How to Navigate simPRO

Overview

When you log in to simPRO and view the dashboard, you can use a variety of methods to navigate simPRO.

Learn more in How to Access simPRO and How to Use the simPRO Dashboard.

In order to view content or perform actions referred to in this article you need to have the appropriate permissions enabled in your security group. Go to System A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. > Setup > Security Groups and access your security group to update your permissions. The relevant security group tab and specific permissions for this article can be found here:

Actions

General

Setup

Materials

You can navigate to all areas of simPRO using the following menus:

  • System menu
  • Main menu

These menus can be accessed from anywhere in simPRO.

A screenshot of the system menu.

Access the System menu in the far top right to:

  • Search for actions, records and card files in your system using the Global Search bar. You can also view your saved searches using the icon. Learn more in How to Search simPRO Data.
  • View system alerts by clicking the Alerts icon. To learn when system alerts appear and how to action them, see How to View Alerts.
  • Open the VoIP softphone window using the A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. icon, if VoIP integration is enabled.
  • View notifications for any important events that are triggered within simPRO by clicking the icon.
  • Access your employee card file by hovering over the Account A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. icon, then clicking My Account. You can also click Change Password to update your password. Log out of simPRO and make the licence available for another user by clicking Log out.

Hover over the System A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. icon to access:

Setup Access setup options for your system, forms, defaults, mobile, company and accounts integration.
User Log

View current licences in use and the system access logs. This is useful if you need to log out inactive users to enable other users to use the licences to log in.

The log message PHP Expired indicates a user has been logged out by the system after being idle for four hours.
Licences

Manage the number of licences available to your business.

Learn more in How to Use Licences.

The Licences option only appears in the System drop-down menu for users with company management security group permissions.

Hover over the Help A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. icon to access:

Help
  • Walk Me Through to access online walkthrough tutorials powered by WalkMe, as well as videos and Help Guide links. Learn more in How to Use Walk Me Through in simPRO.
  • Help Guide to access the simPRO Help Guide
  • Learning Toolbox to access a range of self-paced learnings to build your simPRO knowledge. View a full list of all materials and courses available in Learning Toolbox Modules and Courses.
  • Contact Support to access the simPRO Helpdesk to create a case or live chat with simPRO Support
  • Submit an Idea to access the simPRO Ideas Portal and submit and vote on ideas for new features. Learn more in simPRO Ideas Portal Guidelines.
  • Keyboard Shortcuts to view a list of keyboard shortcuts for simPRO functionality. Learn more in Use keyboard shortcuts.

Access simPRO's key functionalities and actions through the main menu. And, access the Utilities A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. menu to manage how simPRO operates together with your business.

Expand or hide menu labels to see both menu icons and menu labels. The selected view is saved for the next time you log into simPRO.

The Show / Hide Labels button is only available if the browser has enough space to display the entire main menu. The minimum width required to display the full expanded menu is 1400 pixels at 100% zoom. If you are unable to view the expand labels option, you may need to confirm the display settings on your computer.

A screenshot of the Sales dashboard with the main menu expanded.

People A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow.

Create and manage customers, sites, suppliers, employees and contractors in your system.

Learn more in:
Leads A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. Create and manage leads to keep track of potential business. Learn more in How to Create a Lead.
Quotes A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. Create and manage quotes at various stages. Learn more in How to View Quotes.
Jobs A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. Create and manage jobs at various stages. Learn more in How to Manage Existing Jobs.
Recurring A screenshot of a recurring icon with a two arrows circling each other. Create and manage recurring jobs and invoices. Learn more in How to Create Recurring Jobs and How to Create Recurring Invoices.
Schedules A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. View and manage schedules, including for projects, as well as timesheets, job cards and run sheets. Learn more in About Schedules.
Materials A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow.

Manage stock / inventory and create and manage purchase orders and supplier quotes.

Learn more in:
Invoices A screenshot of a invoices icon Manage invoices, including contractor invoices, payments and credits. Learn more in Invoicing Overview.
Tasks A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. Create and manage tasks for your employees to complete. Learn more in How to Use Tasks.
Documents A screenshot of a Documents icon with a grey document.

View a printable Job Card Template.

You can also set up other documents to be available in this menu. Learn more in How to Set Up Documents.
Utilities A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow.

Access:
Reports A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. View and schedule reports. Learn more in Reports.

You can also search for actions, records and card files in your system by using the main menu Global Search bar. You can also view your saved searches. Learn more in How to Search simPRO Data.

