty Wallet, Bags, Brief Cases etc into your Physical In-Tray.
Empty Tickler into your Physical In-Tray.
Empty E-Mail IN-BASKET (See http://tpassist.blogspot.com/2009/05/gtd-style-e-mail-processing-using.html for setup details).
Process Physical In-Tray.
Process Audio/Voice Recordings.
Process any electronically captured notes (i.e. using the 2 minute rule and the workflow)
Synchronise PDA (and if using Outlook, use TPAssist 2007's Document Tools to bring back changes).
Review Dashboard "ACTION" lists - "Send Topic" on any items that are complete or need attention to the IN- BASKET.
Process any other form of electronic "IN".
Process the Dashboard "IN-BASKET", using the 2 Minute rule and Workflow to determine where the item should be sent.
Re-Synchronise PDA.

GTD Tip: Using your IN-BASKET when on the runway

2009-05-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

As you start populating your MindManager dashboard and using TPAssist to facilitate your GTD system, you will inevitably start looking for ways to improve your system.

A really effective way to "manage" your lists is to use your IN-BASKET as a temporary location for the item you are "doing".

For example, if you have a twenty minute window and you choose an activity from your @COMPUTER list, since you are physically at your computer, make use of Capture / Store / Process to help you get underway and also be ready for any interruption. Simply, select the item you are going to work on, click the Hyperlink to bring the Focus map into play so you can track your actions and also gain access to related materials, then return to Dashboard, now click "Send Topic" and send the topic to your IN-BASKET. Then Save All, and return to your active focus map and work away. In this way, if you get interruption or complete the task, you can just click "Process" and get your focus back via the IN-BASKET.

GTD style e-mail processing using TPAssistCapture for Microsoft Outlook

2009-05-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

This tip outlines how TPAssist 2007 can help turn Outlook 2007 into a Getting Things Done (GTD) collection point, and do all your clarifying, organising and doing, in MindManager.

To configure your system ready for this approach, you need to complete the following steps:

1. Download and install TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® (http://www.tpassist.com/downloads/)

2. Configure a Search Folder as your IN-BASKET.

The Search Folder should be configured to look for items where "Categories doesn't contain @DONE" and it should also be added to your favourites. For details on this process, look for "Convert your e-mails into next actions" in the Getting Started Guide in Help after you have installed TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook®).

3. Select all your old emails and categorise them as "@DONE" (leaving those that you still need to process).

4. Now for e-mails that you don't action immediately or delete, select them in the list view or open each, the use the TPAssist Capture icon to expose the Category Selection dialogue. Now pick your category (typically your "IN-BASKET") and click send.

5. After your e-mail IN-BASKET is empty, switch over to your Dashboard mind map, and process your captures.

6. From here you can work with each e-mail via the "attachment" capability of the MindManager topic.

NEWSLETTER: Announcing GTD Tools for MindManager

2009-05-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

We now have a must have toolkit for those using or wishing to make use of the power of MindManager with the Getting Things Done® (GTD®) approach developed by David Allen.

If you are unfamiliar with GTD or wish to continue using your exiting approach, don't worry because we are also committed to our roots and to providing tools that help you get context, get organised, stay organised and be fulfilled.

In this newsletter we outline the following:

Who and What is TPAssist?
The latest update to TPAssist 2007, version 1.6
The recently released Capture tool for Microsoft® Outlook®
Our Tools for Getting Things Done (GTD).
Product Roadmap

Who and What is TPAssist?

As you may have already discovered our resources and software add-ins aim to extend your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Connect. Here is a snapshot of how and where:

Instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.
Automate and Integrate your task based mind maps

Automate task dates with finite control.
Get multi-map task detail roll-up.
Capture and roll-up financial information.
Create workplace Dashboards.
Manage work / life balance.

Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel®.
Integrate action mapping with Microsoft® Outlook®.
Work with complex projects and task based maps in Multi-map mode.
Roll-up & Publish multi-maps to Microsoft Project.
Enable multi-user workflow and auditing with Mindjet Connect.

We deliver this capabilities with two products: TPAssistCapture and TPAssist 2007.

TPAssist 2007, version 1.6

The majority of the capabilities mentioned above are achieved through the use of TPAssist 2007 For Mindjet® MindManager®, if you haven't already, Get the free 30-day trial today!

TPAssist 2007 is must have for everyone harnessing the power of Mindjet MindManager to understand and manage the complexities of work and life.

"Visualize, Act, Journal and Automate in the Context of Your Goals."

Our recently released update, version 1.6, encapsulates the "Capture/Store/Process" concept introduced by TPAssistCapture; we have improved the Ribbon in MindManager 7 and 8; we moved our Help manual to the Web and enhanced it greatly with Search and a new Getting Started Guide; we have added a number of GTD specific tools; and we have streamlined the installation process. Learn more...

TPAssistCapture, version 1.2

TPAssistCapture helps you realise the concept of instantly capturing, storing and processing your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions. And as of version 1.2, with our Capture tool for Outlook, you can instantly convert your e-mails into next actions, using Mindjet® MindManager®.

Whilst not limited to, TPAssistCapture is a must have for anyone utilising MindManager with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (www.davidco.com).

TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® are FREE.

Download TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook® today!

Tools for Getting Things Done

We have a three part approach to assisting with using MindManager as your GTD next action manager and general list manager:

Part 1 is our GTD Template.
Part 2 is TPAssistCapture, which is a tool for sending content to your maps. It helps you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly capture, store and process your e-mails, ideas, tasks, notes and actions.
Part 3 is the "Capture / Process / Store" capabilities delivered as part of TPAssist 2007.

Customer Testimonials:

"I just started using both TPAssist & TPAssistCapture this week and I'm blown away. Customer support has been responsive and very helpful. The nature of your products is causing me to dump much more into my mind maps, so I'm getting much better return on my investment in Mindjet MindManager and creating a trusted system for getting things done. It's radically changed the way I work, in one week." Arthur Vanderbilt

Product Roadmap

Our next update for TPAssist 2007, version 1.7, will include further enhancements to facilitate GTD. We also have plans for an update to TPAssistCapture, version 1.3, where we will focus on improving how the Outlook Capture tool can further speed up the way you process and manage e-mail.

The exact details aren't locked down yet, so if you have something you need from our tools, please contact us at sales@tpassist.com.

TPAssist 2007 version 1.6 - What's New

2009-05-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager®, version 1.6 - What's New?

The "Capture/Store/Process" capabilities have been incorporated, effectively replacing the need for the MindManager add- in component of TPAssistCapture.

Optimisation of the MindManager 7 & 8 Ribbon: Help, Options and Save All have been moved to a new group, "Tools", making the "Topic" group first (NOTE: The Licensing and Check For Update commands are now part of "Options" on the Tools Tab)

Help has been moved to the Cloud (reducing install foot-print and also providing access to richer resources).

"GTD Alignment" phase 1:

Added "Link At" capability to Capture/Store/Process;
Improved functionality of Send Topic;
Introduced the concept of "Sent Topic and Link At" in the same single operation;
Better/Automated integration with Outlook (when sending topics and creating) (Outlook Integration can be "turned off" at topic level);
Introduced concept of "Auto-Journal" to Capture/Store/Process

Streamlined installation process: The Outlook Integrated Linkage Module (ILM) component is now a separate install, reducing the need to check for Office configuration during the core add-in install and overhead for those not using ILM.

For other Fixes and minor enhancements, see our product history.

Feature Summary - TPAssist 2007 Capture, Store, Process

2009-05-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

TPAssist includes the ability to move content around your various linked project and dashboard maps quickly and easily. This capability is defined under the heading of "Capture / Store / Process" and has the following components:

Capture Tools (System Tray Icon, Outlook Capture, Send Topic, Link At and Send Map)
Basket Processor (MindManager add-in)
Auto-Journal
Quick Links map
Temporary Storage of TEXT capture files

These components work together as a team to help you instantly capture, store and process your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

Capture Tools (System Tray Icon, Outlook Capture, Send Topic, Link At and Send Map)

TPAssist supports a number of methods for capturing:

Firstly ideas, tasks, notes and next actions can be captured via the System Tray Capture (STC) tool (This tool is external to MindManager and installed separately, see TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager®).
Secondly, Microsoft Outlook emails and other items can be delivered to your map for processing via the Outlook Capture tool (This tool is external to MindManager and installed separately, see TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook®)
Thirdly, you can send topic trees to the capture basket via the Send Topic command (with-in MindManager).
Also, you can use the capability to automate the process of creating linked topics on dashboards and summary maps via the Link At command (with-in MindManager).
And finally, the entire mind maps can be sent to the capture basket via the Send Map command (with-in MindManager).

Basket Processor (MindManager add-in)

Basket Processing is performed within MindManager. To process outstanding items, simply open MindManager, then click the TPAssist Process command. TPAssist will now open each captured item, find the associated Quick Link, follow the hyperlink and insert the captured item as a new subtopic at the resulting location.

Auto-Journal

Auto-Journal is a facility provided by TPAssist to help you journal your captured items. The concept being that when you "capture" something you want the fact that it was captured "journalled" when it "lands". This is useful if you capture an action and want it automatically included in a task map with a starting date of when the action was captured. An "Auto-Journal" is effectively a MindManager Callout topic appropriately formatted. When TPAssist comes across this formatted Callout, it will use the TPAssist Options to determine if it is processed just as if you had use the "Journal" tab to enter the topic details.

Quick Links map

The Quick Links map is a MindManager map (compatible with version 6, 7 and 8). Unless otherwise instructed TPAssist, will create and maintain this map in your "My Documents" folder. The map will be saved as "MyTPAssistCaptureQuickLinks.mmap"

Quick Links are "instructions" that specify two things: Firstly, the Quick Link name or topic title is the Category or Tag that is used to organize your notes during the capture process. Secondly, associated with each Quick Links is a Hyper Link to another mind map and topic. It is these hyper linked topics which will "receive" your notes as new subtopics during Basket Processing.

Temporary Storage of TEXT capture files

TPAssist's Capture / Store / Process facility uses TEXT files to store captured items. These captures are stored locally in a sub folder of your "My Documents" folder. You can configure where TPAssistCapture stores these files.

TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook®

2009-05-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

Instantly convert your e-mails into next actions, using Mindjet® MindManager®.

This FREE Microsoft® Outlook® add-in helps you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly convert your e-mails into next actions, using Mindjet® MindManager®.

In addition to capturing ideas using the System Tray Capture tool, you can now install and use our add-in for Microsoft® Outlook®. This tool makes use of the same Quick Links and MindManager basket processing provided by the TPAssistCapture (or TPAssist 2007 version 1.6 or above).

Read more about the capture process: http://www.tpassist.com/tpassistcapture

Download TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook®, it's FREE.

UPDATE: TPAssistCapture - new name, updated and enhanced

2009-03-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

We have taken advantage of the need to fix an issue with working Mindjet Connect maps and released an update. In addition we have added a significant enhancement and also changed the name of this TPAssist 2007 companion product to align it more appropriately with our future plans.

The new functionality extends the existing ability relating to sending whole maps, by allowing you to capture and send topics and topic trees. The new name, TPAssistCapture, is aligned to our TPAssist 2007 future plans. So whilst not essential, if you aren't working with Mindjet Connect maps, we would encourage you to visit our Download pages on the web and update your installation as your earliest convenience.

Remember, before applying this update, process all captured items, then close Mindjet MindManager and the capture tool in your System Tray (Right-Click on the capture icon and choose "Close"). The update will install quickly and easily, and your settings and configurations should stay the same, providing you clear down your capture items, close MindManager and also close the System Tray Capture tool.

Click here to download TPAssistCapture version 1.1.

NEWSLETTER - Announcing TPAssistCapture and the GTD Template

2009-03-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today we are launching part 1 and 2 of our 3 part approach to aligning ourselves with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen. Part 1 is our GTD Template. Part 2 is a new add-in for MindManager, TPAssistCapture. Part 3 is the next update of TPAssist 2007.

If you are not familiar with GTD or wish to continue using your exiting approach, don't worry because we are also committed to our roots and to providing tools that help you get context, get organised, stay organised and be fulfilled.

In this newsletter we outline the following:

Who and What is TPAssist?
TPAssistCapture For Mindjet® MindManager®.
Getting Things Done (GTD) Template.
Product Release Update (TPAssist 2007)

Who and What is TPAssist?

As you may have already discovered our resources and software add-ins aim to extend your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Connect. Here is a snapshot of how and where:

Instantly capture, store and process your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.
Automate and Integrate your task based mind maps

Automate task dates with finite control.
Get multi-map task detail roll-up.
Capture and roll-up financial information.
Create workplace Dashboards.
Manage work / life balance.

Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel®.
Integrate action mapping with Microsoft® Outlook®.
Work with complex projects and task based maps in Multi-map mode.
Roll-up & Publish multi-maps to Microsoft Project.
Enable multi-user workflow and auditing with Mindjet Connect.

We deliver this capabilities with two products: TPAssistCapture and TPAssist 2007.

TPAssistCapture

TPAssistCapture helps you realise the concept of instantly capturing, storing and processing your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

Whilst not limited to, TPAssistCapture is a must have for anyone utilising MindManager with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (http://www.davidco.com/).

TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® is FREE
Download TPAssistCapture Today!

Getting Things Done (GTD) Dashboard Template.

Download our FREE Ultimate or "run-way" Dashboard for Getting Things Done(tm).

This dashboard map is based on the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (http://www.davidco.com/).

Additionally, the "My Life" group of template mind maps included in this download are provided as part of the TPAssist's First Steps FREE online webseminar for Life Management using mind mapping.

Find out more via online resource.

Product Release Update

As outlined previously, in 2008 we released four minor updates, the latest of which, version 1.5, focused on Mindjet Connect interoperability and also working with financial information with-in your maps.

Our first update for this year, version 1.6, will takes us back to our roots. It will focus on bringing you tools that help you be more productive and fulfilled.

This will include, but is not limited to, making TPAssist a must-have for MindManager users following David Allen's Getting Things Done systematic approach to productivity and happiness (REF: http://www.davidco.com/). This update will be "part 3" of the GTD alignment program eluded to above.

(Click here to subscribe to our Newsletters)

Mindjet and MindManager are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Mindjet, LLC in the United States and/or other countries.GTD and Getting Things Done are registered trademarks of David Allen & Co..

How I use MindManager for Getting Things Done (GTD)

2009-03-20T05:04:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: 3rd June 2009: Version 2 of my implementation is now in the blog. Read about it here...

-------------------------

Having been asked on several occasions to explain how I use Mindjet MindManager to implement the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (www.davidco.com), I decide to provide a summary of I do it for all to see. Please feel free to share your experience and give me feedback. Whilst still learning, the one thing I am clear about regarding GTD, is that it is an evolutionary process of continuous improvement.

So here it is...

I have an extensive implementation of TPAssist's “My Life” template and also the TPAssist role based Dashboard, resulting in near on 150 linked maps, some of which are whole projects and some of which contain lots of mini-projects.

My GTD runway “road map” or as I am calling it, my “Ultimate Dashboard” mirror’s GTD’s “Organizing Categories” (see/download template here). This is now my default map when MindManager opens. I have linked the Outcomes section to separate maps for a cleaner picture. I have linked my “My Life” and workplace dashboard to the “Areas of Focus”.

Adding in projects and actions is presently achieved using two methods. Firstly I am instantly capturing, storing and then "sending" new items to the Dashboard by using TPAssistCapture. These capture items are sent to my roadmap "IN-TRAY" for further clarification, sent directly to the ACTION category or even directly into a project map (if it isn't the next action or is more an idea). Secondly I am manually maintaining the Projects List and Actions list.

Maintaining context of my projects and next actions is achieved by dropping into the focus area map, locating the project or next action and then using the Topic-Right-Click “Copy as Hyperlink” MindManager capability to extract the linked topic. I then insert this hyperlinked topic into the project list or in the case of each project’s next action, in the appropriate category of the Ultimate Dashboard. In this way I can just follow the hyperlink back to the My Life or Dashboard map to process the action, using TPAssist’s existing journaling capabilities to record my progress and success.

As I complete actions, I drop in the next action and then I just delete the completed topic listing from the Ultimate Dashboard. With completed projects I just delete them from the Projects list, knowing that my monthly reviews of Areas of Focus will show up anything that is new.

In addition, I am using TPAssist 2007's Outlook Integration to keep some of the next actions synchronised with Outlook and therefore my mobile device.

There are some aspects that are for now a little cumbersome, however I feel "spinning the wheels" myself, at least for now, gives me a great idea of what needs to be automated in the next update to TPAssist 2007.

GTD and Getting Things Done are registered trademarks of David Allen & Co..

GTD Summit, MindManager® and TPAssistCapture - Capture, Process, Reduce Distraction

2009-03-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

We've published a new video demonstrating TPAssistCapture.

This video uses participation at the recent GTD Summit to illustrates how TPAssistCapture for Mindjet® MindManager® can be used to instantly capture, queue and process your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

See it on the TPAssistCapture product page on our web site.

Introducing TPAssistCapture For Mindjet® MindManager®: How Does it work?

2009-03-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

TPAssistCapture For Mindjet® MindManager®
Instantly capture, store and process your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

The purpose of TPAssistCapture is to help you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly capture, store and process your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions(1).

How does TPAssistCapture Work?

TPAssistCapture operates on Quick Links which is a method to send ideas, tasks, notes and next actions directly to the mind map you use to manage them (STEP 1).

You start by configuring your categories or tags and defining where in your mind maps these items should be delivered. As you uncover, discover or receive ideas, tasks, notes and next actions, you simply use TPAssistCapture to store them to a basket for processing (STEP 2).

Then when ready, you use TPAssistCapture to extract the items from the queue and send them to your mind maps (STEP 3).

TPAssistCapture uses a mind map, the "Quick Links Map" to store and manage your capture categories/tags. The capture process is performed by the Capture Tools (i.e. System Tray icon, and the Send Topic and Send Map capabilities in MindManager). These capture tools are purposely "decoupled" from MindManager for efficiency and speed, and also so that you can work away in MindManager on key focus items independently of your capture process.

Download TPAssistCapture For Mindjet® MindManager® right now... its FREE!

(1) "Next Actions" are a concept widely associated with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (www.davidco.com http://www.davidco.com/).

Mindjet and MindManager are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Mindjet, LLC in the United States and/or other countries.

GTD and Getting Things Done are registered trademarks of David Allen & Co..

Introducing TPAssistCapture For Mindjet® MindManager®: What is TPAssistCapture?

2009-03-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

TPAssistCapture For Mindjet® MindManager®
Instantly capture, store and process your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions.

The purpose of TPAssistCapture is to help you keep focused on the task at hand, by giving you the means to instantly capture, store and process your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions(1).

What is TPAssistCapture?

Is this familiar?

You are working away on your highest priority when something new arrives... an e-mail, the phone rings, a knock on the door or your mind wonders.

You realise that you can't deal with the item quickly because it needs further attention?

This is a potential distraction because this new thing has your attention and it may not be the best thing to be doing right now. Therefore you must capture it for consideration at another time...

Is there an answer...

Sure, single-Click TPAssistCapture Capture, type in your note. Tag it. Send it.

Great, in an instant you have recovered your focus.

So later, when your high priority items complete, you'll be ready to process your "In-Tray" again. Just open MindManager, choose TPAssistCapture "Process Basket" and collect your ideas, tasks, notes and next actions. Then use your maps to manage your next actions as suggested in the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach...

Download TPAssistCapture For Mindjet® MindManager® right now... its FREE!

(1) "Next Actions" are a concept widely associated with the Getting Things Done (GTD) approach developed by David Allen (www.davidco.com <http://www.davidco.com>).

Mindjet and MindManager are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Mindjet, LLC in the United States and/or other countries.

GTD and Getting Things Done are registered trademarks of David Allen & Co..

Installing TPAssist with MindManager 8 Update - 8.0.217 or 8.0.235

2009-02-10T05:45:00.000-08:00

These is an issue with installing TPAssist with recent MindManager 8 updates.

Mindjet released an update for MindManager 8 in January. This update, we are told, is to fix an installation issue relating to Visual Studio. The update contains no other change and therefore is functionally the same as 8.0.217 (released in late November).

TPAssist is built for specific versions of MindManager to comply with the strict anti-malware rules applied to our Microsoft Outlook component.

We released an update in January, version 1.5.19, for MindManager 8.0.235. This update contains no fixes or functional changes.

Since Mindjet consider the recent update to be minor, users with MindManager 8.0.217 won't be informed of the update when they "Check for Update". Further more, the "Check For Update" capability within MindManager will say that the user already has 8.0.235, however if the user then use the "About MindManager" command they will be told they have version 8.0.217..

How does this impact TPAssist installation?

This issue does not effect users with MindManager 6 or 7.

There is no impact if you are using TPAssist 1.5.18 (go to TPAssist Help->Check for Update)

If you are not using the most recent update of TPAssist, you need to update to MindManager 8.0.235 before installing the latest TPAssist update. (See resources below)

Resources:

MindManager Updates: http://www.mindjet.com/resources/downloads/archive/default.aspx

TPAssist Downloads: http://www.tpassist.com/Downloads/DownloadReadMe.aspx?prod=1

NEWSLETTER - Feature Request and User Experience Survey

2009-02-06T04:33:00.000-08:00

Firstly, welcome to all our new subscribers, 2008 was an interesting year, 2009 is shaping up to be "one of a kind".

In this newsletter we outline the schedule for our next update, version 1.6, we also provide the opportunity to obtain FREE one-on-one advice to help you make the most of MindManager and TPAssist.

TPAssist: Mapping actions in the context of their ultimate goal.

Extend your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Connect with TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager®.

Supercharge your mind map based task lists, automate tasks, get task detail roll-up, capture and roll-up financial information, enable workflow and create workplace Dashboards.
Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel® and Project.
Integrate with Microsoft® Outlook®
Work in Multimap mode.

A must-have for project managers and anyone collaborating on shared task maps.
Get the free 30-day trial today!

Product Release Update

In 2008 we released four minor updates, the latest of which, version 1.5, focused on Mindjet Connect interoperability and also working with financial information with-in your maps.

Our first update for this year, version 1.6, will takes us back to our roots. It will focus on bringing you tools that help you be more productive and fulfilled.

This will include, but is not limited to, making TPAssist a must-have for MindManager users following David Allen's Getting Things Done systematic approach to productivity and happiness (REF: http://www.davidco.com/).

TPAssist 2007 version 1.6 feature request.

We aim to have 1.6 out to you in the coming months. A key part of that process as always is your feedback: in that regard, the time is now to get back to us with functionality you'd like improved or added.

Simply e-mail us at sales@tpassist.com (or reply to this newsletter). Alternatively, there is a space provided in the User Experience Feedback survey (as outlined below).

User Experience feedback (opportunity to get FREE consulting).

Tell us how you are using TPAssist and receive a FREE Q&A session, worth $450.

All you need to do is participate in the online survey, remembering to also submit your contact details so we know how to contact you regarding the FREE Q&A session.

There are some terms and conditions, and if you have any questions please e-mail us at sales@tpassist.com.

(Click here to subscribe to our Newsletters)

TPAssist User Experience Survey Promotion

2009-02-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

Tell us how you are using TPAssist and receive a FREE Q&A session, worth $450.

All you need to do is participate in the online survey, remembering to also submit your contact details so we know how to contact you regarding the FREE Q&A session.

There are some terms and conditions (below), and if you have any questions please e-mail us at sales@tpassist.com.

Terms and Conditions:

This offer constitutes an agreement between TPAssist Ltd and you, the respondent.
Availing of this offer and therefore entry into this agreement is initiated by participating in the online survey and including your valid contact details. The team at TPAssist will acknowledge the request and register you as an offer respondent.
The award or prize associated with this offer is either a ""First Steps" Q&A Session" or ""Dashboard" Personalised Q&A Session".
This award or prize is not interchangeable or exchangeable with cash or any other item.
Scheduling associated with the Q&A session is subject to availability. Whilst best endeavours will be made to accommodate you, TPAssist Ltd can't be held responsible if a suitable schedule can't be found with-in a reasonable time-frame. We would hope to conduct the session inside 8 weeks of issuing this offer.
This offer is extended to existing subscribers or product license holders.
Prices quoted in promotional material are in US dollars. Whilst quoted in US dollars, this offer is non-region specific and open to all countries. Q&A sessions are conduct in ENGLISH only.
TPAssist reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time without cause or notice. This does not impact existing agreement with respondents, these agreements will continue to run as per terms of this offer.
This offer operates independently of any other TPAssist offer.

How I use MindManager

2008-12-01T05:14:00.000-08:00

A pivotal aspect to my professional and personal life at the moment is Mindjet® MindManager®.

I think of MindManager as my control tower. I use it to plan, track and act. I use the brainstorming capabilities, the topic task capabilities, the topic styles, the map styles, the multi-map capability and I couldn't operate without the TabletPC integration.

I use MindManager to see what needs to be done and in what order. I also use MindManager at the end of the day, week and month to review my achievements and then plan where I am going next.

