# Chapter 2 — Navigation & Layout

## 2.1 Dashboard overview

After signing in, you arrive at your **dashboard** — the home screen with key statistics and shortcuts.

![Dashboard with navigation](../assets/screenshots/02-dashboard-navigation.png)
*Figure 2.1 — Dashboard showing sidebar, header, and KPI cards*

### What the dashboard shows

| Card / section | Typical content |
|----------------|-----------------|
| Member count | Total registered members |
| Attendance | Recent or today's attendance |
| Finance summary | Monthly offerings or income |
| Quick links | Shortcuts to frequent tasks |
| Recent activity | Latest actions in your tenant |

Cards vary by your **role** and **plan** — you only see what you have permission to access.

### Church logo on the dashboard

The welcome area shows your **church logo** prominently. If you have not uploaded a custom logo yet, a **default church logo** is displayed instead. Church administrators see a reminder banner with a link to **Settings → General** to upload their own logo.

---

## 2.2 Left sidebar (main menu)

The **left sidebar** is your primary navigation. It groups modules into sections:

### Typical sections (single church / branch)

| Section | Modules inside |
|---------|----------------|
| **Main** | Dashboard |
| **Member Management** | Members, Follow-ups, Birthdays |
| **Groups & Departments** | Departments, Member Groups |
| **Designations** | Leadership |
| **Attendance & Reports** | Attendance, Tracker, Reports, Kiosk, **Visitor form** |
| **Events & Announcements** | Services, Events, Noticeboard/Announcements, Messages, Live Chat |
| **Finance & Accounts** | Offerings, Tithes, Pledges, Gift Aid, Income, Expenses, Categories, Bank Accounts, Reports |
| **Support** | Tickets, Ticket Reports |
| **HRM** | Employees, Payroll |
| **Administration** | Assets, Users, Roles, Settings |
| **Platform Billing** | Plan Package, Subscription |

### HQ (multi-branch) differences

HQ sidebar replaces member/attendance sections with:

- **Branch Management** → Branches
- **Designations** → Designations
- **Localization** → Regions, Districts, Areas, Zones

### Collapsed sidebar

Click the **menu toggle** (hamburger icon) to collapse the sidebar for more screen space. Click again to expand.

---

## 2.3 Header bar

The top header bar contains:

| Element | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| **Search** | Find members across modules (if enabled) |
| **Applications grid** | Quick access to Calendar, To Do, Notes, File Manager |
| **Messages icon** | Unread message count |
| **Notifications** | System alerts |
| **Profile menu** | My Profile, Sign out, Clear cache |

### Profile menu

1. Click your **name or avatar** in the top-right corner.
2. Select **My Profile** to update name, email, or password.
3. Select **Sign out** to log out securely.

---

## 2.4 Applications grid

Four productivity tools live in the header (not the sidebar):

| App | Use for |
|-----|---------|
| **Calendar** | Personal and church calendar entries |
| **To Do** | Task lists with completion tracking |
| **Notes** | Quick notes with pin support |
| **File Manager** | Upload and organize documents |

Access: click the **grid icon** in the header → select the app.

Each app requires **Read** permission in your role.

---

## 2.5 Settings menu

Settings are reached from **Administration → Settings** (or the settings gear in the sidebar).

| Settings page | What you configure |
|---------------|-------------------|
| **General / Profile** | Church name, address, contact, timezone, language, **logo** |
| **Financial** | Gift Aid enable/disable (UK churches on eligible plans) |
| **Website / Appearance** | Theme color, branding |
| **Security** | Session preferences, two-factor authentication |
| **Activity Logs** | Audit trail of user actions |
| **Backup** | Export and restore your data |

---

## 2.6 List pages (index screens)

Most modules open to a **list page** with a consistent layout:

| Element | Location | Action |
|---------|----------|--------|
| **Page title** | Top left | Shows module name |
| **Add / Create button** | Top right | Opens create form |
| **Search box** | Below title | Filter by name or keyword |
| **Filters** | Below search | Date, status, category filters |
| **Data table** | Main area | Rows of records |
| **Export button** | Toolbar | Download CSV/Excel/PDF |
| **Pagination** | Bottom | Navigate pages |
| **Row actions** | Each row | View, Edit, Delete icons |

### Using search and filters

1. Type in the **search box** → press Enter or wait for auto-filter.
2. Set **dropdown filters** (status, date range, category).
3. Click **Apply** (if present) to refresh the list.
4. Click **Clear** to reset all filters.

### Exporting data

1. Apply any filters you want (export respects current filters).
2. Click **Export** in the toolbar.
3. Choose format (CSV, Excel, or PDF where available).
4. File downloads to your computer.

Requires **Export** permission on the module.

---

## 2.7 Create and edit forms

Create and edit screens follow a standard pattern:

| Element | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Breadcrumb** | Shows navigation path (e.g. Members → Add) |
| **Form fields** | Required fields marked with asterisk (*) |
| **Save button** | Primary action — saves and returns to list |
| **Cancel button** | Discards changes and returns to list |
| **Validation messages** | Red text below fields if input is invalid |

### Tips

- Required fields must be filled before Save works.
- Date fields use your tenant **timezone** (set in Settings).
- File uploads (photos, receipts) show size and type limits.

---

## 2.8 Notifications and toasts

After saving, deleting, or performing actions, a **toast notification** appears (usually top-right):

| Color | Meaning |
|-------|---------|
| Green | Success |
| Red | Error — read the message and retry |
| Orange | Warning |
| Blue | Information |

Toasts disappear automatically after a few seconds.

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[← Chapter 1](01-introduction.md) | [Next: Chapter 3 — Members →](03-members.md)
