The area surrounding the "Dashboard" has the following features:

• The name of the company database currently open is displayed after "Smart Contractor -" in the title bar (top line) of the window. (See the New Database topic to create a new database).
• A drop-down menu across the top of the screen. See the Main Menu topic for information.
• A "shortcut" menu along the left side of the screen. See the Shortcut menu topic for information.
• The Select Job prompt; see below.
• The Add Job button; see below.
• The Search button; see below.
• The Help button; see below.
• The "QB" icon is displayed when a connection to a QuickBooks company file is active. See the QuickBooks Integration topic for more information.

Select a job to work with, or click on "(Add New)" to add a new job. This will display the Job entry form.

All Smart Contractor functions apply to the job currently selected in the prompt at the top of the screen.

Click Add Job to add a new job. This will display the Edit Job form.

Click Search to set criteria to specify which jobs appear in the list.

The Search button only appears after you have entered at least 10 jobs. Clicking on the search button will display the Job Search form.

Click Help open the Smart Contractor help system.

The Smart Contractor Dashboard displays the following information at the top...

Displays number of sales leads (or customers) with the Call Back box checked.

Sales leads and customers with the Call Back box checked appear in the Contact List.

Click on the number to view the Contact List.

You check the Call Back box in the Lead / Follow-Up tab of the Edit Job form.

See How To I... Track Job Leads? for more information.

Displays number of sales leads scheduled for an appointment.

Sale leads with the Call Back box checked and the Lead Status set to "Appointment Scheduled" appear in the Appointment Schedule.

Click on the number of appointments scheduled to view or print the Appointment Schedule.

You check the Call Back box checked and set the Lead Status in the Lead / Follow-Up tab of the Edit Job form.  

See How To I... Schedule Appointments? for more information.

Displays the number of items that must be ordered within the next week, for all jobs.

Click on the number displayed to open the Materials Ordering Schedule form where you can view or print the materials ordering schedule.

Displays number of transmittals due on or before the current date.

Click on the number to view a list of transmittals for all jobs.

You can enter transmittals in the options available in the Transmit menu.

Displays number of reminder notes for all jobs.

Click on the number to view the reminder notes for all jobs.

You can enter reminder notes in the Job Notes tab of the Edit Job form. To set a job note to be a reminder, select an Reminder Status that has the Alert Reminder option checked in the Setup Reminder Status form. See How Do I... Use Job Notes? for more information.

Displays number of subcontractors with expired insurance certification.

Click on the number to view the a report of all subcontractors with expired insurance certification.

You can enter subcontractors' insurance certification in the Enter Vendor/Subcontractors form.

Displays the customer name, address, and brief description of the current job selected in the Select Job: prompt above.

Click on the customer name and address link to open the Edit Job form where you can edit the customer information.

Displays the status of the job currently selected, and the status of this job's QuickBooks integration.

Click on the status to open the Edit Job form where you can edit the job status.

Click on the QuickBooks integration status to open the Edit Job form where you can check the option to Create This Job In QuickBooks. Note: The Job Status must also be set to "Contract Signed", or "Work Started" in order for QuickBooks data integration to occur for this job.

The Accounting area displays the following accounting related information about the job currently selected in the Select Job: prompt above:

Displays the current total job estimate (with markups), including change orders.

Click on the estimate amount to open the Edit Estimate form where you can edit the job estimate.

Displays the current total estimated labor hours, including change orders.

Click on the labor hours amount to open the Edit Estimate form where you can edit the job estimate.

Displays the job deposit amount entered for the job.

Click on the estimate amount to open Edit Job form where you can enter or edit the job deposit amount.

Displays the total change orders entered for the job.

Click on the change orders amount to view or print the Change Order listing report.

Displays the actual cost of work completed so far - excluding markups.

If the job Contract Type is set to "Cost Plus", or "Time and Materials" (in the Edit Job form), then the amount displayed is the sum of the actual costs entered so far.

If the job Contract Type is set to "Fixed Sum", then the amount displayed is the sum of the estimated costs of completed items. Items are "completed" when their status is set to "Completed" in the Job Progress form, or when purchase transactions are entered for them in the Enter Purchases form, and/or labor hours are entered in the Enter Labor Hours form.

When you click the Costs To Date link, the program will do one of two things depending on whether you are using QuickBooks Integration:

If you are using QuickBooks Integration, the program will display a menu to allow you enter purchases or labor hours.

- OR -

If you are not using QuickBooks integration, the program will open the Job Progress form, where you can enter actual job costs. (You can't enter actual job costs in the Job Progress form if you are using QuickBooks Integration.

Displays the total amount of markup on the Costs To Date above.

Click on the Markup amount to show a menu with the same options as described in the Costs To Date above.

Displays the total amount of Sales Tax to be charged on the Costs To Date above.

Click on the Sales Tax amount to show a menu with the same options as described in the Costs To Date above.

Displays the total amount invoiced (draw requested) for the job.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Total Invoiced amount will only equal the sum of Costs To Date + Markup + Sales Tax for "cost plus" jobs (Job Type set to "Cost Plus" in the Job Info tab of the Edit Job form).

Click on the invoiced amount to open the Create Invoices form).

Displays the total amount of payments received for the job.

Click on the payment amount to open the Payment Entry form.

Displays the difference between the Total Invoiced and the Payments Received. This is the amount due on outstanding invoices (or draw requests).

Click on the amount due to display the Job Summary Report.

Displays the job contract balance, which is the difference between the Job Total (displayed above) minus the deposit and any payments received and credits. This is the amount remaining to be paid for on the job contract (regardless of how much of the work is done).

Click on the contract balance amount to display the Job Recap Report.

The Schedule area displays the following schedule related information about the job currently selected in the Select Job: prompt above:

Displays the job start date that you enter in the Edit Job form, or in the Schedule Setup Form.

Click on the job start date to open the Schedule Setup Form.

Displays the date on which work on the job is scheduled to be completed.

Click on the scheduled completion date to open the Edit Schedule form.

Displays the total number of days scheduled for work.

Click on the schedule days to open the Edit Schedule form.

Displays the number of scheduled days work remaining.

Click on the days remaining to open the Edit Schedule form.

The Production area displays the following production related information about the job currently selected in the Select Job: prompt above:

Displays the number of items that must be ordered within the next week, for the current job.

Click on the number displayed to open the Materials Ordering Schedule form where you can view or print the materials ordering schedule.

Displays the number of purchase orders entered for this job.

Click on the number of purchase orders to open the Create Purchase Order form.

Displays the number of "work item days" assigned to schedule resources in the job.

A "work item day" is a day on which a job item is assigned to a schedule resource. If 1 resource is assigned to a job item that is scheduled for 5 days, that counts as 5 "work item days". If 2 resources are assigned to that item, that counts as 10 "work item days".

Schedule resources can be assigned to job items in the Edit Schedule form (by right clicking on the schedule), or in the prompt for Resources in the Edit Estimate form.

Click on the number of items to open the Print Work Order form.

Displays the number of change orders in the job that are set to "C.O. Issued" status.

Click on the number of open change orders to view a listing of the open change orders.

Displays the status of the QuickBooks Integration.

Click on the QuickBooks integration status to open the QuickBooks Integration Setup form.