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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 VOy/1BK0FBkLuvHT/MW2F4ea0rg3ZT25NOtvM1369nkM5SWxE/VjWYSTTkjENY1P
 LKp2YdmosRGMWduSNsah9w==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-028850.txt : 20031105
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-028850.hdr.sgml : 20031105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031105185151
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-028850
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031103
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GYENES PETER
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001184792

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-15325
		FILM NUMBER:		03980686

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6 TECHNOLOGY PARK DRIVE
		CITY:			WESTFORD
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01886
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9789520200

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ASCENTIAL SOFTWARE CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000799089
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE [7372]
		IRS NUMBER:				943011736
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		50 WASHINGTON STREET
		CITY:			WESTBOROUGH
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01581
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6509266300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		50 WASHINGTON STREET
		CITY:			WESTBOROUGH
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01581

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	INFORMIX CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>b48275pg.xml
<DESCRIPTION>MAIN DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-03</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000799089</issuerCik><issuerName>ASCENTIAL SOFTWARE CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>ASCL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001184792</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>GYENES PETER</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>C/O 50 WASHINGTON STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WESTBOROUGH</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>01581</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingO
wner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.432</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>65990</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><
transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.432</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>65990</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transacti
onAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>23.0012</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>65990</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>23.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDispose
dCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>65990</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.432</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.432</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredD
isposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-02-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>148036</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.432</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><tra
nsactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.432</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-02-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>148036</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Following all of the transactions reported on this Form 4, the reporting person holds 65,990 shares directly.</footnote><footnote 
id="F2">Following all of the transactions reported on this Form 4, 148,036 shares underlying this option have not yet been exercised.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Scott N. Semel, by power of attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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