I start my work day by opening my high-level mind map. This map has five topics, each representing a key part of my role (i.e. People, Process, Service Delivery, Sales and Company activities). Each of these five topics is hyper-linked to another map. Each of these sub maps has a further five or so main topics, with each topic representing a key facet of that aspect to my role. From there I branch out into projects and major activities. I also typically split major project off into separate maps and link these to the appropriate main topic. In this way I have a hierarchy of maps for managing my activities, tasks, project and goals.

The project related maps are the central source for the projects I manage. Not all those that I work with use MindManager, so I often export maps to Excel and Microsoft Project in order to disseminate information to my team and my customers.

In addition to managing my own activities, I use map topics to record activities I have assigned to team members, I also at times track interdependent activities whereby my ability to perform is in some way linked to a colleague or customer.

In terms of non task activities, I use MindManager for preparing meeting agenda, capturing meeting minutes, structuring proposals, writing papers and of course brainstorming. The results of my work is typically exported to Microsoft Word in order to share it with others.

I have a very mobile work day, often out of the office in meetings and workshops and in that context I couldn't operate without the TabletPC capabilities and the built-in hand-recognition.

At the heart of my MindManager experience is The TPAssist Method and a Mindmanager addin that makes it all possible, TPAssist 2007.

NEWSLETTER - Mindjet® MindManager® 8

2008-11-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

Update for TPAssist 2007

Mindjet® have just released MindManager® 8. This update is being described by Analyst IDC as "a game changer."

A maintenance update, version 1.5.15, of TPAssist 2007 For Mindjet® MindManager® has been made available to facilitate this significant Mindjet update.

To apply our update, install MindManager® 8 first, then just download and install the latest TPAssist 2007 download.

You can download the update here, remember to close MindManager before applying the update (and Outlook if you are using the Outlook integration).

TPAssist: Mapping actions in the context of their ultimate goal.

Extend your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Connect with TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager®.

Supercharge your mind map based task lists, automate tasks, get task detail roll-up, capture and roll-up financial information, enable workflow and create workplace Dashboards.
Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel® and Project.
Integrate with Microsoft® Outlook®
Work in Multimap mode.

A must have for project managers and anyone collaborating on shared task maps.
Get the free 30-day trial today!

FREE Web Based TPAssist Master Classes.

Participate in live web based demonstrations of how to extend your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Connect with TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager®.

Get expert advice on using TPAssist and MindManager® in the work place and in life management.

These 30-minute Town Hall style sessions are for individuals and teams who wish to learn more about TPAssist and/or explore a specific use of mind mapping.

The number of attendees and session length is purposely kept small to ensure you get the maximum return on your time investment.

See the session schedule and register on-line now!

TPAssist MindManager Forum Promotion - Terms and Conditions

2008-11-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

This offer constitutes an agreement between TPAssist Ltd and you, the respondent.
Availing of this offer and therefore entry into this agreement is initiated by submitting a private message in the forum where this offer was posted. The team at TPAssist will acknowledge the request and forward you further details.
To avail of this offer respondents must submit the private message before midnight (PST) on Tuesday 25th of November 2008.
The discount applicable under this offer applies to "TPAssist 2007 - 1 Year Subscription RENEWAL" (See http://store.esellerate.net/tpassist/mma1yrrenew). The discount applicable is listed in the offer posting. This offer is not interchangeable or exchangeable with cash or any other item.
The award is delivered as a coupon that MUST be used on or before midnight (PST) on Friday 28th of November 2008.
This offer is available on an individual basis only, per coupon per respondent.
TPAssist reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time without cause or notice.
This does not impact existing agreement with respondents, these agreements will continue to run as per terms of this offer.
This offer operates independently of any other TPAssist offer.

TPAssist 1.5 Known Issue - My Life Template Task Summary

2008-10-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

This notice applies to TPAssist 2007 release 1.5 (build 1.5.13 or earlier).

Groups of maps created from the same template and then linked to a single Dashboard do not correctly get reflected in the TASK SUMMARY.

This has been corrected in the latest maintenance update, version 1.5.14 (download).

To check what version you are running, open the TPAssist Help (from the TPAssist Ribbon in MindManager 7 or from the Help menu in MindManager 6). Then use the Check for Update button.

You can download the update here.

NEWSLETTER - Free TPAssist 2007 Subscription

2008-10-21T04:20:00.000-07:00

FREE TPAssist 2007 Subscription

Promote TPAssist 2007 for For Mindjet® MindManager® to friends and colleagues and receive your next year's subscription FREE.

Entry to this offer is easy, just identify 12 or more friends or colleagues that will benefit from the vast capabilities of TPAssist. Then send us an e-mail and start promoting.
Send the e-mail to sales@tpassist.com and include the names and e-mail addresses of your friends or colleagues.

We'll track your list and issue the free subscription to you once we see 3 or more new subscribers or we see all of your list signed-up for the 30-day FREE evaluation.

There are some terms and conditions, and if you have any questions please e-mail us at sales@tpassist.com.

FREE Web Based TPAssist Master Classes

Participate in live web based demonstrations of how to extend your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Connect with TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager®.

Get expert advice on using TPAssist and MindManager® in the work place and in life management.

These 30-minute Town Hall style sessions are for individuals and teams who wish to learn more about TPAssist and/or explore a specific use of mind mapping.

The number of attendees and session length is purposely kept small to ensure you get the maximum return on your time investment.

See the session schedule and register on-line now!

TPAssist Tips: Setting Task "Work" (Effort)

Did you know the ability to capture "Work" or effort as part of the new Financial Capability is enabled by default when you turn-on Financial Capabilities. This capability will automatically assume "Work" is the same as the current duration of the task. You can customise the work of a topic quite simply by using the TPAssist Journal tab and then clicking on the value next to Work. You can revert back to the automated association to duration by double-clicking on the topic.

Receive your next year's subscription FREE

2008-10-16T02:13:00.000-07:00

Promote TPAssist 2007 for For Mindjet® MindManager® to friends and colleagues and receive your next year's subscription FREE.

Entry to this offer is easy, just identify 12 or more friends or colleagues that will benefit from the vast capabilities of TPAssist.

Then send us an e-mail and start promoting.

Send the e-mail to sales@tpassist.com and include the names and e-mail addresses of your friends or colleagues.

We'll track your list and issue the free subscription to you once we see 3 or more new subscribers or we see all of your list signed-up for the 30-day FREE evaluation.

There are some terms and conditions, and if you have any questions please e-mail us at sales@tpassist.com.

TPAssist Friends and Colleagues Promotion - Terms and Conditions

2008-10-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

This offer constitutes an agreement between TPAssist Ltd and you, the respondent.
Availing of this offer and therefore entry into this agreement is initiated by e-mailing sales@tpassist.com. The team at TPAssist will acknowledge the request and register you as an offer respondent.
The agreement runs for 45 calendar days from the time the respondent submits a list of potential subscribers. This list needs to include names and e-mail addresses of those the respondent intends to invite and promote to. The award is provided once TPAssist receives acknowledgement that the respondent's intended friends or colleagues have entered into an evaluation or ordered a license.
This agreement is a self promotion offer, whereby the respondent agrees to promote the use of TPAssist 2007 for For Mindjet® MindManager® to friends and/or colleagues. In return and upon satisfying the terms and conditions, TPAssist Ltd will extend a free 1 year subscription license to the respondent.
The award or prize associated with this offer is a "TPAssist 2007 - 1 Year Subscription RENEWAL" (See http://store.esellerate.net/tpassist/mma1yrrenew). This award or prize is not interchangeable or exchangeable with cash or any other item.
In order to receive the award, TPAssist needs to see 3 or more potential subscribers purchase a 1 year subscription or see 12 or more potential subscribers enter a 30 days evaluation.
TPAssist will monitor orders and evaluations, and tally a respondent's list of potential subscribers, awarding the 1 year subscription once the conditions of this agreement are met. At any time, the respondent can request an update on the tally of potential subscribers by e-mailing sales@tpassist.com.
The award is delivered as a coupon that can be used for a period of 12 months from date of issue.
This offer is extended to existing subscribers or product license holders.
The list of potential subscribers must be made up of individuals not previously known to TPAssist Ltd.
TPAssist reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time without cause or notice. This does not impact existing agreement with respondents, these agreements will continue to run as per terms of this offer.
This offer operates independently of any other TPAssist offer.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Multi-Map Publish to Microsoft® Excel® and Microsoft® Project

2008-10-08T02:36:00.000-07:00

Microsoft® Excel® Publish - TPAssist 2007 facilitates effective publishing of your task and project maps through a series of pre- formatted Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheets.

Microsoft® Project Export - TPAssist 2007 Microsoft Project publishing capability allows you to publish work and cost information as well as roll-up or summarise project maps via a single Gantt chart.

Consolidate and Publish multi-maps - TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® and Microsoft Project capability are multi-map enabled, allowing you to managing complex projects over multiple maps and produce consolidate Work breakdowns, project schedules and other reports.

Analyse project plans via Microsoft® Excel® - TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability also provides "pivot source" worksheets, which are flat exports of map topics specifically formatted to facilitate pivot tables, charting and other manipulation to help you analysis and present task and project details.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Task Automation

2008-10-08T02:33:00.000-07:00

Automate Task dates - TPAssist 2007 can be used to automatically create and maintain start and due dates for map topics.

Link groups of related topics - Known as "Levelling", TPAssist 2007's date automation capability also recognises topic relationship. Relationship can be used to adjust the start and/or end dates of dependant topic tasks.

Have complete control - TPAssist 2007's Task Automation is enabled at topic level so it can be controlled for an entire map or separately for individual topics and/or topic trees. Further more, topics with-in a group can be individually included or excluded from the group's Task Automation giving you complete control over your task and/or project maps.

Roll-up across multi-maps - TPAssist 2007's Task Automation works in parallel to the Roll-up capability, such that topic task date details will be automatically copied up the tree and also to linked parent maps.

Standard tools - TPAssist 2007 supports the typical methods for aligning tasks and groups of tasks (i.e. Finish-to-Start (FS), Start-to-Start (SS), Finish-to-Finish (FF) and Start-To-Finish (SF)). These modifiers can be applied to relationships and to the topic trees allowing you to create and manage even the most complex set of activity or projects.

TPAssist 1.5 Known Issue - Help Content - "TPAssist Console"

2008-09-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

This notice applies to TPAssist 2007 release 1.5 (build 1.5.9).

The help pages have a corruption in the TPAssist Console section. This has been corrected in the latest maintenance update (download).

In addition, you can now see the correct content on line via http://www.tpassist.com/tutorials/TPAssistMMAHelp/index.html and there is a recently uploaded PDF at http://www.tpassist.com/tutorials/TPAssist2007_Help_WebContent.pdf.

NEWSLETTER - TPAssist 2007 v1.5 Released

2008-09-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 version 1.5

TPAssist 2007 version 1.5 is available for download.This "first anniversary" update includes many new features and enhancements. These include:

Financial Capabilities that allow you to manage effort and costs with-in your maps.
The ability to export map project and task information to Microsoft Excel in a format suitable for generating pivot tables and charts.
A Microsoft Project export capability that is Multimap enabled, supports effort and fixed cost and will perform roll-up of task information to produce overview or summary project Gantt charts.
A growing list of features and capabilities that enhance your Mindjet Connect experience. These including the Attachment Cache, My Tasks, Multimap export to Excel and the new Multimap enabled Microsoft Project export.
Several productivity enhancement, including "My Tasks", export To-Dos, customisable "Topic Status", Update Outlook Integration, Multi-select Journaling, Multi-select Topic properties, enhanced resource handling, file shortcut support, customisable HTML Viewer page and topic tree template creator.
The ability to track and compare original target date verses actual completion.
A set of new MindManager 7 Ribbon short-cut commands and finally a number of "under the bonnet" performance enhancements and fixes.

Tell me more... and Update today!

TPAssist: Mapping actions in the context of their ultimate goal.

Extend your investment in MindManager® and/or Mindjet® Connect with TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager®.
Supercharge your mind map based task lists, get task detail roll-up, capture and roll-up financial information, enable workflow and create workplace Dashboards.
Export task and financial information to Microsoft® Excel®.
Integrate with Microsoft® Outlook®
Work in Multimap mode.

A must have for project managers and anyone collaborating on shared task maps.
Get the free 30-day trial today!

TPAssist Information Update:

Did you know that TPAssist has two licensing models: subscription (rented) or product (perpetual). The subscription can be taken out for 1, 2 or 3 years. The longer the term the bigger the discount. Obtaining your first or new license is a simple matter of running the Licensing Wizard from the Help window and choosing the "Shop Now" or "Buy Now..." button. The Licensing Wizard typically selects a 12 month subscription and places it in your basket. If that isn't your preferred choice or you are looking for bigger discounts, click the Trash Can and return to the Product Catalog.

