Lotus Organizer 97 
Software Review by Bryant Mauk

 It requires Microsoft Windows 95, a 486 or higher IBM compatible PC, VGA or higher graphics card, 15 MB hard disk space, and 8 MB RAM. A mouse is recommended and a CD-ROM was required to install the CD-ROM version. As a matter of interest, the default installation required 26 MB of hard disk space, and the laptop installation requires 13 MB hard disk space. 

 There are a number of changes from the previous version as well as a continuation of some of the standard features. 

• Time management is improved by the calendar function which allows viewing all commitments, appointments calls, to do's, and anniversary reminders in one place.

 

 

• Appointments can be double-booked, and tentative appointment's can be "penciled in".

 

 

• Entries in different sections can be linked, such as appointments with address book entries, and with notes in notepad. 
• Organizer 97 can be used to track incoming and outgoing calls, and phone numbers can be easily autodialed. 
• Use with a laptop can be synchronized with a desktop computer. 
• Pages can be printed to fit many of the popular planners. 
• Organizer sections such as the calendar can be shared with co-workers, if desired,. 
• Up to three levels of security can be used to protect privacy of information. 
• There is an Almanac file which includes useful 800 numbers, telephone area codes, time zone maps, and holiday lists. 
• The Almanac even has a section on how to improve time management. With a separate Web Browser, it should be possible to get direct access to the Internet with links stored in Organizer's notepad, according to the documentation.

 Installation was easy from the CD-ROM and took only about three minutes after using the INSTALL command. An entry in both the name and company identification sections was required before installation could proceed. The only two questions to be answered thereafter were whether the default disk file locations should be changed and whether the installation should be default, laptop, or custom. 

 There is an excellent tutorial which gives an overview of the functions of Organizer 97 and short lessons in how to use the main functions. The tutorial is broken up into four segments of about four minutes each. I would recommend that the tutorial be used. 

 Organizer 97 is a well thought-out and executed personal information manager. Most functions can be accessed by point and click. Setting up an appointment is as easy as clicking on a day on the calendar, using the mouse to slide to the start and end times, and writing in a subject. There is a notepad section for notes if desired. Notes in notepad can be linked to the appointment and other sections of Organizer and can also be linked to external documents and spreadsheets using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE). With OLE links enabled, changes to the information either in Organizer or in the original document will be displayed in both programs. 

 Appointments and to do activities may be associated with alarms by the computer, if that is useful, or they may be printed out in a variety of formats. Using the address book with a modem, contacts may be dialed by the computer. A memo can be set up easily for all incoming and outgoing calls. The time the call memo is set up is automatically entered. However, to time the length of a call, an icon must be clicked with the mouse at the start and end. 

 The address book divides each enty into two sections, home and business. The usual address and telephone information can be entered as appropriate for each section. There is a section for notes. There is the capability to identify an individual by category, either one set up by the program or user defined. Individuals can then be grouped by category - such as individuals who are members of your church, if that category has been defined. A list of individuals can then be printed out by the selected category in many formats from labels to Rolodex cards, or address book pages. There was only one level of sort available, so that if a sort by category was chosen, it was not possible to sort by last name within that category. 

 Although I was not able to test the product on a network, Organizer 97 is described as being very powerful on a network. According to the documentation, network files can be shared, and any person the file is shared with can make a change to the file. This would make sharing personal calendars and contact file information on customers very easy. Password protection is available so that chosen areas can have restricted access. 

 The documentation in the manual is clear and adequate. The on screen help was also well done, and in many cases the help information would stay on screen while the steps outlined were accomplished. 

 The price for the software appears to be around $70, either at some of the local software vendors or by mail order. I did notice an ad offering $30 off the $70 price by one local software vendor. 

 In summary, I found Organizer 97 easy to install and use. The program is highly automated to reduce the information that must be manually entered. I believe it is a worth-while program to improve time management and that it will be helpful in organizing appointments, activities, and contacts.