Note: If you reached this help screen by pressing the Help [F1] button from the startup screen, please note that you can display context-sensitive help from any screen when you press the F1 key on your keyboard.

When you run FF&EZ, you will first see the Startup Screen, which acts as a portal into the rest of the system, as well as the place where system-wide settings can be made. The screen consists of the following elements:

Application Map

The diagram in the upper two-thirds of the screen shows the relationships of the data that FF&EZ tracks. The four lists in the top row are available at all times. The five buttons in the center portion represent the contents of a project. They are accessed after you use the Project List to either add or select a project. To enable these buttons and access their data, you use the Open function on the Project Form. Note: Once you open any editing form, the Application Map appears along the left side of the screen under "Views" and this smaller version is then used to move around the system. Once you open any particular form, it can be left open until you close the program (or, for project content forms, close the project).

Design/Purchasing version only: The project content buttons are grouped in a box in the middle of the screen. Below them are the buttons accessing screens that are part of the purchasing management system.

Utilities

This button displays maintenance options that are used to update the system. These include functions to load report updates and do general system cleanup and refreshing. 

Setup

Use this to display a form on which you can enter specific information about your firm, including your address (which will print on all reports) and default settings for markup, system fonts, etc. This information should be entered as soon as you begin using the system. The Setup Form also includes information about where the files in your system are located.

Log-in Box

(Multi-user system only) Before being able to access other parts of the program, you must log in to the system. This feature is used to recall user settings, and eventually, customized reports.  If you enter a login name that does not exist, you will be asked if you want to create it (password protection is a special option that can be requested If active, you will also see a password entry box. Only users with a special password and access level can access the user list itself).

If you are on the Startup Screen and wish to see an introduction to the program, click here or just open up the contents tab.

Note: If you have purchased the Design/Purchasing version, the Startup Screen will have a slightly different layout to include buttons to access the extra editing screens in that version, but the basic way the screen works is the same.