Hellmansoft Blog

When I first wrote Planbook for Windows, there was a complicated system for using nested keywords to keep track of anything you wanted in regards to your lessons. This never worked as well as I'd like, and certainly wasn't particularly useful when tracking standards. The small space available simply wasn't up to the challenge. In Planbook 2.5, I've added a dedicated standards tracking mode which is accessible by double clicking any lesson. You can manage your available standards, and apply them to your lessons from one easy to use screen. You can, if you'd like, even discuss how the lesson met the standard you applied. Lessons can, of course, have as many standards as you'd like applied. Standards can be nested to create a smooth organizational system. Planbook 2.5 also has a new report focused solely on standards. You choose a class and a standard (or folder of standards) and Planbook will show you a printable report with all the lessons with that standard applied. That said, I think there's still a reason to have a simpler tagging system to keep organized. Planbook 2.5 will also give you the ability to "tag" lessons with any word or phrase you like. Tags can be applied to any lesson and you can, of course, print out all the lessons with a tag in a few mouse clicks. All in all, these two improvements (and many others) should really help Planbook for Windows become an even more effective planning tool. Keep your eyes out for a beta later this month- if you'd like to be notified when the beta testing period opens, please join the Planbook for Windows Google Group