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Summary: Fast start to using the power of SureTrak
Review: Although SureTrak Project Manager 3.0 ships with adequate documentation and the program is intuitive, there are three good reasons to buy this book:1. The product documentation covers every feature - the information about planning and managing projects using this powerful tool is scattered throughout, making it difficult to tap into SureTrak's power without wading through an overwhelming amount of nice-to-know, but non-essential detail. 2. Although anyone who has used Microsoft's ubiquitous MS Project will have no problem getting started with SureTrak, they will miss the true project management features of SureTrak that are not present (or don't correctly work) in MS Project. This book identifies those features and shows how to use them effectively. 3. The author goes beyond merely describing how to use SureTrak by showing you how to use effective project management techniques, many of which take years of managing projects to discover. The book is structured as a series of 20 lessons (called workshops) that are designed to step you through setting up a project, and planning and scheduling it. If you follow them in sequence you will be able to not only set up a project using SureTrak's rich feature set, but will also pick up general project management techniques along the way. An example of one such technique is how the author classifies projects into four levels for planning and controlling. These levels are based on project complexity, with Level 1 being the simplest and suitable for short projects, to Level 4 for complex, high-value projects. You are given the planning and tracking criteria for each project type, which allows you to tailor your approach as well as ensure that you don't over-manage simple projects or under-manage the complex ones. You are also shown how to use the more powerful features, such as the many project views (work breakdown structure, activity or resource), managing the sophisticated calendaring functions, and effectively using the resource profiles and reporting features. I particularly like the way earned value is treated. The author shows how to use SureTrak's facilities for managing to earned value, as well as explaining this essential technique (which, by the way, is now a part of the Project Management Institute's PMBOK 2000 version). Another bonus is the way scheduling is explained by walking through adding logic to activities. You'll not only be shown how to perform this task, but given reasons why you should use one approach from among four possibilities to establish relationships. In this example the choices are start-to-start, finish-to-start, start-to-finish and finish-to-finish. This book is clear, concise and heavily illustrated with screenshots from SureTrak. The tutorial style and the way the lessons are sequenced will get you quickly up-to-speed with SureTrak and give you the knowledge and skills necessary to employ it with minimum reference to the manuals that come with the software.
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Summary: Learning to use Suretrak V3.0
Review: Approximately 200 pages presented as a comprehensive step by step guide to setting up and getting the most out of Suretrak. I found many helpful tips that are not in the Suretrak's help files or manuals. A chapter is also devoted to the new features in Suretrak Version 3.0 and this allowed me, as an existing Suretrak user, to hone in on the new features. In all, 21 workshops re-enforced the material as its presented and made me reflect on the content. Readers will need access to the Suretrak software (the demo version will do) to get the most from this book.
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Summary: Planning Using Primavera SureTrak Project Manager Version 3.
Review: Planning Using Primavera SureTrak Project Manager Version 3 is a Training Manual introducing the features of the Suretrak Version 3.0 Software which is used for Planning and Controlling Projects. The Technical Services Group at John Holland has been using SureTrak since its introduction by Primavera. I personally use Paul Harris' manual in the delivery of training courses in SureTrak. At John Holland we conduct SureTrak training over a two day period, and within this time limitation I have found the manual provides comprehensive detail on the features of SureTrak and is easy to follow. As it is considered to be an excellent guide in respect of the use of the software, at the end of the training course attendees receive a manual for reference and as a 'memory jogger' when they start to use the software. The manual is divided into sections with a 'workshop' at the end of each section providing the ability to practice the points covered. Useful tips, for both experienced and new users are provided throughout the manual and are indicated with an 'i'. This is a manual that the user will turn to again and again. Particularly for new users of the Software, but even for experienced users who are trying to solve a particulasr problem it is a good guide into the features of SureTrak. This manual fills a slot in the market as an easy to follow guide in the use of the SureTrak Version 3.0 software, and I would recommend it to those wishing to learn how to use SureTrak or refresh their skills.
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Summary: Makes an incredible program more incredible
Review: When I reviewed the SureTrak program here last may I considered myself to be an experienced used who fully understood the features of that powerful PM application. After reading this book I found out that I was only using a fraction of the features that are built into SureTrak. For example, while I knew that it supported multiple calendars. This feature gives you absolute control and is especially useful when you're using subcontractors or multi-national resources. Until I was stepped through it by the book's lessons I didn't know how to fully exploit its power. It was the same for reports. SureTrak includes reports for every conceivable management style and project type. The problem is there are so many that it's difficult to select the ones best suited to each project's unique requirements or your PM standards. This book clearly explained the reports and clearly explained how to create custom reports in the unlikely event that what you need isn't already included. I also learned a lot from the lessons on resource management, as well as the author's tips for project management in general. If you're using SureTrak you should get this book because it's a safe bet that you're not using everything it has to offer for planning, scheduling and control - and this book will reveal them.
Rating:
Summary: Makes an incredible program more incredible
Review: When I reviewed the SureTrak program here last may I considered myself to be an experienced used who fully understood the features of that powerful PM application. After reading this book I found out that I was only using a fraction of the features that are built into SureTrak. For example, while I knew that it supported multiple calendars. This feature gives you absolute control and is especially useful when you're using subcontractors or multi-national resources. Until I was stepped through it by the book's lessons I didn't know how to fully exploit its power. It was the same for reports. SureTrak includes reports for every conceivable management style and project type. The problem is there are so many that it's difficult to select the ones best suited to each project's unique requirements or your PM standards. This book clearly explained the reports and clearly explained how to create custom reports in the unlikely event that what you need isn't already included. I also learned a lot from the lessons on resource management, as well as the author's tips for project management in general. If you're using SureTrak you should get this book because it's a safe bet that you're not using everything it has to offer for planning, scheduling and control - and this book will reveal them.
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