Viewing and Navigation in TFS
- Matthew Garrett
The following areas are covered in this section;
The TFS window has the following elements:
| Legend | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title Bar | Displays the application and screen name. |
| 2 | Menu Bar | Provides access to all functions of TFS. |
| 3 | Toolbar | Used to quickly access commonly used TFS functions |
| 4 | Context Bar | Provides overview information about the selected client and application. |
| 5 | Sidebar | Provides one-click mouse access to most TFS screens. |
| 6 | Main Window | Displays the main screen information. |
| 7 | Status Bar | Displays feedback on the current operations being performed. |
TFS has two screen modes:
By default, all screens and lists are in View Mode when they are first opened. View Mode allows you to view information for a TFS screen, list or dialog, but does not permit any changes to be made. When a screen or dialog is opened in view mode, all data fields are coloured yellow.
All menus are enabled when the screen is in view mode, allowing you to quickly navigate to other screens. Some editing commands such as the spell check are disabled when a screen is in View Mode.
| Legend | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menu Bar | Is enabled. Provides access to all functions of TFS. |
| 2 | Toolbar | Used to quickly access commonly used TFS functions. |
| 3 | Sidebar | Is enabled. Provides one-click mouse access to most TFS screens. |
| 4 | Yellow Coloured Fields | Cannot be edited. |
| 5 | Related Screen (Jump To Button) | Click to jump to a related screen. These are only available when a screen is in view mode |
| 6 | Communicate Dialog Button | Click to automatically communicate with a client, client contact, service provider, etc. The dialog allows the user to send an email, create a mail merge document or open website addresses. |
| 7 | SMS Button | Click to open the Communicate Dialog with SMS selected. NOTE: This will only work if you have |
| 8 | Edit Mode Button | Click to change the screen to Edit Mode. |
.
A screen can be changed to Edit Mode by clicking the Edit button. When a screen or dialog is opened in Edit Mode, the fields that can be modified are coloured white. Often a screen may display two edit buttons hence the Edit Mode button may be referred to as the (Left) Edit button.
Although TFS data can be modified in Edit Mode, some fields are still locked. The information contained in locked fields cannot be modified for security reasons, or because the system automatically updates or calculates the data in a particular field.
The Edit menu is enabled when the screen is in Edit Mode. All other menus are disabled until the OK or Cancel button is clicked.
| Legend | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menu Bar | Is disabled except for the Edit menu. Provides access to all functions of TFS. |
| 2 | Toolbar | Is disabled except for the editing tools. Used to quickly access commonly used TFS functions. |
| 3 | Sidebar | Is disabled. Provides one-click mouse access to most TFS screens. |
| 4 | Popup button ( | Click to open a dialog related to the field. Information can be edited. |
| 5 | White Coloured Fields | Can be edited. |
| 6 | Yellow Coloured Fields | Cannot be edited. |
| 7 | Auto Complete Button ( | Click to scroll through pre-defined options available for selection. |
| 8 | OK Button | Click to change the screen to View Mode, saving all changes. |
| 9 | Cancel Button | Click to cancel any changes. The screen returns to View mode. |
TFS has two standard screen designs that are used for viewing and modifying information:
Grid Screen
The Grid screen:
- Displays all relevant data.
- Information can be entered directly into most fields.
A typical TFS screen is made up of one or more grids consisting of two columns.
The data contained on these screens is divided into groups of related information. Each group has a heading that spans two columns.
| Legend | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Group Heading | Contains field headings divided into groups of related information. These headings span two columns and can contain a Jump To button. |
| 2 | Related Screen (Jump To button) | Click to jump to a related screen. These are only available when a screen is in view mode. |
| 3 | Data Field Names | Descriptive title for the data in the right column. |
| 4 | Data Fields | In View mode, data fields are coloured yellow and cannot be edited. In Edit mode, data fields are coloured white and can be edited. |
The List screen:
- Displays a list of items.
- Information is entered through a dialog.
Many screens display a list of items. Each list contains data, which is entered into TFS through a dialog. For a more detailed view of the information presented, a dialog
can be opened in either View or Edit Mode.Two sets of buttons are displayed below a TFS list. The buttons on the left control the screen. Some examples include OK,
Apply, Cancel, Edit, or Close buttons. The buttons on the right control a selected item.
Some examples include View, New, Edit, and Delete buttons. When one of the right-hand buttons is clicked, the screen automatically changes to Edit Mode.
The following list example is taken from the Client Address/Telephone screen.
| Legend | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | List Items | A list of related records. |
| 2 | (Left) Edit Button. | Click to change the screen to Edit Mode. This changes to the OK button when in Edit mode. |
| 3 | Close Button | Click to close the screen and to exit Edit Mode. |
| 4 | View Button | Click to view details of a selected item in View Mode. |
| 5 | New Button | Click to add a new item to the list. |
| 6 | (Right ) Edit Button | Click the (Right) Edit button to modify a selected item. |
| 7 | Delete Button | Click to delete a selected item. |
- Open a TFS list. The Search Results list (available from theSearchdialog) has been used as an example for the following procedure.
- Move the mouse to the column to be sorted.
- Pause the mouse over the column heading until a hand icon is displayed.
- Click the left mouse button. The column will be surrounded by a black border.
- Release the mouse button. The order will now be the opposite of the previous sort order (ascending or descending).
Columns may be moved to another position within a table by picking them up and dropping them in the required position.
- Hover the mouse over the column to be moved. The Search Results list has been used as an example for the following procedure.
- Click and hold the left mouse button over a column heading. A hand icon is displayed.
- Move the column to the desired position. The black border will move along with the mouse.
- Release the left mouse button.
Column widths can be increased or decreased by selecting the column and dragging the mouse left or right.
- Move the mouse to the top of the column to be changed. The Search Results has been used as an example for the following procedure.
- Click and hold the left mouse button over a column.
- Move the column left or right to the desired position.
- Release the left mouse button.
The Finance Shop includes a number of dialogs (or popup windows) that are used to enter, modify or select information. Dialogs are also used to view notes or additional information for a selected field.
How To Access a TFS Dialog
Press 
or 
on a TFS screen.
1. In View Mode, a popup dialog typically shows basic details and related notes for an item or entity. The data cannot be modified (fields will be coloured yellow).
2. In Edit Mode, a popup dialog typically displays a list of all the options available for selection. The data can be modified (fields will be coloured white).
Examples of TFS Dialogs
Communicate Dialog
Select Dialog
The sidebar is located on the left side of the TFS screen. It provides one-click mouse access to most TFS screens.
By default, the sidebar is switched on after the installation of TFS. All screens that can be accessed through the sidebar are available through the Menu system as well.
The Finance Shop includes a spelling checker that is used to check any text entered into notes, descriptions or comments fields. It is important that any text that will be included in client or financier
documents is checked to ensure that all documents are correctly spelt
How to Use the Spelling Checker
- Enter text into a Notes, Description or Comments field.
- Click the Spell Check icon (
). When a possible spelling problem has been found, the Check Spelling dialog will be displayed.
If the word is a name and not known to the dictionary, click the Ignore or Ignore All button.
OR
If the word is a term or other word that should be in the dictionary, click the Add button.
OR
If the word has been misspelt, select the correctly spelt word from the list of suggestions then click the Change button.
OR
If the word is not in the list simply edit the word in the top text field and click the Change button.
Continue until all incorrect words have been corrected and/or updated. The Check Spelling dialog will automatically close when the spell check has been completed.