Homeschool Tracker questions?

[farmwife]

I am getting a bit overwhelmed with my Excel Planning Sheets. I need to do LOTS of tweaking to get everything in the right place. I was just wondering how many use Homeschool Tracker and if you use the free download or the Homeschool Tracker Plus?

 

It looks a little complicated to me, is it easy to use once I get all my info. put in?

 

Which one do you recommend, Homeschool Tracker or Homeschool Tracker Plus?

 

I would appreciate any input from those using these programs.

 

Thanks so much!

Farmwife:bigear:

[katilac]

There's definitely a learning curve, because the program can do soooo much. You'll want to spend a bit of time playing around with it and entering 'dummy' information to see how the reports and so forth work, before you enter all of your real information. I found that there are certain features that work well with my style, and those are the ones I use and know well.

 

I use the Plus version because of the Lesson Plan feature. You can enter lesson plans and assignments that aren't tied to particular dates (so you can reuse the lesson plans for other kids if you wish). When you are ready to use the assignments, you just submit them to the assignment grid (and give dates at this point).

 

The lesson plans make it very easy to see how long it will take to finish a certain book. For example, if we do a lesson twice a week, excluding holidays, we'll be finished on such and such a date (and it's simple to change it around and see various possibilities; every day, every other monday, whatever).

 

After assignments have a date, it is still easily changed. You can adjust the date of one assignment, or move all assignments forward.

 

You can do a lot with grades, attendance, and transcripts as well. I don't have need of those features yet, but it's nice to know it's possible.

 

Let me know if you have any more specific questions, and I'll try to answer. I know quite a few people on the board use HST.

[Guest Shanna]

I ahve been using HST Plus for 2 yrs and I still dont use all that the features. I really need to get started with the tracking of grades so that I can have a transcript should it be needed.

 

It is very much worth its cost.

[farmwife]

I'm glad you pointed it out about the lesson plans because it would be nice to be able to use them again.

 

I tried downloading Homeschool Tracker and it keeps having an error when I try opening it up. :confused:

 

I might be forced into using Homeschool tracker plus, which might be better anyway.

 

Thanks for the reply!:)

~fw

[mama25angels]

I highly recommend HSTP, but if you're getting an error please email Katie and she will be able to help you with the problem

[Kathie in VA]

I have HST+ and used it early last year for a bit. I gave up as my kids really didn't like the way it outputted the info for them. We are very much a do the next thing type of group so pairing lessons with dates wasn't helping. I did like having it all in there for me but couldn't keep up with it. My bad. I'm considering trying again. I wonder if anyone can tell me if they changed how the program outputs the info? I know they've made changes (they always do) I just don't know what they worked on.

 

tia

[sweetbaby]

I use the HST Plus for past 2 and half years. We love it. Easy to use although some have had to adjust. The site has a forum open for discussion if you need any assistance. They are really quick in responding. The Plus is excellent. I have a review of it on my blog under "reviews". You can't beat a the free upgrades also. Oh, there are also yahoo groups for the HST and you can import and export lesson plans with others. Really neat!

[Jackie in NE]

I wanted to make sure that I would actually use it before I spent any $$. I've been using it for about a month, and it has helped this extremely disorganized person get organized! My kids like the assignment sheets that I print out for them daily.

 

Katilac's post about the HST+ has piqued my interest. I can sure see a benefit to the assignment planning features that she mentioned.

 

Anyway, it certainly has helped me to focus, and NOT just do the next thing. My kids were tired of that, and wanted to see the bigger picture.

 

HTH, Jackie

[coffeefreak]

We used HST for a year, and then bought the plus program. We lost nothing, and it was virtually seamless. I think it's a great deal to try it for a year or more before having to pay, and then to have free updates. I was looking at another program at convention this year (only because it accommodates unit studies). If I had purchased it for $50-$60, I still would have had to purchase updates each year for $25!!!! HSTplus gives you unlimited updates for life!

 

Do you have dial up? Maybe that's the problem? Katie should be able to help you, go to the forums and she'll answer pretty quick.

HTH!

[farmwife]

Well ladies,HST sounds like a great program that I can't download. :glare:

 

I've contacted support and I've tried everything they have suggested with no luck.

 

I guess it's back to good 'ole spreadsheets for me.

 

IS there any other programs for homeschool scheduling that I don't know about?

 

I'm gonna do a google search.

 

Thanks for your replies. I'll try not to envy you all!;)

[Paula in PA]

The cost is $5. Go to the download page and there is a link to order the CD for those having problems downloading. If you purchase the Plus, you get a CD automatically.

