Getting Around

Getting around in Avanti is very straightforward. Once you learn the basic layout of the software and how to get around, there'll be no stopping you!

Here's the main screen when you open Avanti.

The first thing to remember is that there's no right or wrong way to use the system. There are a lot of options in the software and there are multiple ways to access them. The opening screen simply presents them all to you.

The Homepage has two views, the Navigator view (to help you get to the options you want quickly and easily) and the Dashboard. The Dashboard displays a number of snapshots showing key information about your business accounts (sometime called Key Performance Indicators or KPIs). See the Dashboard topic for more information.

1) Main Menu

This is the system main menu. It provides access to virtually every option in the system through a series of static menus. If you like getting around software in the traditional way then this is for you. The File menu contains some options which are key to setting up the system and are only available from this menu. The Records menu is used to add, edit or view standard records such as customers, suppliers, accounts etc. The Tasks menu is used to get things done in the software. The Reports menu is used to get information out of the software.

Underneath the system main menu is a small toolbar. This contains useful buttons such as the Home button which takes you straight back here to the Home or opening page from wherever you are in the system.

The Back and Forward buttons simply move you between options you already have open.

The New button gives you options to quickly create any type of record whether it be a customer record, a supplier record, a stock item** or an invoice*.

The Search button can be used whenever you need to find specific information in your data. You can click the main Search button to search in everything or you can click the down-arrow on the right of the button to select a specific type of information to search in. See the Search topic for more information.

The Email button is used to open the Email Outbox which enables you to view the emails you have sent from Avanti such as invoices* and statements.

You can also change the system date in the toolbar.

2) Options Bar

The Options Bar gives you quick access to the section you want to work on. When selected each section displays a list of information relevant to the section selected and gives quick access to all of the options related to that section. For example, to work on the Customer section and view a list of customers, carry out tasks or view reports related to customers simply click the Customer option. To work with financial accounts and reports click the Financial section etc.

3) Options Bar Selection

The Options Bar highlights the section which is currently selected by showing it as a tab in a darker colour. It highlights whichever section you select from the Options Bar. Clicking the Home option on the Options Bar takes you straight back to the home page.

4) Navigator

The Home page displays a Navigator which is a map of the options available to carry out common tasks. Simply click on the option in the map for the task you want to carry out and you're there.

5) Navigator Menus

The Navigator gives quick access to other options which are not included on the option maps through a series of drop-down menus. The first of these is Tasks, which enables you to carry out additional tasks related to that section in the Navigator other than those displayed on the map. The second is Reports which gives access to the reports available in each section of the navigator. Finally there is the Snapshots drop-down menu which are a way for the system to display instant and useful information about a particular aspect of your business performance such as yearly sales, customers you need to chase money for, your best customers, top selling products etc. Snapshots are available in many places in the system but are related closely with the Dashboard facility which is also part of the Home page. To view the Dashboard, click the down-arrow on the right of the Home button underneath the main menu and select Dashboard from the menu. For more information see the Dashboard section.

6) Option Tabs

At the bottom of the screen you will always see one or more tabs. Each tab represents an option that is already open. If you need to go back to an option you opened previously you can simply click it's tab at the bottom and that option will be shown for you.