Customer Testimonials:

"For my own professional purposes - as a daily business user (bank consultant) – my view is that, with the release of Version 1.5, TPAssist 2007 has just surpassed the general utility of ResultsManager 2 Pro product."

Alan B. Haskell, AAP, CFE

..................................................

SURVEY - Help us help you by tell us more about how you found us and your experience in using TPAssist 2007. Take Survey Now

TPAssist User's Group - TPAssist is now on Ning.com. We've established an end-user community on Ning. This community is an open forum and isn't moderated, so please join and share your experiences. Join Now

TPAssist 2007 version 1.5 - What's New

2008-09-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager® version 1.5 includes many new features and improvements. These include:

Financial Capabilities that allow you to manage effort and costs with-in your maps.

The ability to export map project and task information to Microsoft Excel in a format suitable for generating pivot tables and charts.

A Microsoft Project export capability that is Multimap enabled, supports effort and fixed cost and will perform roll-up of task information to produce overview or summary project Gantt charts.

A growing list of features and capabilities that enhance your Mindjet Connect experience. These including the Attachment Cache, My Tasks, Multimap export to Excel and the new Multimap enabled Microsoft Project export.

Several productivity enhancement, including "My Tasks", export To-Dos, customisable "Topic Status", Update Outlook Integration, Multi-select Journaling, Multi-select Topic properties, enhanced resource handling, file shortcut support, customisable HTML Viewer page and topic tree template creator.

The ability to track and compare original target date verses actual completion.

A set of new MindManager 7 Ribbon short-cut commands and finally a number of "under the bonnet" performance enhancements and fixes.

Download TPAssist 2007 for Mindjet® MindManager® v7.2 / 6.2 today! (download for MindManager v7.1)

TPAssist 2007 v1.5 - Release Notes

2008-09-11T12:27:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 version 1.5 is now available for download.

Key new Features:

Financial Capabilities that allow you to manage effort and costs with-in your maps.

The ability to export map project and task information to Microsoft Excel in a format suitable for generating pivot tables and charts.

A Microsoft Project export capability that is Multimap enabled, supports effort and fixed cost and will perform roll-up of task information to produce overview or summary project Gantt charts.

A growing list of features and capabilities that enhance your Mindjet Connect experience. These including the Attachment Cache, My Tasks, Multimap export to Excel and the new Multimap enabled Microsoft Project export.

Several productivity enhancement, including "My Tasks", export To-Dos, customisable "Topic Status", Update Outlook Integration, Multi-select Journaling, Multi-select Topic properties, enhanced resource handling, file shortcut support, customisable HTML Viewer page and topic tree template creator.

The ability to track and compare original target date verses actual completion.

A set of new MindManager 7 Ribbon short-cut commands and finally a number of "under the bonnet" performance enhancements and fixes.

Enhancements:

Excel Export makes better use of the progress bar - increasing feedback on progress and properly supporting the cancel capability.

Export to Excel's Task List capability has been restructured decreasing the build time.

Export to Excel performs "auto-row" in more key places.

Overhaul of the the "Progress Bar" functionality and usage to improve feedback to long-running activities.

The Document Tab of TPAssist Console has been re-organised again such that it is more intuitive and that the most used features are more accessible.

Excel Export "issues" template has been evolved to make it applicable to a wider set of applications.

Fixes:

Levelling/Auto-date now taking into account hyperlinked topics.

Licensing Wizard now restored discounted subscription keys.

(1.4 bug) Tree Update not functioning correctly on "in-map" hyperlinked topics.

Tree Update not working in Floating Topics Trees.

Levelling/Auto-date "FF" function not working correctly.

Excel Export doesn't open Excel if no focus topic.

(1.4 bug) Tree Update completed hyperlinked topics didn't count towards parent's percent complete.

(1.4 bug) Resource Filter in Task Summary not working.

Journal Tab "duration" now defaults blank entries back to zero.

Outlook "link" e-mail item, when Outlook integration enabled by default, creates duplicate Outlook Tasks.

Dialogs get lost when error message or another application activates during open.

Tree Update of topics linked to specific submaps topics being back status of central topic, not target topic.

Licensing Wizard requiring administrator mode after install in Vista when UAC enabled.

Task Summary "Active Only" flag not bring ignored for "in the past" and "no date" items.

MM error message being hidden during Tree Updates of broken submaps links.

(1.4 bug) Tree Update not processing in-map target topic when "omit from tree update" on.

(1.5 beta bug) Tree Update crashing when closing an unchanged sub map.

Journal abbreviation too short.

Levelling/Auto-date not getting next date when first date in tree isn't set to level or is hyperlinked.

Levelling/Auto-date should not process priority 1, 2 or 3 topics.

TPAssist 2007 v1.5 - What's New - Productivity enhancements

2008-09-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 version 1.5 comes with several productivty focused enhancements:

Productivity enhancements Use the "My Tasks" Task Summary filter to extract and summarise only task assigned to you.

Build and then export the "Task Summary" to create portable "to-do" lists.

"Topic Status" is now customisable and can include any existing TPAssist value-added properties plus work and other financial details, including estimates, actual and remaining values.

Update Outlook Integration is a new Document tool that performs a batch up update of all topic that are using TPAssist's Outlook integration. This tools catches and synchronises changes to made with-in Outlook or the map topics.

The Journal Tab is now Multi-select enabled, permitting you to make changes to a selection of topics at the same time.

The Properties component of the Topic Tab is now multi-select enabled, permitting you to make changes to a selection of topics at the same time.

Resource Handling has been extended, in addition to adding Full Name and Hourly Rates for use in financial capabilities and publishing, you can now import these resource details from other maps and pick your resources via the Journal Tab.

The "Topic" tab now includes a tool for linking files or URLs directly to focus topics as "Shortcuts", therefore providing you the ability to "link" multiple items to a topic and avoiding the need to store the file with-in your map.

Customisable "Display" properties in Topic - Topic Handing - support for exposing TPAssist "extra" properties as custom properties - making the visible and editable.

The page size in the HTML viewer creation tool can now be customised so you can choose the window into your maps for non MindManager users.

Create topic tree templates from existing topic trees, whereby the topics are "reset", removing any journals and attachments, leaving them ready to re-use.

Project tracking - "Original Target Date" - Capture and manage topic task "original target date" (as well as Due Date). Export task list to the new Excel "Pivot Source" format and perform rich analysis of task completion performance.

MindManager Ribbon short-cut commands - Manage groups of tasks quickly and effectively with the new Ribbon short-cuts.

TPAssist 2007 v1.5 - What's New - Accelerator for Mindjet Connect

2008-09-05T09:04:00.001-07:00

TPAssist enhances your Mindjet Connect experience through a growing list of features and capabilities, including the Attachment Cache, My Tasks, Multimap export to Excel and the new Multimap enabled Microsoft Project export.

TPAssist helps:

Keep the rich capabilities of organising e-mails with-in your map and make use of an "Attachment Cache" and automated short-cuts to reduce download times and online storage.

Provide a summary of your assignments, by using the "My Tasks" Task Summary filter to extract and summarise only task assigned to you.

Increase your effectiveness by allowing you to break your projects up into smaller, manageable pieces and as well as rolling-up topic status and other details, publish and analyse your projects in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project.

TPAssist 2007 v1.5 - What's New - Microsoft Project publish

2008-09-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

TPAssist's publish to Microsoft Project capability extracts information from the current map and its sub maps (if required) to produce a single project Gantt. The makes use of the fixed costs, full names and hourly rates capability in TPAssist, is Multimap enabled and will allow the roll-up of topics to produce overview or summary project Gantt charts.
Using this tool you can:

Publish summarises and subsets of your project maps, not loosing any valuable resource detail.

Make use of the TPAssist's "Financial Capabilities" and publish duration, effort/work and fixed costs from your project and task map into Microsoft Project.

TPAssist 2007 v1.5 - What's New - Excel Export - "Pivot Source"

2008-09-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

In addition to producing a number of "ready to print" reports, TPAssist will export map project and task information to a format suitable for generating pivot tables and charts. This capability unleashes the potential types of reports and analysis possible with mind map details.

In summary, this new feature includes:

Export to Excel "Pivot Source" worksheet - flat export of mind map end topics to worksheet in a format suitable for pivot tables and charts.

Export to Excel "Status Source" worksheet - flat export of mind map end topics to worksheet in a format suitable for pivot tables and charts, plus filtering

Manipulate and analysis task "work", costs and categorises.

Categorise topics perform detailed analysis with Excel Pivot tables.

TPAssist 2007 v1.5 - What's New - Financial Capabilities

2008-09-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

TPAssist's Financial Capabilities allow you to manage estimated, actual and remaining "Work" and topic "Values" directly with-in your map topics.

With the Financial Capabilities turned-on you can:

Incorporate resource effort "Work" (not just Duration) and other cost management capabilities in topics and have that detail rolled-up to parent topics and maps.

Manage estimated, actual and remaining work and cost values for topic, topic trees and maps.

Have your work, costs and other TPAssist "extra" properties displayed directly on the map with automatically populated titles and "Display" custom properties.

Use Excel to further analyse work and costs using the improved "Pivot Source" Excel Export function.

Publish work effort and fixed costs into Microsoft Project.

TPAssist User Success - Project Teams - Online Collaboration

2008-08-21T05:33:00.000-07:00

Enhance your online Mindjet Connect collaboration experience...

Track changes across shared maps - TPAssist automatically journals changes made to task details, including dates, priority, flags, percentage complete, text markers as well as resource assignment so you have a history, or audit trail, of where and when changes were made to the plan.

"My Tasks" Resource Filtering in Tree Summarisation - The TPAssist 2007 task tree summary capability has a "Resource Filter" which can be used to manage tasks assigned to one or more individuals.

Enable Workflow - Use MindManager and TPAssist to construct workflow tasks, set durations/effort and assign ownership. Also linking them we relationships and automated the dates. As you progress your workflow, using TPAssist, you can visually track steps taken and yet to be taken. In addition, because your actions are tracked with-in the map, you have an instant audit trail of your workflow progress.

Manage Financial Information - Financial values captured via TPAssist will be rolled-up the map to provide the visually means to track estimates and actual details across groups of tasks, maps and Multimaps.

Use Team Dashboards - TPAssist 2007's Tree Update and Task Summary also work with Multimaps. Dashboards can be built very easily by linking topics to sub-maps and then running TPAssist 2007 Tree Update in Multimap mode.

Consolidate and Publish multi-maps - TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® and Microsoft Project® capabilities are multi-map enabled, allowing you to managing complex projects over multiple maps and produce consolidate Work breakdowns, project schedules and other reports.

TPAssist User Success - Project Office Management

2008-08-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

Enable Project Offices through...

Establish Red-Amber-Green (RAG) Dashboards - Red-Amber-Green reports form a very important part of management reporting.

Build Custom Dashboards - Managers can create Dashboard maps of project and then use TPAssist 2007 to traverse the linked maps, populating the Dashboard map with dates, priorities, flags, percentage complete and status text.

Track Costs - TPAssist uses custom properties to capture financial estimates and actual values. This values will be rolled-up the map to provide the visually means to track any number of financial aspects associated with task, stage/phase, project and portfolio. TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability also provides "pivot source" worksheets, which are flat exports of map topics specifically formatted to facilitate pivot tables, charting and other manipulation to help you analysis and present project details.

Publish to MS Excel - Dashboards can be export to Microsoft Excel where it can be distributed for non Mindjet users.

Publish to MS Project - TPAssist's Microsoft Publishing capability is Multimap enabled and provides a task roll-up function. These tools can be used to produced summarised project time-lines and portfolio overviews.

TPAssist User Success - Project Management

2008-08-21T05:13:00.000-07:00

TPAssist facilitates project management...

Plan / Communicate - A key aspect to project planning is the ability to easily and quickly identify tasks, groups of task, interdependencies, time and effort. Mindjet® MindManager® is an excellent tool for achieving this. Coupled with TPAssist 2007, you can automate dates, dependencies, task information roll-up and record where you first made and then changed your plans. TPAssist 2007 also has tools to export project plan details to Microsoft Excel® for communication, costing and analysis.

Manage Projects - The most important aspect to project management, however, is the ability to manage the "Levers of control" (i.e. Scope, Schedule, People, Materials, Quality and Risk) The flexibility of Mindjet® MindManager® means you can quickly and easily adjust the plan to suit the changes in the project. With TPAssist 2007, you can keep track of status, use Red-Amber-Green flags, priorities and also maintain an audit trail of all actions and communications.

Enable Workflow - Use MindManager and TPAssist to construct workflow tasks, set durations/effort and assign ownership. Also linking them with relationships and automated dates. As you progress your workflow, using TPAssist, you can visually track steps taken and yet to be taken. In addition, because your actions are tracked with-in the map, you have an instant audit trail of your workflow progress.

