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 What's in the upcoming Version 6 upgrade
 Feature Focus - Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project®
 



What's in the upcoming Version 6 upgrade

As always, Benchmark is continuing the pace of our software development, to ensure we provide exceptional value to our clients and keep them at the edge of estimating excellence. 

Several new features are currently in the planning, design or testing stage of our development process.  We have listened to your requests and will include some very exciting new features in our upcoming upgrade to Version 6 that will provide estimators with unparalleled power and the ability to use Benchmark with even greater flexibility. 

The calculator functionality will be greatly expanded, allowing the addition of a wide range of variables.  Changes you make to these variables will flow through every instance that they are used in your project, delivering incredible speed, flexibility and accuracy. 

Routines have also undergone changes that will make creating Routines much faster and easier.
Variables at the Resource level of a Project
 

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Feature Focus -  Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project®

What is the Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project®?
The Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project® exports your key project information out of your Benchmark estimate and into Microsoft Project®. As well as your Items and their associated Resources, the Export transfers your project work breakdown structure, Item durations (which are calculated automatically if you wish), Resource costs, and Summary Cost data such as total Plant, Labour, Materials and Subcontract costs for each Item.

 Why would you use it?
 You can quickly and easily use the power of Microsoft Project® for your job. The Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project® will help you manage your project scheduling, resource allocation and cash flows to ensure you effectively share knowledge across your organisation, giving your projects the best chance of running on time and on budget. The benefits of using the Export are outlined below:


Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project® - Cost data

 


Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project® - Total Usage data
> Saving time and money by preparing project schedules directly from Benchmark
> Getting very accurate construction schedules based on your estimate
> Being able to determine project cash flows
> Improving operational efficiencies thanks to fast and accurate resource planning
> The ability to include your schedule with your estimate for increased marketing effectiveness
> Fast and accurate reporting on the progress of your project

 

How to use the Resource based Export to Microsoft Project®
Go to the Report menu from the Project Details Maintenance screen, select Scheduling and click on the Resource Based Export (XML) option.  Benchmark will create an XML file and open this automatically in Microsoft Project®. 



 

NOTES:
1 The Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project® operates on Microsoft Project® 2003 and above.
2 The Resource-based Export to Microsoft Project® is an additional module to the Benchmark Estimating Software FULL and LITE variations and sells for $AUS990 which includes GST and 12 months of support and upgrades. 
3 Both Benchmark LITE and FULL come with a standard Export to Microsoft Project®, which exports your Section and Item descriptions and durations as calculated using Benchmark's Duration Calculator.

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benews May 07
www.benchmarkestimating.com