Prime Time To Boost Your Estimating
Productivity
What's on the agenda for the 25th McCormick Systems' User's
Conference -- to be held April 18-21 in Phoenix, AZ? We're glad you
asked!
Learning (optional) -- at the pre-conference
training classes, Mon.-Tues., 4/16 & 4/17.
Fun (just a bit) -- at the McCormick Masters
Golf Tournament, Weds., 4/18.
Networking (a must)-- at the Welcoming Reception,
Weds. night 4/18.
Learning (mandatory) -- at the full-day
Thurs. & Fri. sessions, 4/19 & 4/20.
Fun (just a bit more) -- at the Friday night
dinner.
Learning (additional) -- in the Computer Lab
(a.k.a. "Hands-On Central") -- open for 21 hours all told on
Thurs., Fri., & Sat. (4/21).
See
more info below for specifics!
To register or obtain more
information, call 800-444-4890
Schedule At A
Glance
| Date |
Event |
Time |
| Mon., 4/16 |
Standard & Advanced Windows Training (separate classes) |
7am-4pm |
| Tues., 4/17 |
Day 2, Standard &
Advanced Windows Training Classes |
7am-4pm |
| Wed. 4/18 |
McCormick Masters Golf Tournament |
tee off: 7:30am |
| Wed., 4/18 |
Welcoming Reception |
7pm-9pm |
| Thur. 4/19 |
Registration |
|
| Thur. 4/19 |
Conference Sessions |
8am - 5pm |
| Thur. 4/19 |
Computer Lab |
10am - 5pm |
| Fri.
4/19 |
Conference Sessions |
7am - 4pm |
| Fri. 4/20 |
Computer Lab |
7am - 4:30p |
| Fri.
4/20 |
Dinner |
6pm |
| Sat. 4/21 |
Computer Lab |
7:00am - 12 |
Monday &
Tuesday
Show up early (if
you've registered) and take one of two Pre-Conference training
classes, each lasting two days:
Standard Class --
"hands-on" experience for either brush-up on the system,
or initial education for a new estimator.
Advanced Class --
drill down into the specifics, including specifications and
formulas, reports, keyboard mapping, security, and much more.
Wednesday
Many of our attendees
show up on Tuesday night to participate in today's Golf Tournament.
Others fly in during the day, to be on hand for the networking that
starts with our evening Welcoming Reception.
Thursday
First full day of our
conference. We plan to cover a lot of ground today, including
providing details on CAD Estimating, Change Order, our ABS programs,
T-Bill, and Mobile Estimating.
Additionally:
1. We'll cover
"The Latest & The Greatest." You'll want details on NetPricer,
McCormick's PowerLink Partners, how we interface with Microsoft
Vista, and upgrades in the proposal area of our software.
2. This is the
day we spend time with you on the major features of our
software. This is one of the most popular conference segments,
as even long-time users benefit from a reminder of what's
built-in to McCormick's software . . . already on your desktop,
available to you for the asking!
3. Our support
department will share tips, tricks, shortcuts, answers to
frequently asked questions, and technical insights. It's
entirely possible what you learn in this focused session alone
will more than pay for your investment in coming to the User's
Conference!
Our Computer Lab is
opened from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today. It's Hands-On Central. You
can use our many computer set-ups to try what you've learned,
network with other users, and get one-on-one time with McCormick
staffers for hands-on help.
Friday
Topics on the agenda
today (a full day of sessions) include:
Securing your
McCormick system -- there are (literally) hundreds of
security features incorporated in your estimating software.
We'll review how these can be used (with different levels of
access) by senior estimators, junior estimators, single users,
and groups.
Using
estimating software for project management -- it's likely
that you've overlooked how to put features in McCormick's
estimating software to work in managing the project after you
win it. We'll cover some key items here, including graphs,
schedules, proposal sheets, documents, job photos, extension
breakouts, labels, and more.
Hardware
session -- there's plenty of new hardware on the market,
including things like LANs, WANs, and wireless networks. We'll
cover items you might not have encountered, including security,
backups, virus protection, and steps you might take to further
secure your data.
What's next? -- in this open-forum session, you'll get a chance to provide
input for future enhancements to the software. The next version
of McCormick's software will be, in large part, created in this
session . . . with feedback, input, and ideas from our users!
Computer Lab: Open
from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today.
Saturday
While there are no
scheduled sessions today, not everyone can get sufficient hands-on
Computer Lab time in the conference's first two days. To provide
further opportunity, our lab is open from 7 a.m. to 12 noon on
Saturday.
From The EleBlog:
Bye-Bye To Incandescents?
Find below a recent blog entry on www.electricalcontractor.com, home of the EleBlog:
From the London Free Press, a Canadian
newspaper (2/27) -- "European light bulb makers are close to an
agreement in principle to work together on phasing out
energy-wasting incandescent bulbs for the consumer market, the
chief executive of Royal Philips Electronics NV's lighting
division said yesterday."
From the Edmonton Sun, a Canadian newspaper (2/25) --
"Venezuela, Cuba and Australia are all phasing-in bans on
energy-sucking incandescents, while Ontario and California are
poised to follow suit in the coming years."
From the Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian newspaper
(2/25) -- "So what kind of hypocrisy is there in a government
that bans incandescent light bulbs while subsidising people who
drive fuel-guzzling, greenhouse gas-emitting, giant
four-wheel-drives?"
From the New York Times (2/20) -- "Australia intends to
phase out incandescent light bulbs completely within three
years, the country’s environment minister said today. The
minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said the government would use both
persuasion and regulation to get the whole country to switch to
compact fluorescent bulbs, which use less energy, as part of its
drive to cut down on the amount of “greenhouse” gases,
implicated in global warming, that it releases into the
atmosphere."
EleBlog take:
a. I replaced the lamps in our den -- where my wife and I do
most of our recreational reading -- with high-brightness CFL
lamps two months ago. The CFL unit was more flexible (really)
and offered the advantage of letting you put the light exactly
where you want it; the lamps then in place did NOT do that.
My wife went nuts. Her eyes need help. This was not enough
light. I brought back the old ones; the CFL units were relocated
to places where they are used very infrequently. Some Christmas
present, eh?
This isn't a case study, just a data point.
b. I personally prefer incandescent light over that emitted by
fluorescents. Even the state-of-the-art CFLs aren't quite
"there" in my opinion.
c. From the Aussie article referenced above: " . . it's worth
noting psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, a member of the
advisory committee for the Government's Boys' Education
Lighthouse Schools Program in 2003, has advocated the removal of
fluorescent lighting in classrooms after studies showed its
flickering nature reduced boys' ability to learn and
concentrate, especially if they have autism or attention deficit
hyperactive disorder."
d. HELP IS ON THE WAY. New lamps using light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) are going to make their debut this year (2007). They are
coming SOON. They will put CFLs . . . in the shade! If
everything goes according to plan, LEDs will provide the same
light quality as incandescents, with much lower energy
consumption.
Where You Can See Us In 2007
Mark your calendar for the McCormick Systems User's
Conference -- April 18-21 in Phoenix, AZ.
Here are our scheduled appearances at industry events this
year:
May 2-4, Las Vegas, NV -- ABC Electrical & Mechanical
Education Conference
Sept. 10-13, Las Vegas, NV -- BICSI Fall Conference
Oct. 6-8, San Francisco, CA -- NECA Convention & Show
Oct. 24-27, Houston, TX -- IEC Convention & Expo.
