We suggest that the first thing you do, if you're already familiar with MindManager X5 is this...

Open up any existing MindManager map on your machine

Click theicon on the lower right toolbar to launch the Gantt

See the light blue color bars? Those are your mindmap Topics presented as Tasks on the gantt

 

Use your mouse to drag the bars left and right

Click and drag on therightmost part of any bar to stretch it

Click and drag on theleftmost part of any bar to change the % done

See how easy that is? Click the ZOOM + and ZOOM - icons to change the timeline. See how the bars change size to reflect the time.

If you have a scroller mouse (a mouse with a middle scroll button), try moving the scroller.

Wow! The timeline moves left and right!!

Now double-click on any bar and a properties window is displayed.

Use this window to change the color of the bar, set a specific start time, mark an activity as a milestone...and much more.

Try changing Color for the moment...

On the "tree" which is the pane on the left side of the gantt window, select TWO items and click the Chain Link icon.

Note that the two items are now marked as "dependent"...the second starting after the first. Hover your mouse over the icons on the top toolbar. Notice that they explain their function to you? Right- click in the TREE pane (the one on the left side of the window)...notice the functions for using the tree are displayed

Click on the Project view icon which is the second icon to the right on the Project Page toolbar... to view the "project grid".

Use your cursor keys to move around this grid and familiarize yourself with the cells within it.

To change any value, double click the cell..or simply just start typing.

If you want to change the Percent or Priority column values, you can use the +/- keys on the keypad or double click the values to change them

Try moving an entire column. Drag and drop any column title sliding it to the left or the right

In this manner you can customize the display of the project grid.

Next, click the Resources view icon to see the Resource Grid

In this grid you may enter the resource names, assign each resource a cost and by clicking one of the "Unit" cells, you can set the "unit" to use when calculating costs relating to this resource.  

Go back to the grid and assign a resource name to one of the grid items in the Resource column

Next...click the Total cost viewicon  and you'll see a report that shows you the total cost spent on all resources within your project.

Useful? You bet! Later we'll show you how to take this information and create your own invoices and quotations.

Click back to the Tasks view icon to show the Gantt chart again....and you're done with the tour!

See how easy that was?

90% of your project planning can be done using the simple tools you've just learned how to use. The rest of the features are powerful, but you'll use them occasionally.