1. ManagePro 8.1 releases September 7th with 17 important new features and 7 fixes
We located several fixes we wanted to make available to you after the first month of ManagePro 8 being out in the marketplace, as well as a number of new features to help make the program just a little more useful. Here's a quick recap of what to expect when you update Friday morning.
New Features:
- When Dragging or importing Outlook emails the item created (Progress, To-do or Event) now includes the sender and subject in the title field for improved reference.
- Scorecard graphics and indicators and trend color globes for pick-lists now print in quick reports.
- Improved speed of Find function by up to 400% or more.
- Changed logic so that editing start date changes the duration value, not the due date.
- Added Preferences option to allow users to enable/disable startup tips - previously once disabled, there was no easy method to re-start them.
- Added a new tech support function to add another 20 date fields (total of 70). This function must be run by ONE administrator on a Plus client and will sync to other users.
- Improved compatibility with Outlook 2007. Because Outlook 2007 does not support synchronization of formatted text/images we have altered the synchronization logic to be primarily one way from ManagePro to Outlook when graphics are included in the body of the to-do or event, e.g. ManagePro will sync formatted to-dos and events including graphics and images to Outlook but any changes to the body of Outlook task and appointment items will not sync back to ManagePro. To-dos and events with text and no graphics will continue to support updates by either ManagePro or Outlook in the synchronization process.
- 8.1 will now automatically email to-dos you create or edit, if you check the Auto Email on Save checkbox in the General Preferences section (first click on the upper left MPro Program button)
- You can paste an image from Excel into Progress Updates, using the Paste Special from the editing view of a progress update (after double clicking on the progress update details form). Be careful, this can create a multi-megabyte picture very quickly, which will load up the database in short order. So suggest using attached spreadsheets when possible, copy and paste when priority.
- We've added automatic alerts for to-dos and events see the General Preferences section. You control how much lead time you get before a to-do (or event) is due.
- Previously Quick Reports only printed on one page width. We've added a Fit to page option. Un-checking it allows you to print extended print-outs over multiple pages. Note if you wish to have columns wider than they currently exist in one of the MPro outline views for example, just resize to suit your needs. The program will remember your size preferences and continue to display at your preferred widths.
- Changed scorecard graphics to display arrows at angles that provide an easier trend recognition.
- The ability to import CSV format has been extended to To-dos. This feature is available as a right-click menu option in the User Data List To-do Tab and Related Goal and Detail To-do tab Views.
- Help is now Browser-based and will no longer look for compiled help. The Help update checking and need to download has been removed.
- The Scorecard tab in 8.1 offers the ability to display the aligned projects, KPI's and sub-goals as a hierarchy underneath each strategic objective, regardless of which parent goal they regularly exist in the traditional GAPR view. This makes for a very easy-to-read list of what's happening strategically and what the scorecard results are to-date.
- The Scorecard system based upon tracking Results values now is based upon any addition to the results field, whether through Progress Updates or direct entries to the Results field in the details view or a GAPR view.
- 8.1 adds the ability to track trend graphically as well as in a scorecard, it is a new right click option when selecting a record that has been configured for scorecard tracking.
Fixes:
- The new dashboard code crashed when loading data if one of more calc fields were included.
- Find function in certain filtered configuration caused program to crash.
- Possible to set start after due and vice versa in in-place GAPR editing.
- Timeline grid hidden after minimizing
- Context Menu gets stuck after expand or expand all.
- Outline View missing expand buttons in Smart Client version.
- Crash after editing duration in-place in Outline view - Note: users need to use Refresh after changing values in the Timeline view to reflect latest changes
2. "Training Seminar RE-scheduled - New date is October 29-30th"
The training seminar date in September
had time conflicts for too many users, so we've rescheduled for October 29-30th.
Be sure to mark on your calendar and give us a call to reserve your seat.
This course is designed for new
ManagePro 8 users as well as ManagePro 7 users that are upgrading to take
advantage of the new features in ManagePro 8 that support strategic planning,
project planning, portfolio planning and more. The Training Event will be
held in Las Vegas this year and will be starting Monday October 29th at 9am and
finishing up Tuesday the 30th at 6pm. The location is the Sunset Station Hotel &
Casino in Henderson, Nevada - http://www.sunsetstation.com
3. "Only 26 days left on the Strategic Scorecard Savings"
ManagePro 8.1 has got some very helpful new features for seeing the alignment
between your strategic plan and what the rest of the organization is doing on a
daily basis... but buying the software is only part of the solution. What
we would like to stress is that you take this opportunity to
save $3,000 to get your gauges in place, for 2007
and 2008.
Remember:
1. Most of our customers want
to have a strategic plan that they use as a gauge to direct their business...
2. Most of our customers want to have scorecards on
their key initiatives so that they can know in a glance if they are on track or
not...
3. Most of our customers want to be able to see a
visible plan for how each strategic objective is going to be supported,
executed, and how the progress is going...
4. Most want the very things you want, even buy the software to be
able to create it, but don't quite get the gauges in place and
operational.
We help you come up with the metrics for each strategic objective, help you with
the logistics of aligning them with your resources, and make sure they're
resourced and assigned to staff with visibility on their respective calendars.
You don't have to drive your strategic plan any longer without the benefit of a
scorecard. You don't drive your car that way. Let us help "get you
on the gauges" and get started profiting from the benefits.
In a nutshell, we move you from the software and your various spreadsheets and
updates, to a finished working strategic scorecard tracking up to 8 top
initiatives. And, it gets better!
As part of the ManagePro 8 product
launch, we are extending the scorecard service at an introductory price of
$3,000 during the months of August and September '07, which represents a 50%
discount on the service.
For more information contact PST at (877)
487-3001 and ask about the Strategic Plan Scorecard Service.
Rodney Brim
Rodney Brim, Ph.D.
CEO, Performance Solutions Technology, LLC
P.S. We're still busy working on
the structure for an ongoing online education series (PST Univ.), and will have
the details ready to go next month - watch for the October Newsletter, and
meanwhile have a great month of September.
