NEWSLETTER - TPAssist 2007 v1.3 Released

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.

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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

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:

1. 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.
2. 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".
3. 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.
4. 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)
5. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

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.