Hello, Rob:
I'm surprised to hear that you have trouble with tempii on loading midi files. I've never run across any issues like that (and I've been using Notation Software products since before there WAS Notation Software!
).
If you could, try uploading the midi file in question here and I'll have a look at it, just to see what happens on my end.
As for tips for newbies, I think you'll find that Composer is about the most user-friendly notation product around. A lot of users have found it to be very easy to learn and quite powerful enough for both beginner and a lot of advanced work. As an example, last year, I arranged and orchestrated one of my musicals entirely in Composer, used the Export to WAV feature to distribute sample music to potential performers, used the Export to PDF feature to prepare Piano-Vocal, Vocal and Conductor's Scores, along with each instrument's part -- AND was able to re-orchestrate some parts quickly when different instrumentation was needed.
Keep experimenting and I think you'll find Notation Software to be a very good value for money.
Hope that helps.
David