Smart Contractor

Smart Contractor User Interface Guide

This is a discussion of the conventions used in the Smart Contractor user interface.

Data entry forms

Data entry forms in Smart Contractor are very consistent. They all look and work the same, using the following features:

"Enter ___ to Add or Edit" prompt
At the top of the form there is a box with a prompt to Enter ___ to Add or Edit.

To add or edit a record, type the name of an item and press the [Enter] or [Tab] key. If the record exists, it will be retrieved and displayed in the form so you can edit it. (The blue note in the lower right corner displays the date and time the record was created or last edited.)

If the record does not exist, the form will be cleared to allow you to add a new record. (The blue note in the lower right corner will say "Adding New Record").

You can select the "(Add New)" option to add a new record.

Add button
Instead of typing the name of a new record in the "Enter..." prompt, you can click Add to create a new record. This will clear the form and allow you to add a new record. The blue note in the lower right corner will say "Adding New Record".
List button
Click List to view all existing records in the Data Grid form. The data grid form allows you to:

Status prompt
Each form has a prompt for Status.

Normal status is "Active". You can set the status to "Inactive" to retain a record in the database, but prevent it from being used. Set the status to "Deleted" to delete the record. If the record is not referenced by other data in the database, the record will be removed from the database. If the record is referenced by other data in the database, the status will be set to "Deleted". Deleted status records can be removed from the database by running the Archive/Purge utility.

OK button
When you have finished editing a record, Click OK, or press Alt-O, to save it.
Cancel button
Click Cancel, or press Alt-C, to close the record without saving changes.
Exit button
Click Exit, or press Alt-X, to exit the form.
Left and Right arrow buttons
The left and right arrow buttons allow you to skip from one record to another (alphabetically, by name).


Smart Contractor forms also have these features in common:

Drop-Down List Box

Some data entry prompts in Smart Contractor have a down arrow button on the right. This is a "drop-down list box". A drop-down list box allows you to select one of the items in the drop-down list.

Note: There are two types of drop down list boxes: One has check boxes to the left of the items in the drop down list, and the other does not. The one with check boxes to the left of the items in the drop down list is a "drop down check list box". See below for information on the drop down check list box.

To make the drop-down list to appear, you can:

  • Click anywhere in the prompt, or
  • press the down arrow key, or
  • type something in the prompt.
To select an option in the drop-down list you can:
  • Press the down and up arrow keys to highlight the desired option, or
  • use the "scroll bar" to the right of the list (if it is visible) to scroll to and then click on the desired option, or
  • type something in the prompt. As you type, the list box will locate entries that match what you have typed.
To accept the selected option you can:
  • press [Tab], or
  • press [Enter], or
  • click somewhere else on the screen.


Note: Some drop-down list boxes allow you to create a new list entry. To create a new list entry:

  • Type the new item and press [Enter] or [Tab]. If the item does not exist, the program will display a message asking if you want to add it. Press [Enter] (or click "Yes") to go to the form which allows you to create the new item.
  • Click on the "(Add New)" option, or
  • Click on the "Add" button to the right.

The Edit button, discussed below, appears to the right of some drop down list boxes. You can click on it to display the edit form for the item currently selected in the list box.

Drop-Down Check List Box

Drop-down list boxes that have check boxes to the left of the items in the drop down list are "drop down check list boxes". A drop-down check list box allows you to select more than one of the items in the drop-down list.

To make the drop-down check list to appear, you can:

  • Click anywhere in the prompt, or
  • Press the down arrow key, or
  • Type something in the prompt.
To find options in the drop-down check list you can:
  • Press the down and up arrow keys to find the desired option, then click on it.
  • Use the "scroll bar" to the right of the list (if it is visible) to scroll to and then click on the desired option, or
  • Type something in the prompt. As you type, the list box will locate entries that match what you have typed. You can find multiple entries by separating them with a comma (",").
To check options in the drop-down check list you can:
  • Click on the option.
To accept the options that you have selected in the check list you can:
  • press [Tab], or
  • press [Enter], or
  • click somewhere else on the screen.


Note: Some drop-down list boxes allow you to create a new list entry. To create a new list entry:

  • Click on the "Add" button to the right.
Edit Button
An Edit button appears to the right of some of drop-down list boxes. You can click on it to edit the item currently selected in the list box.
Active Prompt Highlight

In Windows, the "cursor" is a small blinking vertical line that indicates where data will appear when you type. In most windows programs, this is the only way you can tell which prompt is active.

Smart Contractor makes it easier to find the cursor, and to know which prompt is active. The active prompt is always highlighted with a yellow background, and the label to the left of the prompt is set to bold blue type.

If the active prompt is a button, the button face is set to yellow.

If the active prompt is a check box, the border around the check box is set to yellow.

Required Prompt Highlight
Smart Contractor allows you to see at a glance which data entry fields in a form are required. The required prompts are printed in red. The red highlight reverts to black as data is entered.
Click On The Label Or On The Prompt
In most Windows programs, you must click directly on a prompt to make that prompt active (so that you can enter data). In Smart Contractor, you can click on the prompt, or you can click on the label next to the prompt to bring the "focus" to the prompt.
Blue Note Box

In all data entry forms, there is a small message that appears in blue print, usually in the lower right corner of the form.

When a new record is being added, the message says "Adding New Record". When an existing record is being edited, the message displays the date and time that the record was last updated. If Smart Contractor is set to require users to log in (set in the Security Options form), then this message will also display the name of the user who made the change.

[ESC] to Exit

You can press the Escape (ESC) key to clear the screen or exit the form. If a record is currently displayed, press ESC to clear the screen. Press ESC again to exit the form.
F1 For Help

You can press the F1 (function key 1), or click on the "?" button at any time to see help about the form currently displayed.

Report Request Forms

Report request forms (used to view or print reports) have these features in common:

View Button
Click View to view a print image of the report. This will display the report viewer form
Print Button
Click the Print button to print the report.
Email Button
Some report request forms also have an "Email" button. An Email button appears for printed information which might be sent to a customer or a vendor for whom you have entered an email address. Click the Email button to send the report or document by email to the selected recipient.
F1 Help
You can press the F1 (function key 1), or click on the "?" button to see an explanation of the information displayed in the report.