US only: If you use simPRO in the United States, the term 'vendor' is used instead of 'supplier'.

US only: If you use simPRO in the United States, the term 'work order' is used instead of 'job card'.

To return to the dashboard from anywhere in simPRO, click the simPRO logo on the Dashboard in the top left above the main menu.

Learn more in How to Use the simPRO Dashboard.

You can navigate within card files, projects, setup, other data entries, and more in simPRO in the following ways:

Data and settings in simPRO card files, projects, System Setup, and more are organised in tabs, with some tabs broken down further into sub-tabs.

You can click these tabs to locate and update the related data and settings.

A screenshot of tabs and sub-tabs in simPRO.

The current tab you are viewing appears with a grey background, while the other tabs appear in white. The current sub-tab you are viewing is displayed in a black and bold font, while other sub-tabs appear in blue font.

When you create or edit a data entry in simPRO, such as a job, quote, customer, employee, supplier, invoice, and more, you can click one of the following buttons to save or discard your data.

Cancel

Exit the data entry without saving.

If you have just created the data entry, no record of it saves in simPRO. If you have already clicked Save or you are updating an existing data entry, only your recent changes discard and the data entry still exists in simPRO.

When Autosave is enabled, this option is only available when you first open a project, and will not be available after you have saved the project for the first time.
Save Save your data entry in simPRO and continue editing. If you have just created the data entry, clicking Save creates a record with an ID that you can access from its applicable data table.
Save and Finish

Save and exit the data entry, and select from various options for what to do next.

For example, in a quote, you have the options to view quotes, convert the quote to a job, edit the quote, or schedule.
Next

When you have created a new job, quote, or recurring template, proceed from the initial job / quote / recurring template setup page to the cost centre or Cost Centre List.

The job, quote, or recurring template is only created as a record with an ID in simPRO when you click Save after clicking Next. If you click Cancel, no record is saved.
Continue

Save your data and proceed to the Cost Centre List.

If you have enabled single cost centre service jobs / quotes in System A screenshot of a schedule icon with a grey calendar icon and an arrow. > Setup > Defaults > System > Service Jobs and Quotes and you are updating a job / quote with one cost centre, you proceed to that cost centre.
Unlock Unlock projects such as purchase orders or invoices to update details and settings.

US only: If you use simPRO in the United States, the term 'vendor' is used instead of 'supplier'.

When you open or create a project, the Open Work tab appears at the top of your screen, listing your recently opened quotes, jobs or leads. If you continue to open additional work, they also appear on this tab.

A screenshot of the Open Work tabs.

Learn more in How to Work on Multiple Projects.

Similarly, you can open multiple invoices simultaneously to save time and for easy navigation in simPRO.

A screenshot of the menu available when hovering over the minimised menu.

In addition to your browser scrolling options, you can also use the simPRO scrolling options on the right side of the screen to quickly move up and down.

Clicking the down arrow scrolls to the bottom of the page.

Clicking the middle up arrow scrolls up to just under the main menu and global search bar.

Clicking the top up arrow scrolls up to the very top of the page.

For jobs and quotes, when Autosave is enabled, your changes are automatically saved in simPRO a few minutes after you take an action that registers the session, or inactivity from the user. By default, this is enabled on all jobs and quotes that are saved once. When Autosave is enabled, you cannot Cancel your changes.

To disable Autosave on a quote or job, toggle off the Autosave button. To ensure that Autosave does not cause errors, do not use multiple web browser tabs or windows at once when managing projects in simPRO.

To disable Autosave for all quotes and jobs, go to System Setup > Defaults > System, and toggle Off Autosave Default.

The time set for Autosave to trigger is currently approximately 5 minutes after last action or inactivity. This time may vary due to server communication times, connectivity and other factors.

simPRO employs a variety of security measures to protect your data. Because of these measures, when you work in simPRO in multiple browser tabs or windows at once, for example, to view the schedule in one tab and a job in the other, you may experience session time-outs.

simPRO refreshes your session if it has timed out, but your most recent action is not completed, meaning you may need to re-enter or check any data you were updating.

Actions and data may be incorrectly saved when using multiple browser tabs or windows of simPRO at the same time when Autosave is enabled. To ensure that Autosave does not cause errors, do not use multiple web browser tabs or windows at once when managing projects in simPRO.

You can switch between up to five open projects, such as quotes, jobs, and purchase orders using the projects menu bar at the top of your screen. Learn more in How to Work on Multiple Projects.

For additional training, complete an interactive material in the simPRO's Learning Toolbox. Learn more in simPRO's Learning Toolbox.