Track Costs - TPAssist uses custom properties to capture financial estimates and actual values. This values will be rolled-up the map to provide the visually means to track any number of financial aspects associated with task, stage/phase, project and portfolio. TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability also provides "pivot source" worksheets, which are flat exports of map topics specifically formatted to facilitate pivot tables, charting and other manipulation to help you analysis and present project details.

Be more effective - Project Management is ultimately about two activities: planning and management. Linear task management tools, particularly when Gantt enabled, are great tools for planning the project and communicating the plan. However, these linear tools are less effective when it comes to managing the project.

Also see the TPAssist Project Management Tools Summary.

TPAssist User Success - Workplace Productivity

2008-08-21T05:11:00.000-07:00

Use TPAssist in the workplace to...

Create Dashboards - TPAssist 2007 is designed to provide you with the visual cues to track and manage the various requests and activities that fill your day. Dashboards can be built very easily by linking topics to sub-maps and then running TPAssist 2007 Tree Update in Multimap mode. TPAssist 2007 has a straight-forward reporting tool that can be used to easily identify and manage your tasks based on due date proximity, priorities and flag.

Enable Workflow - Use MindManager and TPAssist to construct workflow tasks, set durations/effort and assign ownership. Also linking them with relationships and automated dates. As you progress your workflow, using TPAssist, you can visually track steps taken and yet to be taken. In addition, because your actions are tracked with-in the map, you have an instant audit trail of your workflow progress.

Manage Financial Information - Financial values captured via TPAssist will be rolled-up the map to provide the visually means to track estimates and actual details across groups of tasks, maps and Multimaps.

Collaborate - TPAssist automatically journals changes made to task details, including dates, priority, flags, percentage complete, text markers as well as resource assignment so you have a history, or audit trail, of where and when changes were made to the plan. The TPAssist 2007 task tree summary capability has a "Resource Filter" which can be used to manage tasks assigned to one or more individuals. TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability is multi-map enabled, allowing you to managing complex projects over multiple maps and produce consolidate Work breakdowns, project schedules and other reports.

TPAssist User Success - Personal Productivity

2008-08-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

Use TPAssist to...

Get Context - At the heart of ultimate time utilization and productivity optimisation is concept of "context". "Context" relates to the goals and desires that govern our daily life. TPAssist's Role Based Dashboard concept give you that context in the workplace and our First Steps My Life Template Mind Maps does the same for your personal life.

Get Organised - Crucial to optimal time utilization is the ability to quickly and easily capture, process, dispatch and revisit needs and requests. Visually identifying and maintaining tasks in Mindjet® MindManager® is incredibly easy and effective.

Stay Organised - Seeing actions you take in context is a very effective way to keep you moving forward. The context suggested by TPAssist's Role Based Dashboard will really help ensure you keep on top of what needs to be done and ultimately stay organised.

Be Fulfilled - If your tasks and activities are grouped and facilitated in such a way that they were clearly identifiable against goals, then each completed action (i.e. “tick”) becomes be a step closer to those goal. By seeing these completed tasks as steps towards a goal you will have a better chance of achieving the sense of accomplishment on a daily, hourly or even minute-by-minute basis.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Microsoft® Outlook® Integration

2008-08-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

Automated Task, Calendar & E-mail integration with Microsoft Outlook® - TPAssist 2007 provides integration between mind map topics and Outlook Tasks and Appointments. In addition, Outlook Items can be linked or embedded as attachments to mind map topics.

Synchronise your map topics - TPAssist 2007 Outlook Integration synchronises information between your mind map topics and Outlook Task and Appointment items.
In addition to leveraging the powerful task and reminder capabilities of Outlook, TPAssist 2007 Outlook Integration, provides the means to get instance access to your current activities outside of MindManager. Outlook Integration is enabled on a per topic basis, although it can be enabled by default for all mind map topics by changing the TPAssist Document properties. The Outlook Items created by TPAssist will contain the same task details as the original mind map topic, plus the item notes area will contain a summary of the topic details.

Open your mind map topics from Outlook and update the map - Outlook Task and Appointment items created by TPAssist 2007 can be used to "jump" directly into your mind maps. During the "jump", TPAssist 2007 will automatically read the Outlook Item and then update the mind map topic's task details if needed.

Manage your e-mails via your mind map - TPAssist 2007 provides the means to track your e-mails, appointments, notes, tasks etc with-in your mind map. This integration not only automatically creates journal entries it also allows you to open the item again from with-in your mind maps. Outlook Items can be linked or embedded. When embedded, they are stored like file attachments and are then available to you directly from the map, allowing you to delete the original from Outlook.

Create tasks from your e-mail - TPAssist 2007 also offers the ability to auto-create mind map topics directly from your e- mails, appointments, notes, tasks etc.

Enable Getting-Things-Done (GTD) - TPAssist 2007 also supports Outlook Item categories, making TPAssist 2007 an excellent companion for Outlook methods and tools that make use of item Categories, like the David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology.

TPAssist Feature Summary - A Collaboration companion for teams and enterprises

2008-08-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

Track changes across shared maps - TPAssist automatically journals changes made to task details, including dates, priority, flags, percentage complete, text markers as well as resource assignment so you have a history, or audit trail, of where and when changes were made to the plan.

"My Tasks" Resource Filtering in Tree Summarisation - The TPAssist 2007 task tree summary capability has a "Resource Filter" which can be used to manage tasks assigned to one or more individuals.

Use Team Dashboards - TPAssist 2007's Tree Update and Task Summary also work with Multimaps. Dashboards can be built very easily by linking topics to sub-maps and then running TPAssist 2007 Tree Update in Multimap mode.

Enable Workflow - Use MindManager and TPAssist to construct workflow tasks, set durations/effort and assign ownership. Also linking them with relationships and automated dates. As you progress your workflow, using TPAssist, you can visually track steps taken and yet to be taken. In addition, because your actions are tracked with-in the map, you have an instant audit trail of your workflow progress.

Manage Financial Information - TPAssist uses custom properties to capture financial estimates and actual values. Financial values captured via TPAssist will be rolled-up the map to provide the visually means to track estimates and actual details across groups of tasks, maps and Multimaps.

Consolidate and Publish multi-maps - TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability is multi-map enabled, allowing you to managing complex projects over multiple maps and produce consolidate Work breakdowns, project schedules and other reports.

Microsoft Project Export with Multimap Support - TPAssist 2007 Microsoft Project publishing capability allows you to managing complex projects over multiple maps and produce a single Gantt chart.

TPAssist Feature Summary - A Toolkit for Project Managers

2008-08-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

Manage complex projects - TPAssist 2007 can be used to manage simple groups of tasks or very complex projects.

Keep an Audit Trail - TPAssist automatically journals changes made to task details, including dates, priority, flags, percentage complete, text markers as well as resource assignment so you have a history, or audit trail, of where and when changes were made to the plan.

Automatically move dates of interdependent tasks - TPAssist 2007 provides the means to create complex project plans of interdependent activities, whereby dates will move automatically when related activities and tasks are updated and completed.
Known as "Levelling", TPAssist 2007's date automation capability also recognises topic relationship. Relationship can be used to adjust the start and/or end dates of dependant tasks.

Track and present task status changes - TPAssist provides a Task Status capability that can be used to record and track status for any topic and also the overall map. Changes to status can be painlessly duplicated from topic to map to parent map.

Track project costs visually - TPAssist uses custom properties to capture financial estimates and actual values. This values will be rolled-up the map to provide the visually means to track any number of financial aspects associated with task, stage/phase, project and portfolio.

Publish reports to spreadsheets - TPAssist 2007 facilitates effective publishing of your project plans through a series of pre- formatted Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheets.
The publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability draws on several built-in templates to display Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), team To- Do lists, a Resource Planner/Schedule and project Gantt Chart.

Consolidate and Publish multi-maps - TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability is multi-map enabled, allowing you to managing complex projects over multiple maps and produce consolidate Work breakdowns, project schedules and other reports.

Analyse project plans via Excel - TPAssist 2007's publish to Microsoft® Excel® capability also provides "pivot source" worksheets, which are flat exports of map topics specifically formatted to facilitate pivot tables, charting and other manipulation to help you analysis and present project details.

Summarise your resource and project cost estimates in Excel - TPAssist 2007 adds the ability to capture resource costs and then publish the resulting plans into a "quote" style spreadsheet.

Managed project information - Through TPAssist's semi- structured notes capability, information can be easily embedded in your project maps and then exposed via the Excel based publishing tool.

Resource Filtering in Tree Summarisation - The TPAssist 2007 task tree summary capability has a "Resource Filter" which can be used to manage tasks assigned to one or more individuals.

Microsoft® Project Export with Multimap Support - TPAssist 2007 Microsoft Project publishing capability allows you to managing complex projects over multiple maps and produce a single Gantt chart.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Dashboards & Reporting

2008-08-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

Visualise your progress - TPAssist 2007 is designed to provide you with the visual cues to track and manage the various requests and activities that fill your day.

Summarise your next action - TPAssist 2007 has a straight-forward reporting tool that can be used to easily identify and manage your tasks based on due date proximity, priorities and flag.

Work with Multimaps - TPAssist 2007's Tree Update and Task Summary also work with Multimaps. Dashboards can be built very easily by linking topics to sub-maps and then running TPAssist 2007 Tree Update in Multimap mode.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Capture and Roll-up of Financial Information

2008-08-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

Capture Financial Details- TPAssist uses custom properties to capture financial estimates and actual values.

Manage "Work" as well as Duration - Incorporate resource effort (Work), as well as Duration, in task topics.

Manage topic "value" - Manage estimated, actual and remaining topic "values" for topic, topic trees and maps. This value can represent the cost of task, perhaps weekly sales figures or even expenses.

Roll-up Financial Details - Financial values captured via TPAssist will be rolled-up the map to provide the visually means to track estimates and actual details across groups of tasks, maps and Multimaps.

Expose financial values on the map - Work, costs and other TPAssist "extra" properties can be displayed directly on the map with automatically populated titles, callouts and "Display" custom properties.

Publish Work and Cost to Microsoft® Excel® and Microsoft® Project - Resource effort (Work) and topic value can be published to Microsoft® Excel® and Microsoft® Project for analysis, publication and distribution.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Workflow Support

2008-08-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Visualise your workflow - Use MindManager and TPAssist to construct workflow tasks, linking them with relationships and automated dates.

Operator/Execute your workflow - TPAssist 2007 automatically records or "journals" your actions and task configuration changes with-in the topic notes. Your actions are also noted in context to which it related, i.e. all parent topics and linked maps.

Review/Audit your workflow history - As you progress your workflow, using TPAssist, you can visually track steps taken and yet to be taken. In addition, because your actions are tracked with-in the map, you have an instant audit trail of your workflow progress.

Create templates and re-use your workflows - Use TPAssist to take existing task trees and turn them into new ready to use workflow task trees.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Roll-up of Task Information

2008-08-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

Take a Birds Eye View - The ease at which individual topic status is rolled- up to a centralised view ensures you can quickly see what has to be done and give you instant satisfaction regarding what you have already achieved.

Uncover buried task information - Topic Task information with-in your map can become buried when you collapse and filter the hierarchy. You may have Priorities, percentage complete, flags and dates assigned to topics, but none of this will be obvious unless you expand the specific tree.

Roll-up task details on demand - TPAssist 2007's Tree Update capability rolls-up priorities, percentage complete, dates and flags.

Roll-up task details automatically - As well as manually, the Tree Update function is performed automatically whenever TPAssist is used to change the priority, percent complete, Start Date, Due Date or Flag.

TPAssist Feature Summary - Supercharged Task Lists

2008-08-20T05:18:00.000-07:00

Take the pain away from tracking your activities - TPAssist 2007 automatically records or "journals" your actions and task configuration changes with-in the topic notes. Your actions are also noted in context to which it related, i.e. all parent topics and linked maps.

See your achievement for any given day - TPAssist 2007 also builds and maintains a Journal summary tree. This tree tracks your activities by date and is grouped by year, month and day.

Turn your ideas in to action plans - TPAssist 2007 provides straight-forward techniques for taking Brainstorming ideas and turn them into Task maps ready to track and act-on.

Track your activities with-in any number of sub maps - TPAssist 2007 is multi-map enabled supporting task status rollout and also tracking of task and activity progress.

TPAssist Dashboard, Practical Tips for Taking Control of your workplace responsibilities - Create sub-templates of activities you repeat all the time.