 

HTH

[Suzanne in ABQ]

The other program, mentioned above, is called Edu-Track. I saw it at convention, and it seems to do almost the same thing as Homeschool Tracker, with a few minor differences. If you do a search on these boards, you'll find previous threads that compare the two. Edu-Track costs about the same as HST+, but you have to subscribe to get upgradess, or pay a high fee for particular upgrades. And, if you want an upgrade that requires a previous upgrade, you have to pay for both of them separately. Yuck. They're sure proud of those upgrades!

 

I'd recommend going to the Homeschool Tracker website and ordering the CD version of the basic. If that doesn't work, you may need to upgrade your computer in order to run it. I hope that's not the case.

[farmwife]

Well after about 15 or so e-mails back and forth, Katie helped me fix my computer so I could download Homeschool Tracker. Now I plan on ordering HST + because it looks like I can plan things better with that.

 

Thanks for all the encouragement. I also wanted to say that that Katie is a genius, I never would have figured it out without her!!! She probably spent over an hour e-mailing me today and trying to come up with plausible reasons why my computer wouldn't let it download. She figured it out too! Now I am definitely going to stick with them just because I experienced first hand how amazing their support is!

 

I'm really excited about it and now I just need to wait until April 1st so I can spend my budgeted homeschool money on the program.

 

Thanks,

`fw

[Guest Shanna]

She is wonderful. She is also on yahoo messenger for support.

[MakingScrapbooks]

I've been using it a couple of years too, and fall into the same category with those who haven't used all of the features yet. Each year, I learn something new!

 

I really LOVE it!!! I now have plus!

[cornopean]

Well ladies,HST sounds like a great program that I can't download. :glare:

 

I've contacted support and I've tried everything they have suggested with no luck.

 

I guess it's back to good 'ole spreadsheets for me.

 

IS there any other programs for homeschool scheduling that I don't know about?

 

I'm gonna do a google search.

 

Thanks for your replies. I'll try not to envy you all!;)

 

http://www.gradebookwizard.com

[kangato3]

I have used the plus version for 2 years and I love it. I recommend getting it over the summer when you have time to practive with it, as others have suggested. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to use.

[Captivated]

Highly recommend HST Plus. It is a great program - changed my life. ;)

[riada]

that I need this too. I have used the basic version for three years and have went back on forth on wanting the plus version each year. I didn't know if I could justify it, but with the great reviews on the plus version and the description of the lesson plan options I think I am sold on it. So although I didn't start this thread I greatly benefitted from it. Thanks!

[SkateLeft]

I bought Tracker Plus, but I just find it counterintuitive for me. I just can't think in the way that HST seems to need people to think in order to enter lesson plans. :banghead: Things aren't where I want them to be, or don't line up the way I want them to, and I just don't have the time and energy to figure it out. Maybe this summer? I think I've said that for the past 2 summers! :lol:

 

I know you got it all worked out, but I thought I'd throw these out there in case there was anyone else who is Tracker-impaired, like me. :D

 

This website offers a web-based tool. I checked it out once, but I've never used it: http://www.home-school-inc.com/

 

There's also Edu-Track, which I haven't used. I think it requires a yearly fee or something like that... http://www.contechsolutions.net/products/eths_pc/

[Robin in Tx]

I'll be the odd man out and say I didn't care for HSTP. I returned it for a refund.

 

I wanted to be able to print a report for the day that lists the times that I've designated for each assignment (Spelling at 8, Math at 10:30, that sort of thing), along with all appointments for the day and other to do's that need to be checked off chores, etc.). In other words, something that would give me all the information that I would have seen on a Franklin Covey day planner page if I had planned my day with pencil. It's been about a year, so I'm foggy on the details, but I remember that lesson assignments and chores/appointments are entered and printed via different "layers" of the program... layers that were added on when upgrades were made... and these layers don't interface with each other. I also ran into problems when using categories and levels within subject areas, because things printed out inconsistently when you set up one subject (language arts) with several courses underneath it, and another subject (math) wthout subcourses.

 

Katie was nice about it, sent me a refund, and explained that they did not anticipate making the features I needed available. The majority of their customers need help with tracking hours, attendance days, etc. I am not required to keep records in my state, so that was not something I needed out of the program. I wanted something that would allow me to set up all lessons for every subject, assign them to specific days, and allow me to schedule chores and appointments, *AND* merge ALL that data into ONE printable calendar (instead of two - one for lessons and one for appointments).

 

Just thought I'd throw this out here for anyone who might find it useful.

 

Robin

[Guest aldo]

Posted on a wrong thread.... how do I delete the post?

[Guest aldo]

sorry failed to delete....

