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Navigating Readybuild

Learn how to navigate the Readybuild interface efficiently. Readybuild uses a responsive layout that adapts to your screen size, with a collapsible sidebar on desktop and a mobile-friendly menu on smaller screens.

Main Sidebar Navigation​

The main navigation sidebar appears on the left side of the screen. On larger screens (desktop), it's always visible and can be expanded or collapsed. On smaller screens (tablet/mobile), it opens as an overlay when you tap the menu icon.

  • Desktop: The sidebar is permanently visible. Click the arrow button at the bottom to toggle between expanded (showing icons and labels) and collapsed (icons only) modes.
  • Mobile/Tablet: Tap the hamburger menu icon (☰) in the top-left corner to open the sidebar. Tap outside or press the X to close it.

The sidebar provides access to all major sections of Readybuild. Each item may have sub-menus that slide out when clicked:

  • Dashboard - Your personalized home screen with key metrics, tasks, and a greeting based on the time of day
  • Projects - View and manage all your construction projects
  • Contacts - Customer, lead, and vendor management
  • Calendar - Schedule activities and appointments
  • Reports - Analytics, reporting, and data exports
  • Admin/Settings - System configuration (permissions required)
tip

When hovering over collapsed sidebar icons, a tooltip shows the section name to help you navigate quickly.

Many navigation items have sub-menus. When you click a parent menu item, such as Projects or Reports, a panel slides out next to the sidebar:

  1. Action buttons, such as New Project, appear at the top of the panel
  2. Links take you straight to a page
  3. Groups (for example, Accounting under Reports) expand and collapse in place when you click them
  4. Click the same sidebar item again, press Esc, click the X, or click anywhere outside the panel to close it. On mobile, tap Back to return to the sidebar

Searching Reports and Settings​

The Reports and Settings panels include a search box at the top. Start typing to filter the list: matching items appear with their groups expanded, so you don't need to know which group a report or setting lives in.

Favorite Reports​

In the Reports panel, click the star next to any report to add it to Favorites at the top of the panel. Click the star again to remove it. Favorites are saved in your browser, so they don't carry over to a different computer or browser.

Top Toolbar​

The top toolbar contains several important tools that are always accessible:

Page Title and Breadcrumbs​

  • The current page title displays in the toolbar
  • Breadcrumbs show your navigation path and allow you to quickly jump to parent pages
  • On the Dashboard, you'll see a personalized greeting (e.g., "Good morning, John")

History Menu​

Click History in the toolbar to see your recently visited pages (up to 5). This makes it easy to jump back to pages you were working on without navigating through menus.

Clock In Widget​

If your company uses time tracking, the Clock In widget appears in the toolbar, allowing you to:

  • Start and stop your work timer
  • Track time on specific projects
  • View your current clock status

The search feature is one of the fastest ways to find anything in Readybuild.

  • Click the magnifying glass icon (🔍) in the top toolbar
  • A search drawer slides out from the right side of the screen

Search across multiple categories simultaneously:

CategoryWhat's Searchable
ContactsName, company name, email, phone number
HousesAddress, property details
ProjectsProject name, address, project ID
PermitsPermit numbers, associated project info
Purchase OrdersPO number, vendor name
  1. Type at least 2 characters to begin searching
  2. Results are organized into tabs by category
  3. The tab automatically switches to show results (if your current tab is empty)
  4. Badge counts show how many results are in each category
  5. Click any result to navigate directly to that record

Fuzzy Matching​

Search uses fuzzy matching, which means you may see results that don't exactly match what you typed. This is intentional - fuzzy search finds records even when:

  • You make a typo (searching "Jonson" still finds "Johnson")
  • You only remember part of a name (searching "Rob" finds "Robert", "Robertson", etc.)
  • Spelling varies (searching "Grey" also finds "Gray")

Results are ranked by how closely they match your search terms, with the best matches appearing first. If you're seeing unexpected results, try adding more characters to narrow things down.

Search History​

When you open search without typing anything, you'll see your Recent Searches - items you've previously clicked on. This provides quick access to frequently accessed records.

Pro Tip

Phone number searches are smart - you can type just digits (e.g., "5551234") and it will match formatted phone numbers like "(555) 123-4567".

Quick Add Menu​

The + (plus) button in the toolbar provides quick access to create new items without navigating away from your current page:

  • Add Activity - Create a new calendar activity or task
  • Add Project - Start a new project (opens the project request form)
  • Add Daily Log - Record a daily log entry for a project

The Quick Add menu is available from anywhere in the application.

Notifications (Alert Menu)​

The bell icon (🔔) shows your current alerts and reminders.

Alert Badge​

  • A badge shows the count of pending items (up to 9+)
  • Orange/warning color indicates items need attention

Notification Types​

The menu is divided into two sections:

  1. Alerts - Items requiring your attention (approvals, overdue tasks, etc.)
  2. Reminders - Scheduled reminders you've set

Click any notification to navigate directly to the related item.

User Menu​

Click your profile avatar (or initials if no photo) in the top-right corner to access:

  • Account Settings - Update your profile, password, calendar privacy, and preferences
  • Notification Preferences - Configure how you receive alerts
  • Two-Factor Authentication - Set up additional security
  • Logout - Sign out of Readybuild on this browser. Your other devices stay signed in.

Your avatar displays your profile photo (if uploaded) or your initials.

Support Menu​

The question mark icon (?) provides quick access to:

  • Help documentation
  • Submit feedback or report issues
  • Contact support

Sticky Toolbar Icons​

When you scroll down on a page, the main toolbar scrolls out of view, but a floating toolbar appears in the top-right corner with essential actions:

  • Search
  • Quick Add
  • Notifications
  • Support
  • User Menu

This ensures you always have access to key functions without scrolling back to the top.

Tips for Efficient Navigation​

  1. Use Search First - For finding specific records, search is often faster than navigating through menus

  2. Leverage History - The History dropdown remembers your last 5 pages, making it easy to switch between frequently accessed areas

  3. Quick Add for Speed - Use the + button to create new items without leaving your current context

  4. Collapse the Sidebar - On desktop, collapse the sidebar for more screen real estate while still having icon navigation available

  5. Watch the Notifications Badge - The number on the bell icon tells you at a glance if items need your attention