2008-06-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

MindManager is great for facilitating routine activities and repeated work processes. In maximising the use of your time, you don't want to 're-invent the wheel' every time you have a set of activities to complete. You will want to make use of your past experience to make you more effective and efficient in every task. Further more, if you have some important process that you repeat often, you don't want to miss the odd step in the process and find yourself with further work to do correcting the mistake.

This short piece looks at how you can make use of topic tree templates to make you more effective at completing routine activities and repeated work processes.

You can also see a video presentation of this material via our video gallery.

We promote the use of proven process. Trying to build templates for sets of activities that you haven't complete at least once isn't the best use of your time. We'd recommend only building topic tree templates for activities that you've repeat at least one, and possibly a few more times if you'd not convinced you did it perfectly the first time around.

Once you have found a repeating set of activities, the process to create a topic tree template is very straight-forward.

Firstly, find a place to store your template (in video illustration, I created a template place holder with-in the focus area); You could also filter out any unwanted topics.

Secondly, you copy the topic structure to the clipboard. Now paste the topics as "text only", thereby removing any notes and other tracking details specific to the source tree.

We now convert the topic list to a task tree. At this point you could also add date automation, a vast topic that we explore in other presentations.

To conclude, make the template placeholder a "Research" topic to keep is clean and ensure that none of the TPAssist's tree roll-up automation is performed on this template.

Once we have a topic tree template, using it is even more straight-forward. All we do is copy the topic tree into the focus area we mean to use it and set the details on the first activity.

In Summary, we recommend using templates to make you more effective at completing routine activities and repeated work processes, the steps in that process are:

Use proven process as the basis of your template.

And create templates in-place with-in your maps to make them easy to find.

TPAssist Dashboard, Practical Tips for Taking Control of your workplace responsibilities - Quick Bird's Eye View - Daily Activity Reviews

2008-06-30T04:31:00.000-07:00

Staying ultimately productive and enjoying your work at the same time is difficult enough without the added interruption of "task reminders".

Instead of having to "react" to reminders, we would recommend a proactive approach. Staying on-top of your commitments without reminders is easier said than done, because if your outstanding tasks don't come looking for you, you need to go looking for them!

This short piece looks at how you'd move from being a task reminder slave to a proactive commander of your own time.

You can also see a video presentation of this material via our video gallery.

One approach to being proactive in your activity management is the use of visual cues. We promote the use of three existing MindManager icon markers: flags, priorities and percent complete. These icon markers make great visual cues on individual topics.

An even more powerful extension is rolling up these Flags, priorities and percent complete icons to parent topics and maps. You can then quickly zoom in on items that need attention. This automation is provided by TPAssist 2007.

Another approach to proactively managing and finding your next action is the use of TPAssist's Task Summary view on a daily basis.

The Task Summary provides a view of all outstanding and approaching actions found with-in your Dashboard. When executed regularly, you'll find the 7 day horizon view an excellent alternative to the dozen task reminder appearing in your face every 5 minutes. Instead, you can go looking for your next action when you are ready, holding comfort in the fact that if you get drawn away from a task for a period, you'll easily find it again later via the Task Summary.

Using the Task Summary and/or visual clues in your Dashboard assumes you are using your map to plan your actions. Therefore at a minimum you need to ensure your map includes everything you need to do. If you forget to include some action you may find yourself not trusting the Task Summary or visual clues.

In Summary, our recommended approach to becoming a proactive commander of your own time is as follows:

Use flags, priorities and percent complete as visual cues.

Use the Task Summary daily to set your priorities for the day and see where you are going.

And at a minimum capture everything you need to do in your map.

TPAssist Dashboard, Practical Tips for Taking Control of your workplace responsibilities -Sensible Approach to Task Tracking

2008-06-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

The objective of task tracking is to recall what you have said, done, promised or been promised.

However it just isn't practical to track everything, so we must focus on aspects of our day that deliver the greatest benefit whilst minimising our exposure to overwhelm.

In other words we don't want to be overburdened with the management of loads of low priority tasks and reminders.

This piece illustrates a sensible approach to task tracking.

You can also see a video presentation of this material via our video gallery.

When you find something that impacts your job responsibilities directly, use your task trees to visually track progress.

Don't be afraid of having too many topics in your map, you can always create linked sub- maps if a mini- project becomes a big- project.

When something comes your way which may cause you concern at some later point, make a note of it and give it plenty of time to resolve.

This best guess time-frame approach to items at the perimeter of your responsibility, ensure, whilst on your radar, the item will hopefully stay out of the way of your primary activities.

Use "General" topics to track activities for items outside your direct line of responsibility, but indirectly linked to your ability to work productively.

An example might be receiving notice of an update to the company Holiday's policy. You may want to record a note of the change for next time you are planning some time away.

In Summary, our recommended approach to task tracking is as follows:

Use new topics generously for aspects that directly impact your responsibilities.

Use best guess time-frames for aspects at the perimeter of your responsibilities.

Use topics with a Priority of 5 to capture peripheral activities.

TPAssist Dashboard, Practical Tips for Taking Control of your workplace responsibilities - Free your mind - "Set and Forget"

2008-06-30T04:18:00.000-07:00

An important part of working productively is dealing with interruptions, whether they be external, like a phone call or e-mail, or be they of your own creation, like a new great idea.

This short piece looks at how your Dashboard can be used to effectively manage interruptions.

You can also see a video presentation of this material via our video gallery.

When an idea or requests land at your feet, spend a small amount of time assessing the steps or activities required to complete the request.

Put that list into the context to which it belongs. Then turn these steps or activities into mini- projects with automatic dates.

Before you move onto something else, always put a date on the next activity. This date is typically either when you you'll have time to address the request or when you next need to assess the status.

Every item in the Dashboard can be picked up by the Task Summary, so now that you have dates on your actions, you can put them out of your mind and get back to being productive.

So to summarise, our approach to Freeing your mind is follows:

List actions and creating mini-plans

Put a date on the next action or "check- point"And use the Task Summary to drive your productivity

NEWSLETTER - TPAssist Dashboard Launched

2008-06-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

Launch of TPAssist Dashboard online resources for workplace mind mapping.

TPAssist has launched a FREE online resource for workplace mind mapping. The "TPAssist Dashboard" web site includes FREE instructional videos, template maps and template role based Dashboards. We also have do-it-yourself instructional guide on building your own role based Dashboard.http://www.tpassist.com/Dashboard

What is a role based Dashboard?

The TPAssist Dashboard, not unlike the control panel in your car, contains the instruments and controls necessary to manage and enjoy your day.
Central to the Dashboard is the concept of "context" and the need to see the actions you take driving you towards your ultimate goal. Find out more via online resource.

TPAssist 2007 1.4 Released

TPAssist 2007 version 1.4 is now available for download. This update is part 2 of our usability initiative, which started with version 1.3 where we updated features based on knowledge gained from case studies and feedback from our growing communicate of subscribers.This update includes improvements to the Publish Tab and Tree Update Tab. find out more...
Download TPAssist 2007 Now.

Mindjet® Connect

We are actively enhancing TPAssist 2007 to take advantage of the online collaboration potential of Mindjet Connect. If you are looking at MindManager® Service Pack 2 or Mindjet Connect please read our latest update.

..................................................

SURVEY - Help us help you by tell us more about how you found us and your experience in using TPAssist 2007.Take Survey Now

TPAssist User's Group - TPAssist is now on Ning.com. We've established an end-user community on Ning. This community is an open forum and isn't moderated, so please join and share your experiences. Join Now

TPAssist Users Group

2008-06-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

Join the TPAssist Users Group on NING and share your experiences with other TPAssist users.

http://tpassist.ning.com/

Mindjet Connect and Support for MindManager 7 Service Pack 2

2008-06-15T05:24:00.001-07:00

Mindjet® MindManager® 7, Service Pack 2 (7.2.374), released for general availability on 17th of June has been developed specifically to facilitate Mindjet Connect.

TPAssist 2007 has been extensively tested for use with SP2 and also with maps located in Mindjet® Connect.

UPDATE (15/Sep/08) - 1.5 is now released, please see our download page.

Our most recent updated, TPAssist 2007 1.4, whilst successfully tested with Mindjet Connect (MJC), has one issued with regards to in-effective Hyperlinks in the "Task Summary" feature when operated on MJC maps. TPAssist is working with Mindjet to find a solution.

TPAssist 2007 1.4 has been built for MindManager 6.2.399 and 7.1.394. One of these exact versions must be installed in order to make use of the optional Outlook Add-in.

TPAssist users who move to MindManager 7 Service Pack 2 (SP2) can make use of TPAssist 1.4 if they do not which to use the Outlook Add-in. However, if the Outlook Add-in is required, the beta of TPAssist 1.5 must be installed. The beta of TPAssist 1.5 can be downloaded here.

TPAssist 2007 v1.4 - Release Notes

2008-05-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 version 1.4 is now available for download.

This update could be considered part 2 of our usability initative, which started with version 1.3 where we updated features based on knowledge gained from case studies and feedback from our growing communicate of subscribers.

The update includes improvement in some key areas and a small number of fixes.

Improvements to existing Features:

The Publish Tab of TPAssist Console re-organised such that it is more intuitive and that the most used features are more accessible. The popup window has been re-designed to provide maximum accessibility to the capabilities that are used most often. You can obtain the lesser used capabilities by clicking the ">>>" button. Likewise, hiding the advanced options is achieved by clicking the "<<" button.
The Tree Update Tab of TPAssist Console re-organised such that it is more intuitive and that the most used features are more accessible. The popup window has been re-designed to provide maximum accessibility to the capabilities that are used most often. You can obtain the lesser used capabilities by clicking the ">>>" button. Likewise, hiding the advanced options is achieved by clicking the "<<" button.
The Progress popup has improved message to provide clearer indication of status. For example, the Tree Update and multimap Journal functionality now informs you when it is fetching maps from linked topics.

Fixes:

Outlook Add-in compatibility verification (installer wont install the Outlook Add-in if the MindManager version isn't matched).
The Document Properties "Advanced Options" choice is now remembered correctly.
Improved instructions in "First Time Usage" message, when a TPAssist 2007 command is used on existing (non-TPAssist) mind maps.

Other Notes:

This update has been built for MindManager 6.2.399 and 7.1.394, these exact versions must be installed in order to make use of the optional Outlook Add-in.
Whilst this update has been successfully tested with Mindjet Connect, there are some known issues and beta program users should contact us for access to the TPAssist 2007 beta for Mindjet Connect. (http://www.tpassist.com/Support/Default.aspx)

TPAssist 2007 Feature in Focus: Topic Node Concat

2008-04-08T21:15:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 Topic Node Concat or just Topic Concat, is one of the added bonuses designed to make working with MindManager ultimately productive.

The tool is available via the Right-Click context menu on map topics. It has one purpose and many uses.

The purpose of the tool is to concatenate the text of sub topics into a parent single topic.

One of the key uses, and the reason the tool was originally developed is for use with TabletPC and MindManager “Pen mode”. Pen mode, especially when your TabletPC is in portrait mode, has a limited window for capturing your writing. This is clearly designed to facilitate brainstorming. However this small window proves less useful when capturing large amounts of notes in meetings, workshops, seminars or even training.

So the Topic Concat tool was developed to help bring trees of words back into sentences.

The following script illustrates how Topic Concat can be used.

STEP 1 - In the first instance, you may find yourself capturing notes during a meeting.

STEP 2 - Next you would use the MindManager “Ink To Text” tool to convert your writing into topic text.

STEP 3 - Now you use the TPAssist 2007 Topic Concat tool to bring these words into sentences.

The “level” option allows you to choose where your sentences start. In the example above we have chosen level “2” because our meeting notes start 2 levels down from the meeting agenda item.

The resulting map then looks as follows:

NEWSLETTER - TPAssist 2007 v1.3 Released

2008-03-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 V1.3 Released

TPAssist 2007 version .1 3 is now available for download. This is possibly the most significant update since TPAssist 2007 was launched in September last year. This update draws on knowledge gained from case studies and feedback from our growing communicate of subscribers.
The update includes a number of new features as well as improvement in some key areas. The improvements include additional control over automated tree roll-up as well as rationalisation of the interface, including updates to the Journal Tab, Topic Tab and Document Tab. The new features include greater control over combining research alongside task topics, richer Task Summary outputs, as well as categories and time support in the integration with Microsoft Outlook making TPAssist a great companion for tools like GDT Outlook Add-in.

Read more about v1.3...

Download TPAssist 2007 Now.

Survey

We are conducting a survey of all our customers. The survey will provide the opportunity for you to tell us more about how you found us and your experience in using TPAssist 2007.

Take Survey Now...

News from elsewhere in TPAssist

In order to ensure the timely release of TPAssist 2007 v1.3, attention has been drawn away from the next phase of our mind mapping training content. In December we released our Life Management training and template mind maps. Over the coming weeks we will be putting the final touches on our work place offering. This offering, known as TPAssist "Dashboard" is related to workplace based task and project management through the use of visualization, specifically mind mapping.

