This is what you don't understand: "why would the training software be so different?"

It's not Training software.You are supposed to have Student Access to the ProConnect program, for training purposes. That's not the same as "this is training software." Making sample returns doesn't mean it is crippled or different to the real ProConnect, functionally. It still has to meet IRS requirements.

Every program is going to work a bit differently. ProConnect is not ProSeries or Lacerte or TurboTax or Drake or TaxAct or TaxSlayer or any of the other tax prep programs available to you, as a Professional preparer working on your clients' returns. Doing it by Paper would be different, yet. The end goal for Presentation and Submission will meet the IRS requirements, or Schema.

That's the same thing as accounting packages. I teach and support QuickBooks Desktop. I also am a programmer, so I learned Gnu. I won't be learning Freshbooks or QuickBooks Online and I don't know Cougar Mountain or Sage or any of the other Accounting Programs.

We are giving you hints, because this is not Customer Support and we are not teaching your class. No one here is your instructor. Everyone here is already working for clients. That's this community: peer users volunteering to help each other. But that requires you to be certified, to keep up with tax regulations, law changes, continuing ed. It's not a community for Students and for learning. This is not Class Time. It's Office Time. Everyone else is at work, right now.