[JaneGrey]

I bought Tracker Plus, but I just find it counterintuitive for me. I just can't think in the way that HST seems to need people to think in order to enter lesson plans. :banghead: Things aren't where I want them to be, or don't line up the way I want them to, and I just don't have the time and energy to figure it out. Maybe this summer? I think I've said that for the past 2 summers! :lol:

 

I know you got it all worked out, but I thought I'd throw these out there in case there was anyone else who is Tracker-impaired, like me. :D

 

This website offers a web-based tool. I checked it out once, but I've never used it: http://www.home-school-inc.com/

 

There's also Edu-Track, which I haven't used. I think it requires a yearly fee or something like that... http://www.contechsolutions.net/products/eths_pc/

 

Can you explain your comments more? I'm wondering if I'm one of those who can't think that way...except I really don't know what way that is. I haven't used a traditional planner because I don't use all the lessons in a given program. Also, I don't necessarily follow one program per subject per year. So, how can I divide up the lessons by weeks??

 

What I've found myself doing is creating a list of things to cover (usually from various tables of contents) and books that correspond to those subjects. I'm also terrible-rotten-bad at figuring out how long something will take. However, I can sure cram a lot of stuff in when I need to. I think that makes me a procrastinator. I need something that lets me stay flexible but helps me keep some kind of schedule. Mine are little: 6, 4. Maybe I should try it later?

[Peela]

I bought HTPLus and I have tried to make it work for me so many times.

I find it complicated, I dont need to track attendance or have that much detail.

I always go back to pen and paper, and my own schedules made in Word.

I also don't like the printout look of the daily or weekly schedule- its not aesthetically pleasing to me.

If I had younger kids who could make use of my lesson plans for the older, i would probably try harder to make it work for me, but I dont.

[keptwoman]

I used HST for a month before upgrading. I'm glad I didn't wait longer as there were a few things that I needed to change in order to make the plus features work, and some needed to be changed in every assignment for certain subjects...the ability to have subject and course for instance meant some changes.

I like it a lot, the kids like the print outs, I'm happy with the way that it's recording what I'm doing. I LOVE the lesson plans! There are a lot of features I'll never need but that's fine. I'm still trying to work out the Lesson Plan schedules and a few other things, but I just need to sit down and commit some time to it.

It took quite a bit of time at first but now it takes me about 30 mins on a friday planning for the next week, and 5 mins a day inputting tasks complete and marks.

[ktjl92]

I bought HTPLus and I have tried to make it work for me so many times.

I find it complicated, I dont need to track attendance or have that much detail.

I always go back to pen and paper, and my own schedules made in Word.

I also don't like the printout look of the daily or weekly schedule- its not aesthetically pleasing to me.

If I had younger kids who could make use of my lesson plans for the older, i would probably try harder to make it work for me, but I dont.

 

Hi there! Sorry you didn't find the program helpful. But I notice that you have a VERY old version of the program. There have been significant updates since the one you have and those updates are available to you for download at no adidtional charge.

 

If you want to check it out you can email me at support@homeschooltracker.com and I'll get you the info you need to get updated.

 

In His Service,

Katie Gentile

for TGHomeSoft, LLC

support@homeschooltracker.com

Discussion Group:

AOL instant messenger: tghomesoft

MSN instant messenger:support@tghomesoft.com

Yahoo! instant messenger: ktjl

[LaMere Academy]

I used the basic for a year or so then upgraded to Plus last year. I like it and was using it to prepare for high school when I would need to keep detailed records...so this fall it's the real deal.

 

I also like being able to print out the assignment sheets for the kids. My oldest two like this and my oldest can't live w/o them!

[Kris]

I use it and I really like it. I think I used the free version for about two days before I upgraded. There was a bit of a learning curve, but not as bad as some programs I use. There are quite a few features that I don't use, but in Missouri we do need to keep attendance logs, of a sort, and the program makes it so easy to do that. I kept track with a spreadsheet for the first year -- and all I can say is I'm glad we weren't "audited." I know I missed putting a lot of things in there.

 

The biggest plus, for me, is the customer service. I've had to contact them a few times (just today, as a matter of fact) and I *always* get a prompt response that actually answers my question! I wonder why some companies even bother with email at all -- either they don't answer it, or they don't *read* the question before cutting and pasting in a canned response that has nothing to do with what I'm writing about.

 

I can honestly say this program has been worth every penny -- and then some.

[GreenKitty]

After I downloaded the free version, I had it for one day and bought the Plus version the next. I then started having glitches in it. I have no idea why. Every once in a while my tracker will close without any reason why. I did remove the free version entirely.

 

Though their are things I would like to see changed in it, all in all I have to say I really like it and would definitely purchase it again. I also like the updates, looking for ways to improve something is a plus!