If you are looking for further details on "Dashboard" or any other aspect of TPAssist products and services, please e-mail us right away.E-mail us at consult@tpassist.com if you are interested.

TPAssist 2007 v1.3 - Release Notes

2008-03-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 version .1 3 is now available for download. This is possibly the most significant update since TPAssist 2007 was launched in September last year.

This update draws on knowledge gained from case studies and feedback from our growing communicate of subscribers.

The update includes a number of new features as well as improvement in some key areas. The improvements include additional control over automated tree roll-up as well as rationalisation of the interface, including updates to the Journal Tab, Topic Tab and Document Tab. The new features include greater control over combining research alongside task topics, richer Task Summary outputs, as well as categories and time support in the integration with Microsoft Outlook making TPAssist a great companion for tools like GDT Outlook Add-in.

New Features:

TPAssist 2007 Outlook Integration now has support for existing Outlook Item categories (making TPAssist 2007 an excellent companion for Outlook methods and tools that make use of item Categories, like the GTD Outlook Add-In). Outlook Categories integration is now configurable via the Advanced Options of the TPAssist "Properties" (Documents Tab) menu selection. Not only can you specify integration with existing categories, you can also use the "macro" to define the creation of customised categories by TPAssist.
Outlook Integration now has support for mapping Topic Duration to Outlook Task "Total Work" / "Actual Work". Configured on a map-by-map basis, via the Document Tab, you can define the behaviour or mapping of Topic Duration to either Outlook Task "Total Work" or "Actual Work".
The topic title used to build the Task Summary tree can now be customised. When running the Task Summary across multiple sub maps, you can now draw out additional context information and have it included in the topic title. The topic title contents is defined in the Tree Update tab and by default includes the "topic Reference" as well as the source topic title.
Topics can be configured to be ignored by the Publishing capability (i.e. you can choose to have specific topic trees ignore when publishing to Excel)
Topics can be configured as a "Research / Notes Topic" whereby TPAssist will ignore all sub-topics. This makes it much easier to combine research and task topic tree in the same branches. (Note: This capability replaces to previously support notion of the NOTES main sub topic. All previously used maps will be automatically converted the first time TPAssist 2007 1.3 is used on each map).

Improvements to existing Features:

The Journal Tab of TPAssist Console re-organised such that it is more intuitive and that the most used features are more accessible. The popup window has been re-designed to provide maximum accessibility to the capabilities that are used most often. You can obtain the lesser used capabilities by clicking the ">>>" button. Likewise, hiding the advanced options is achieved by clicking the "<<" button.
The Topic Tab of TPAssist Console has been re-organised such that it is more intuitive and that the most used features are more accessible. As per above, the most frequently used options are shown, with all options been displayed using the ">>>" button.
The Document Tab of TPAssist Console has been re-organised such that it is more intuitive and that the most used features are more accessible. As per above, the most frequently used options are shown, with all options been displayed using the ">>>" button.
Automatic Tree Update, executed after task details are changed with the Journal Tab, can now be configured as "Adaptive (Fast)" (default) or "Comprehensive (Slow)". With previous releases the mode of operation was "Adaptive (Fast)". This Tree Update option defines the behaviour of Tree Update after making task detail changes using the Journal Tab. When task details are changed, you will likely wish for the task details to be rolled- up to the central topic. The choices as part of this setting define the degree to which the map is updated each time you press OK in the Journal Tab after changing task details. If "None (Disabled)" is selected, automatic update is turn- off. Roll-up information will be populated only by doing a manual Tree Update from the central topic. If "Comprehensive (Slow)" is selected, the entire map is automatically updated every-time the Journal Tab is used to change task details. This option may be slow when making changes in large maps. If "Adaptive Simple (Fast) "is selected, only the parent topics of the focus topic will be updated when task detail changes are made to the Journal Tab. Whilst much faster than "Comprehensive", this form of automation will fail to update dates of related topics (as possible when Levelling is enabled).

Fixes:

Levelling implementation of "references" now correctly supports Start-Start (SS) configuration.
Levelling "continue date" now correctly resets at sub topic levels.
MM7 Add-in no-longer creates duplicate (redundant) Publish and Topic Update buttons in the Ribbon if MM restarted.
TPAssist Console "tab" buttons are no longer disabled when tab has focus.
Journal Tab now correctly handles a "blank" duration.
Journal note created when Auto 100% used incorrectly used "Dimmed Callout" instead of "Dimmed Topic".
Journal Tab - Outlook Integration "private" button wasn't changing Outlook item.

TPAssist 2007 Feature in Focus: Outlook Integration - Synchronisation

2008-03-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

TPAssist currently synchronises the following task data: Start Date, Due Date, Priority (1/2 = High, 3 = Normal, 4 = Low), Percentage Complete and Reminder. The Outlook Item Title is constructed using the “Task Title Macro”. The Outlook item categories will be overwritten with central topic and “Customer” property. The Outlook Item notes or “body” is constructed and includes a summary of the task data, plus the mind map topic’s notes. Other Outlook Item properties will be left untouched (i.e. include Total and actual work time).

TPAssist 2007 will synchronise task data between the map topic and the linked Outlook item in the following two cases:

1. From Outlook – after changing the task data in the Task item, click the TPAssist “Launch Integrated Linkage Module” button (this launches the mind map and updates the task data).

2. From MindManager – make all task data changes via the TPAssist Journal Tab. (providing the “Outlook Integration” option is “Auto”, the changes will be synchronised with the corresponding Outlook Item.)

NB: Changing the “Outlook Integration” to NONE will delete the Outlook Item, so this should be avoided if additional data is recorded with-in the Outlook Item. Also, changing the mind map topic to 100% Complete with the TPAssist Journal Tab will “delink” the Outlook Item (the Outlook Item will be made 100% complete also and saved with-in Outlook). Therefore, if the mind map topic is made 100% with the TPAssist Journal and then subsequently modify with the TPAssist Journal to 75% Complete for example, a new Outlook Item is created and linked. This is by design, because we didn’t want to unnecessarily burden the mind map environment with Outlook GUIDs for completed items.

Mindjet MindManager 7 - Service Pack 1 (& TPAssist 2007 1.1.4)

2007-12-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

Mindjet have released an update to MindManager 7.

To get the MM7 update - Use the "Updates" button on the Tools ribbon. The update can also be downloaded directly . This update fixes a number of known issues (See their release notes).

An update for TPAssist 2007 has also been published. This must be applied after installing the MM7 service pack if you are using the TPAssist 2007 Outlook integration. Get the update using the "Check for Updates" button in the TPAssist 2007 Help window. The update can also be downloaded directly from our Downloads page.

REVIEW: First Steps Web Seminar (The Mind Mapping Software Weblog)

2007-12-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

Chuck Frey, founder of the InnovationTools website (http://www.innovationtools.com/), author of numerous articles, reviewer of mind mapping software and most recently a publisher of an e-book entitled Power Tips & Strategies for Mind Mapping Software, has reviewed our First Steps web seminar.

Read what Chuck has to say in his blog (The Mind Mapping Software Weblog)

NEWSLETTER - First Steps FREE Web Seminar Launched

2007-12-09T14:43:00.001-08:00

Launch of First Steps FREE Web Seminar

In September 2007, TPAssist launched our Mindjet MindManger add-in. We have now incorporated our methodology and TPAssist 2007 usage into a FREE series of short-video presentations.

These presentations are available via our web site and provide real working examples of how mind mapping can be an excellent environment for life management.

At the heart of this seminar is the TPAssist My Life template mind map. You can get this FREE template RIGHT-NOW by using the Check For Updates button with-in the TPAssist 2007 Help Window. You can also download it from the web seminar page.

Click here to view the FREE online seminar NOW.
(http://tinyurl.com/2sa8lg)

ALSO - See below for a related Customer Testimonial.

Survey

We are conducting a survey of all our customers. The survey will provide the opportunity for you to tell us more about how you found us and your experience in using TPAssist 2007. In return all participants go into the draw for a First Steps Web Seminar DVD (valued at $45). Prices quoted is in US$. Entry closes on the 31st of December 2007. Survey Participants must provide an e-mail address in order to be entered in the draw.
Take Survey Now
(http://tinyurl.com/3bk7ok)

FREE Dashboard Consulting

The next phase of our mind mapping training content will focus on mind mapping in the workplace. We are looking for real examples of working environments in order to build sample "Dashboard" maps.

All we are looking for is a description of your role and your responsibilities within your organisation. In return we build you a personalised "Dashboard" series of maps, thereby giving you the equivalent of several hours of FREE consulting. All we ask is that we can use a more generic version of these maps as an example in our online web seminars. All your company and personal specifics will be removed for the web seminars.

E-mail us at consult@tpassist.com if you are interested.

Customer Testimonials

We believe that by bringing mind mapping and TPAssist into your life management, you will have the opportunity to get a sense of accomplishment on a daily, hourly or even minute-by-minute basis.

Or as one of our many satisfied customers puts it...

"I invested 40 minutes of my time, I familiarized myself with TPAssist 2007's impressive features and then I went for it and incorporate TPAssist into my life. Through using MindManager and TPAssist I am enjoying that feeling of satisfaction now that the lists from my busy cluttered mind are at my finger tips in a stress free, logical and friendly ordered way. As far as I am concerned a TPAssist "assisted" life = Organised Life = Happy Life."

Owner/Operator, Medical Services Company

TPAssist First Steps Webinar Featured on Mindjet Vignette

2007-11-21T23:50:00.000-08:00

The Mindjet customer pages contain a short piece on how I use MindManager and also include background and details on our First Steps webinar.

Scroll through the Mindjet Vignettes here.

The Vignette includes a link to the map used in the process.

TPAssist 2007 Q&A - Gyronix Results Manager

2007-11-15T03:02:00.000-08:00

Question:

I'd be interested to hear if you have a case as to why I should buy tpassist and not result manager, for the purpose of task management, using mindmanager, and outlook.

Answer:

In comparing TPAssist 2007 and Gyronix Results Manager, it is true to say that they share some functionality and in parts can be used to the implement productivity enabling methodologies, however since they also provide different functionality it may be more worth while reviewing both and seeing where the unique capabilities of each can be of use.

If we were to look for specifics, we would suggest the main functional comparison is with-in TPAssist 2007's Tree Summarisation capability. In Gyronix's own words, "ResultsManager from Gyronix scans all your project maps and generates insightful dashboards, helping you to take action and manage priorities." This is similar to the Tree Summarising feature of TPAssist 2007.

Outside that, TPAssist 2007 is more oriented towards working within and tightly integrated with your task mind maps rather than just from a bird-eye view.

You can see the Tree Summarisation feature in action towards the later stage of the Feature 1 video. Or read about it in the bottom half of the Feature outline page.

We will be demonstrating these capabilities in our "First Steps" web seminar. The video of the seminar is due to be released at the end of November. See our home page for details.

(FOOTNOTE - this Q&A is based on a response to a customer question directed to our support email).

TPAssist 2007 Q&A - GTD (Getting Things Done from David Allen)

2007-11-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

Question:

The CEO of the company is using GTD (Getting Things Done from David Allen) in conjunction with MindManager 7.0.

If your product is installed are there any known software or operational conflicts with the above packages all working together?

Answer:

TPAssist 2007 lends its self very well to the GTD methodology. We have tested our Add-in alongside the GTD Outlook add-in from NetCentrics and it works well. The TPAssist 2007 "7 Day Horizon" summarisation report provides a 7 day view of outstanding activities and can be used successfully in conjunction with GTD methodology and other tools.

We will be demonstrating these capabilities in our "First Steps" web seminar. The video of the seminar is due to be released at the end of November. See our home page for details.

(FOOTNOTE - this Q&A is based on a response to a customer question directed to our support email).

TPAssist 2007 Feature in Focus: Levelling (complex project plan task interdependancies)

2007-10-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

Levelling is the term TPAssist uses to define automatic calculation and assignment of topic task Start Date and Due Date. Levelling provides the means to create complex project plans of interdependent activities, whereby dates will move automatically when related activities and tasks are updated and completed.

Simple Task levelling

Levelling is controlled at a topic level. You can turn it on, off or choose to inherit the levelling settings from parent topics. Once turned on, the "Levelling function" is used to determine how Start and Due dates will be managed.

The levelling functions used by TPAssist are:

Finish-to-Start (FS): Topics start after the completion of the previous topic. This is the DEFAULT choice.

Start-to-Start (SS): Topics start and end together, alignment is based on the earliest start date in the topic group.

Finish-to-Finish (FF): Topics start and end together, alignment is based on latest Due Date of topics in the group.

