Ascend Reviews & Product Details

What I like most about Ascend is its user-friendly interface, smooth overall experience, and genuinely easy-to-use features. The drag-and-drop functionality makes workflows simpler and saves time. Its integrations help connect different tools and streamline everyday tasks. Ascend offers reliable performance, efficient workflows, and useful AI-powered features that can improve productivity and reduce manual effort. The pricing feels like good value for the features offered and the potential return on investment. I also appreciate the availability of support and onboarding resources, which make it easier to get started and use the platform effectively. Overall, Ascend helps simplify complex tasks, improve efficiency, and keep day-to-day work more organized. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One thing I dislike about Ascend is that some features take time to understand at first. The platform could be simpler and more intuitive for new users. In particular, some integrations and advanced features would benefit from clearer explanations. It would also help to have more tutorials and straightforward guides aimed at beginners. Pricing could be more affordable for users who don’t need the full set of features. Overall, I think Ascend is useful, but a few improvements like these would make it easier and better to use. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

There are lots of ways it can be customized to fit the needs of each organization that uses it. We are still customizing it for our organization but are pretty deep into the process and it seems promising. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

A downside is that there are lots of ways it can be customized for each organization, so there is a lot of work up front to make sure you are optimizing it for your needs. The organization should take a thoughtful long term approach when considering this product and its set up. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like that Ascend was built as a solution for higher-education nonprofits, and the community of schools using the tool has been great. I’ve made so many friends and connections through it, since we’re all using the same tool and can relate to each other’s work. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Overall, I think the biggest pain point with Ascend is that Salesforce wasn’t built with nonprofits at the forefront. Because of that, some of the backend technology requirements just don’t work the way we want or need them to without significant customization, and that customization is extremely time-consuming and costly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Having all our data in one org and accessible to everyone. Ascend has redefined how we do work and has brought as a lot of potential in what we can enhance and build upon Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

More dislike some of the salesforce limitations on how we can build reports with all the different objects. Also dislike the permission limitations with salesforce as well Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like is that, unlike other CRMs, Ascend comes with an integrated reporting layer built around industry-specific KPIs. It saves me hours I’d otherwise spend running manual queries. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The data is accurate, but customizing or connecting analytics scripts requires an understanding of the limitations of their proprietary architecture. That’s all. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like using Ascend as our CRM because it compiles all of our alumni and donor information in one place. This makes it easy to access and analyze biographical and donor-related information, helping me do my job effectively. The application provides specific information about donors, such as their giving history, wealth ratings, potential to give, and specific areas within the university they might support. This information is easily accessible within the user interface of Ascend, making my work more efficient. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I find the user interface a bit difficult to navigate sometimes, especially when moving within different clusters of information, and that can be frustrating. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like the predictive dashboard; it's great. I also like the real-time visibility and the ease with which the team can record notes and metrics for the board of directors. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I wish the synchronization speed would improve so it would be smoother. Also, the initial setup was a bit long, even though it wasn't that difficult. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The product is consistently evolving and the product team actively looks for client feedback to ensure it is meeting industry needs. Ascend provides the tools needed for advancement in a strategic way. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Limitations if ascend typically stem from Salesforce limitations. Permissions can be complicated, deduping data is difficult and lightning report constraints can inhibit productivity. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I’ve found Ascend to be a strong advancement CRM because it’s built on Salesforce and designed specifically for the real‑world needs of higher‑education advancement teams. In our implementation, Ascend supports complex gift processing, reporting, and data migration while remaining highly configurable. Many adjustments can be made quickly without heavy development, even post–go live. We’re also building out the experience portal to extend engagement beyond internal users, and Ascend’s integration ecosystem allows us to connect tools like iWave for prospect research and Double the Donation for matching‑gift automation. Overall, Ascend provides a flexible, modern platform that scales well for large advancement operations and supports continuous improvement through iterative releases and integrations. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kindsight Ascend’s architectural tendency to consolidate multiple distinct functions into a single object forces a heavy reliance on custom fields. Also, Ascend requires a lot of configuration, it's not plug and play. Additionally, the gift processing automation is not as good as Affinaquest’s Advancement RM, but it is catching up. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

A big appeal is its reputation as a trusted and valuable resource across different types of businesses. The accurate, real-time market data provided is unmatched and beneficial to building revenue growth and brand credibility. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The biggest thing I can think of is the rapid progression of AI integration. With there being a lot of fear around what the future of AI entails, it is something we always have to be thinking about. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.