All-in-One Workspace for Agencies — Ascend by OptivationAI
Inbox · Database · Time · Invoice — all in one system.

Your databases, your time, your invoice. One system.

An item arrives in your inbox. You link it to a project. You invite your client to securely view or comment. You track your time. You send the invoice. One place — no app-switching, ever.

Free forever No credit card Invoice in minutes
The Ascend Workflow

Inbox to invoice.
Four steps. One system.

When your inbox, databases, timer, and invoicing share the same data, nothing falls through the cracks. You never re-enter a time entry or rebuild a client record in a billing app.

01

An item arrives in your inbox

A new client email, a task assignment, a comment on a record — everything that needs your attention surfaces in the Ascend inbox immediately. One clean, prioritised feed from across all your projects.

Nothing buried. Nothing missed.

02

Build it, link it, and share it securely

Your databases, kanban boards, and pages are the central hub. Connect inbox items directly to project records, and invite external clients to view, comment, or edit securely — without them needing a paid account.

Collaboration without friction.

03

Start the clock right on the record

Every database record and page has a built-in timer. Hit play the moment you start work. Billable hours accumulate against the right client and project automatically — no spreadsheet, no memory, no chasing.

Accurate to the minute.

04

Generate the invoice and get paid

When it's time to bill, your data is already there. Ascend pulls every tracked hour for a client, builds a branded invoice, and sends it — all from the same workspace where the work happened.

From record to payment in minutes.

Why switch?

Your current stack has a gap.

Other tools make you connect a project manager, a time tracker, and an invoicing app. That's three subscriptions and a lot of copy-pasting. Ascend is all three, already connected.

The Usual Setup

  • Inbox in one app, tasks in another, time tracker in a third — nothing talks to anything
  • Open a notification → switch to project manager → manually start a separate timer
  • Invoicing means exporting, reformatting, and hoping the hours add up
  • Billable time gets lost between the cracks of your tool stack every single week
The Ascend Way

Ascend

  • Inbox item arrives → link to a database record or page in one click
  • Hit play on the record — time tracks against that project automatically
  • Invoice generated from real tracked hours in 60 seconds flat
  • Clients get secure access to their project view — no extra seat costs
Pricing

The agency tool tax is real.

See what a 10-person agency actually pays.

Tool StackMonthly CostAnnual Cost
ClickUp + Harvest + FreshBooks$210/mo$2,520/yr
Monday + Toggl + QuickBooks$285/mo$3,420/yr
Productive.io (with invoicing)$280/mo$3,360/yr
Scoro$260/mo$3,120/yr
Ascend$30/mo$360/yr

Flat pricing. Not per-seat. $9/mo base + $3 per additional user.

20+Features included in every plan
$9/moFlat pricing, not per user
10 minFrom zero to first invoice

"You'll talk to the founders, not a support bot."

Bruce and June built Ascend after 15 years delivering enterprise projects. During early access, every support ticket gets a personal response — usually the same day.

Based in Nelson, New Zealand
Free forever tierExport your data anytimeNo credit card requiredHTTPS encryptedPrivacy-first AI
The Complete Picture

From inbox to invoice.
One connected workflow.

Most tools handle one job well. Ascend handles the whole loop — because every piece is built together, your data never leaves.

01

Client emails you a new project

It lands in your unified inbox. One click converts it to a project in your database — no copy-pasting, no switching apps.

02

Your team starts working

Assign tasks on the Kanban board. Collaborate in real-time with comments, mentions, and team chat. Clients get a secure portal to check progress — no extra seat cost.

03

Hours are tracked automatically

Hit play on any task. The global timer follows you across pages. Every minute is linked to the right project and the right client.

04

One click generates the invoice

All tracked hours are already connected. Select the time entries, pick your template, and a branded invoice is ready to send. No spreadsheets. No reconciliation.

05

Get paid, see profitability

Mark invoices as paid. Your dashboard shows which clients and projects are profitable — in real time, not at the end of the quarter.

Five steps. One system. Zero data silos.

Feature Deep Dive

Everything connects.
Nothing lives in a silo.

Most tools handle one job well. Ascend handles the whole loop — and because every piece is built together, your data never has to leave to go somewhere else.

Smart Inbox

Work arrives. You act on it immediately.

Every task assignment, database update, comment, and mention flows into your Ascend inbox — one clean, prioritised feed. From there, you link it directly to the right project record or page without ever leaving your inbox.

  • One feed across all your projects and databases
  • Link inbox items to existing records in one click
  • Reply inline without switching to another view
  • Convert any message into a new database record instantly
Learn more
Databases, Boards & Pages

The central hub where all work lives.

Your databases, kanban boards, task lists, and rich pages are the heart of Ascend. This is where you organise every project, client, and deliverable. Inbox items link here. Timers run from here. Invoices draw from here.

  • Table, Kanban, Calendar, Gantt & Gallery views
  • Rich block-based pages embedded in every record
  • Linked records across your entire workspace
  • Real-time collaborative editing, natively built-in
Learn more
Time Tracking + Invoicing

Track hours on the record. Bill in minutes.

Every database record and page has a built-in timer. Hit play, do the work, hit stop. When it's time to bill, Ascend pulls every tracked hour for a client and generates a branded invoice — no export, no copy-paste, no guesswork.

  • One-click timer on any record, task, or page
  • Automated timesheets rolled up by client or project
  • Billable vs non-billable hours tracked automatically
  • Generate a branded invoice directly from tracked time
Learn more
More Than You'd Expect

Features you won't find on most agency tools.

Every one of these is included in every plan. No add-ons, no integrations to maintain.

Dashboards

Personal command center with customisable widgets and cards.

Team Chat

Real-time messaging on any page — no Slack needed.

Focus Board

Sprint planning with Fibonacci effort estimation.

Focus Timer

Pomodoro-style timer for deep work sessions.

Wiki Links

Internal knowledge graph with backlinks between pages.

AI Daily Briefing

Start each day with what needs attention.

Email Integration

Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud via IMAP.

Chart View

Visualise database data as charts and graphs.

Notion Import

One-click migration from Notion.

Public API

61+ tools. Build custom workflows.

MCP Integration

Works with Claude, Cursor, Claude Code.

Command Palette

Find anything instantly with keyboard shortcuts.

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

Included in every plan — no integrations required.

Unified InboxNative Time TrackingOne-Click InvoicingBillable Hours ReportsProject DatabasesRich Pages & DocsKanban BoardsChart ViewAI AdvisorAI Daily BriefingDashboardsTeam ChatFocus BoardFocus TimerWiki LinksIMAP Email IntegrationNotion ImportPublic APIMCP IntegrationClient SharingTeam PermissionsReal-time CollaborationFile AttachmentsCustom FieldsFormula & Rollup PropertiesCommand Palette20+ TemplatesAudit Logs

Your first invoice pays for itself.

Most users send their first invoice within 10 minutes of importing their first client. Start free — no credit card, no time limit.