Start-To-Finish (SF): Take the Due Date of the last topic in the group and track back each topic in the group so all topics finish by that Due Date.

Relationships and task interdependancy

Levelling also recognises topic relationship. Relationship can be used to adjust the start and/or end dates of dependant tasks. Relationships dependency follows the arrow (i.e. the starting point is the reference topic and where the arrow finishes is the dependant topic).

Relationship Callout Code Details:

FS or BLANK (Finish-to-Start): The dependant topic should not start until after the reference topic completes.

SS (Start-to-Start): The dependant topic should start at the same time as reference topic.

FF (Finish-to-Finish): The dependant topic should complete before or at the same time as the reference topic

SF (Start-To-Finish): The dependant topic should finish before the reference topic starts.

In addition to controlling the function of the relationship, duration can be added to the Callout topic to define the time between dependant topic and reference topic.

The other options with regards to levelling are as follows:

Apply to sublevels: Apply levelling to this number of levels. Zero (0) indicates no limit. If the checkbox is unchecked, the property will be inherited from the topics above.

Hours in Day: Specify the number of hours in a working day. This value is used to calculate appropriate dates span when Duration is specified.

Weekends: Specify how Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) are managed when levelling topics. (Auto - Use the weekends if the topic Start Date is either a Saturday or Sunday; Weekdays - Only use weekdays, even if Start Date is either a Saturday or Sunday; Weekends Also - Use weekends (if needed).

Continue Date: Instructs levelling to continue the date from one Levelling group to another. When turned off, levelling will start from today's date.

For further information on configuring levelling, see the TPAssist 2007 Help and the User Reference, TPAssist Console, Topic Tab.

TPAssist 2007 Key Feature 6: 1 Integrated with Microsoft Excel® for publication of Work Breakdown & other Project Management reports.

2007-09-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 facilitates effective publishing of your project plans through a series of pre- formatted Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets. [See the Demo]

Communicate work breakdown: Accessed through the Publish tab of the TPAssist Console, the publish to Excel capability draws on several built- in templates to display Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), team To- Do lists, a Resource Planner/Schedule and project Gantt Chart.

Published Results spread across worksheets: The Excel file produced includes a number of worksheets. These correspond to the options chosen.

Overview Worksheet (Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)): The Overview worksheet provides the Work Breakdown Structures (WBS). It draws on map properties and topic details.

Gantt Worksheet: The Gantt worksheet provides a high- level overview of the dates on which tasks will be performed.

Resource Worksheet: The Resource Worksheet provides a high- level overview of resource usage and contention.

Project Notes Worksheet: The Project Notes worksheet summarises "Project Notes" as used with- in topic notes.

ToDo Worksheet: The ToDo worksheets breakdown specific tasks by owner.

Communicate status: A simple variation on the publishing format provides you with the ability to issue status information and publish it to a easily distributable format.

Share your project issues list with non Mind Map users: Another simple variation on the publishing format provides you with the ability to maintain an issue list with-in your map and publish it to a easily distributable format.

Summarise your estimates: TPAssist 2007 adds the ability to capture resource costs and then publish the resulting plans into a "quote" style spreadsheet.

TPAssist 2007 Key Feature 5: Automated Task, Calendar & E-mail integration with Microsoft Outlook®

2007-09-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 provides integration between mind map topics and Outlook Tasks and Appointments. In addition, Outlook Items can be linked to mind map topics. [See the Demo]

Synchronise your map topics: TPAssist 2007 Outlook Integration synchronises information between your mind map topics and Outlook Task and Appointment items. In addition to leveraging the powerful task and reminder capabilities of Outlook, TPAssist 2007 Outlook Integration, provides the means to get instance access to your current activities outside of MindManager.

Outlook Integration is managed via Journal Tab: The Outlook Integration is managed via the "Journal Tab" of the TPAssist Console. The TPAssist Console is a comprehensive path to all TPAssist features. The Journal Tab shown here is used to capture task status details and your task activities.

Outlook Integration is default via Document Properties: Outlook Integration is enabled on a per topic basis, although it can be enabled by default for all mind map topics by changing the TPAssist Document properties.

Outlook Integration is automatic: By selecting "Auto" we have instructed TPAssist to automatically manage creation and synchronisation of the an Outlook Task Item.
Whilst the default is to use Outlook Tasks, we could as easily choose to use an Outlook Appointment to block out a few hours in our diary or just create a reminder.
Once setup, TPAssist adds a map marker to the Topic so we know there is a linked Outlook Task item.

Outlook Items contain a summary of the mind map topic details: The Outlook Items created by TPAssist will contain the same task details as the original mind map topic, plus the item notes area will contain a summary of the topic details.

Open your mind map topics from Outlook: Outlook Task and Appointment items created by TPAssist 2007 can be used to "jump" directly into your mind maps.

TPAssist Integrated Linkage Module: Once a topic has been configured to integrate with Outlook, the Outlook item can be used to "jump" back to your mind map.
Simply find the item in Outlook and then launch the "TPAssist Integrated Linkage Module". This is achieved either from the Standard Toolbar in the Outlook item folder or from the Item's own toolbar.

Outlook changes are synchronised during the "jump": During the "jump", TPAssist 2007 will automatically read the Outlook Item and then update the mind map topic's task details if needed.

Manage your e-mails via your mind map: TPAssist 2007 provides the means to track your e-mails, appointments, notes, tasks etc with-in your mind map. This integration not only automatically creates journal entries it also allows you to open the item again from with-in your mind maps.

Select the map topic and "Journal" any Outlook item: The first step in linking your other Outlook Items to a mind map topic, is to pick the topic. Once selected, we switch to Outlook and select the items we would like to link. If required we can use the SHIFT and/or CTRL keys to select multiple items. Then we launch the "TPAssist Integrated Linkage Module".

Linked items are added to Journal: A summary of the Outlook item details are included in the mind map topic's notes as well as in the Journal tree.
The journal entry will include various details including the date details of the linked item.

Re-open linked items via the Topic Tab: Outlook Items linked in this way can be re-opened from with-in the mind map using TPAssist's Topic Tab and the "Linked Items" tool.

Create tasks from your e-mail: TPAssist 2007 also offers the ability to auto-create mind map topics directly from your e- mails, appointments, notes, tasks etc.

Select the map topic and "Journal" any Outlook item: The first step in using Outlook items to create new mind map topics is the select a parent mind map topic. Once selected, we switch to Outlook and select the items we would like use as the topic title and also linkage. If required we can use the SHIFT and/or CTRL keys to select multiple items. Then we launch the "TPAssist Integrated Linkage Module".

New Topic is created and linked items are added to Journal: As well as the new topic being created, a summary of the Outlook item details are included in the mind map topic's notes as well as in the Journal tree. The journal entry will include various details including the date details of the linked item.

TPAssist Key Feature 4: Powerful project team tracking.

2007-09-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 is a powerful tool for project management. In addition to the task status roll-up capabilities, TPAssist is designed to make team management that much easier. [See the Demo]

Manage complex projects: TPAssist 2007 is not limited in it's application. It can be used to manage simple groups of tasks or very complex projects.

Track and present task status changes: TPAssist provides a Task Status capability that can be used to record and track status for any topic and also the overall map. Changes to status can be painlessly duplicated from topic to map to parent map.

Managed Project Information: Through TPAssist's semi- structured notes capability, information can be easily embedded in your project maps and then exposed via the Excel based publishing tool.

Level dates of interdependent tasks automatically: TPAssist 2007 Levelling provides the means to create complex project plans of interdependent activities, whereby dates will move automatically when related activities and tasks are updated and completed.

Use Task Resource to track team members: TPAssist automatically journals changes made to MindManager Resource Assignment so you have a history of where resources are added or removed from your project.

Resource Filtering in Tree Summarisation: The TPAssist 2007 task tree summary capability has a "Resource Filter" which can be used to manage tasks assigned to one or more individuals.

TPAssist Key Feature 3: Brainstorming to task tree creation.

2007-09-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

MindManager already has some great task management capabilities, TPAssist 2007 extends these and provides easy to use tools like the ability to take Brainstorming ideas and turn them into Task maps ready to track and act-on. [See the Demo]

Turn your ideas in to task plans: To illustrate this feature we take a simple list of ideas as shown in the example. You can see we have three groups of tasks. Each group represents a sub-set of the activities that will have us reaching our goal and off on the holiday.

Quick and easy conversion: Using the Convert to Task Tree tool, we take a group or mind map topics and convert them to task items. The TPAssist Console is a comprehensive path to all TPAssist features. The Topic Tab shown here is used to manage various aspects of individual map topics. To use the conversion tool, all we need to do is turn it on and click ok.

Take Action and Track your success: In moments, your ideas have been transformed in a task map. Now that we have a task map, we can manage the various aspects the activity.

Set priorities: Leveraging the tracking capability of TPAssist 2007 we can set some priorities.

Manage percent complete: We might want to indicate that a task has progressed.

Flag key tasks: We may want to flag some key tasks.

Record task status: We may want to record the status of a task for ease of reference when we return to the map.

Set Dates: And finally we may want to define Start and Due dates for any given task.

TPAssist 2007 Update History

2007-09-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

TPAssist 2007 product update history can now be found via the Check For Updates features from the Help window or via our web site:

http://www.tpassist.com/Support/CheckForUpdates.aspx

TPAssist 2007 Q&A - Summary of Tasks Across Maps

2007-09-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

Question:

How do I show due actions across all my maps? I have several maps and a number of interlinked (i.e. interdependent).

Answer:

You use the summairisation feature, which is accessed on "Tree Update". The "Proximity" style summary returns tasks based on due date.

The summarisation functionality supports multimaps. These maps need to hyperlinked from task topics with-in the current map. The Summarisation functionality piggy-backs on the Tree Update, which also supports multimaps, therefore to see a summary of all tasks across your maps, you need them hyperlinked.

Further information on multimap support can be found in the following places:

1. Help Pages --> Section 3, "User Reference", "Tree Update Reference".
2. Online Tutorials --> "MODULE 5 : Managing Complexity with Multiple Maps"

(FOOTNOTE - this Q&A is based on a response to a customer question directed to our support email).

TPAsssist 2007 Update: MindManager 6 Users

2007-09-06T23:56:00.000-07:00

An update to TPAssist 2007 has been made available for Download. This update will resolve the "add-in has been disabled" issue experienced by some owners of MindManager 6.

After installing the update, you will need to re-enable TPAssist 2007 from Mindmanager 6's Tool's Menu --> "Add-Ins..."

The issue was "introduced" inadvertently during an installer cleanup just before launch on the 31st of last month. It was overlooked that MindManager 6 doesn't automatically include the MindManager Primary Interop Assembly (PIA) as is the case now with MindManager 7.

TPAssist Key Feature 2: Structured Activity Journal Management with multi-map support.

2007-09-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

Tracking is crucial if are you to be effective at seeing what has been done, what has to be done and in what order. TPAssist 2007 automatically records your activities as well as changes you make to topic task information. [See the Demo]

Take the pain away from tracking your activities: TPAssist 2007 automatically records or "journals" your actions and task configuration changes in a semi- structured format with- in the topic and parent topics to which the action relates.

TPAssist Console & Journal Tab for recording activities: The TPAssist Console is a comprehensive path to all TPAssist features. The Journal Tab shown here is used to capture task status details and your task activities.

Activity notes are logged in a semi-structured format: Notes that you enter to record your activities are firstly logged with- in the topic to which they relate. The log entry will include your Journal Tag and the activity notes in a semi-structured format that is compatible with Outlook, MS Project and portal devices like Smart Phones.

In addition to the notes you entered, TPAssist 2007 also tracks changes made to task information. As shown here the Start Date has been updated and a journal entry has been created to reflect the change.

Activity is reflected in parent topics to record progress at goal and project level:
The fact that an activity took place is also reflect in each parent topic for a given topic. In this way you can easily and quickly see where effort has been put towards individual goals or projects with-in your map.

See your achievement for any given day: TPAssist 2007 also builds and maintains a Journal summary tree. This tree tracks your activities by date and is grouped by year, month and day.

Track your activities with-in any number of sub maps: TPAssist 2007 is multi-map enabled supporting task status rollout and also tracking of task and activity progress.

Activities in Sub maps is automatically populated into parent maps: TPAssist automatically recognises hyper linked maps and ensures activity logging and task status changes are reflected in the parent map.

Parent maps show child map task status and journals: Linked topics in parent maps show sub map task information. Linked topics also contain summary journal entries of activities with-in the sub topics.

Parent map Journal Tree contain full context: The Journal Tree with-in the parent contains a fully qualified summary of the activity.

Automatically populate sub project status: Status information defined in sub maps is automatically populated to parent maps.