StairBiz Help

# Using StairBiz to process your jobs

# Starting a new project

There are four ways you can create a new project:

  1. Click the New button in the Process window
  2. Click the New icon in the Tool-bar
  3. Press Control+N
  4. Select the New Project menu-item under the Project menu

When you start a new project, a new job is automatically created within that project – you do NOT need to use the Jobs menu to create the first job. When you start a new project, all default settings are brought into the project and saved with the project. The project will never again refer to your default settings.

The Process window is like home base when processing a job. From this window you can start a new project, open a previously saved job, navigate your way through the various Process windows, save the job, close the project and kill (delete) the project (you can also do most of these things using the Project menu and Process menu).

Open the Process window (if it is not already open) by selecting the Process menu-item from the Process menu.

# Processing a job

A job has up to 16 stages, represented by the 15 picture buttons on the right side of the Process window (all 16 are represented under the Process menu, and many are also represented in the tool bar at the far left of your screen). Each button opens the relevant window for that stage, as follows:

  1. Client window Details about the client (person or company) that has ordered the job, including their terms of trade
  2. Site window Details about the site (if required)
  3. Job Details window Certain details about the job.
  4. Components window Changing (if necessary) the default size, timber and cost of each component of the stair.
  5. Setout window Changing (if necessary) the default setout values relating to the design of the stair.
  6. Design window Designing and amending the stair and balcony balustrade.
  7. Materials window Costing materials for the job.
  8. Labour window Costing labour for the job.
  9. Quote Calculation window Calculating the quote total for the job.
  10. Quote window Preparing a quote to be presented to the client.
  11. Schedule window Placing the job on a time line for assembly and delivery and/or installation.
  12. Invoice window Preparing an invoice to be presented to the client.
  13. Payments window Recording payments for the job.
  14. Receipt window Preparing a receipt for payments, to be presented to the client.
  15. My Data window Your own data fields for the job.
  16. Notes window Your own notes or memos associated with the job.

Apart from its own specific characteristics, each Process window has a Done button. If selected (you click on it), a tick is placed against the corresponding menu-item in the Process menu. This is a reminder that you have completed that process of the job (or a reminder of which processes remain to be dealt with). You do not have to use it.

The information in every Process window can be viewed and/or printed using the sheets opened from the View menu and Custom menu (see Viewing a job).

Some Process windows are unavailable to a Level-3 password clearance (see Passwords).

# Processing a job; the sequence

On Starting a new job, all Process buttons (in the Process window), Process menu-items (under the Process menu) and Process Tool-bar items become enabled.

The order in which you work through the processes is not important, however, common sense would suggest it’s best to start at the first process (Client window) and work your way through the processes (horizontally) in order. For example if you wanted to change the size of the newels (in the Components window) you would want to do it before you designed the stair (in the Design window).

However, keep in mind that changes to ANY window will change ALL related details in EVERY other window. For example, if you designed and quoted a stair, then went back to the Components window and changed the size of the treads, this new information will automatically update the Design, Materials, Quote Calculation, Quote, Invoice and Receipt windows, plus all relevant Job sheets and Custom sheets.

# Viewing a job

A sheet is a window where you can view and print information and drawings related to the current scenario of the current job. (To view a different scenario for the job, or a different job in the project, use the Jobs and Scenarios menus to toggle between the jobs and scenarios – the sheets can stay open (only the information shown in them changes).

There are 20 Job sheets, any number of Custom sheets which are user defined, and any number of Draw windows which are user defined.

Sheets are designed to present information to the user, the client, the factory staff or to contractors.

Sheets are accessible from the View menu, Custom menu and Draw menu.

# Job sheets

Job sheets relating to the current job are accessible from the View menu.

Job sheets are pre-set by StairBiz. You are not able to change them (although you can annotate them with text and graphics).

Job sheets which are unavailable (either because that part of the job has not been completed, or because the sheet is not relevant to the job) are disabled in the View menu.

Some sheets are unavailable to a Level-3 password clearance. See Passwords.

A Job sheet may show one or more pages (if there is more than one page, there will be page buttons at the top right of the window).

In job sheets where there are columns, the width of the columns are often automatic (based on the width of the longest text shown in each column). The spacing between the columns can sometimes be influenced by your system software, so StairBiz gives you a way to adjust it in the Preferences window (Prefs 2 tab, Column Spacing).

# Job Info sheet

This sheet displays information about the job, the client, the site, the method and date of dispatch, and the quote total, payments and terms. It might be useful to you as an office record, and to the delivery/installation staff.

The information comes from the Process window, Client window, Site window, Quote Calculation window and Payments window.

# Project Info sheet

This sheet displays financial information about all jobs in the project, with totals at the bottom. The totals are as your client would see them. The Price is a pre-discount price and includes Profit and Adjustment. If you have permission, there will also be a Net Profit column, which shows your net profit for the job (i.e. after deducting Discount and Adjustment).

# Stair Plan sheet

This sheet shows the stair as designed (with all significant dimensions), and shows the balcony configuration (without dimensions). The information comes from the Design: Stair Design window and the Design: Balcony Balusters window.

# Strings sheet

This sheet shows the setout and end-cuts for all the stair’s strings. They are calculated from the stair as designed.

If hockey strings apply, the glue-up details for those strings will be shown on the last page of this sheet.

To find out how StairBiz treats landing strings, see Strings at a landing.

Also see Strings.

# Treads sheet

This sheet shows the setout for each tread in the stair, including landing and bullnose treads. Newels are deducted from the treads where those newels are not floating. Dimensions are running dimensions from the bottom/left of the tread.

Each drawing indicates: • Tread Id; the tread number from the bottom or top of the stair (as specified in the Preferences window) • Qty; for identical treads, only one is drawn and the quantity is indicated. • Size; the overall minimum rectangle needed to obtain the tread.

# Tread Glue-up sheet

Where a tread cannot be obtained in a single piece from the size selected in the Components window, that tread may need to be built up from a blank of the selected size. This sheet shows the set-out of the blanks for cutting the glue-ups.

A “wastage” or “working margin” in taken into account. This is taken from item ~190 in the Setout window. This margin is added to all sides of the tread (except for the nosing) prior to the calculations. This wastage does not apply to straight-flight treads which are perfectly rectangular. Note that a Method 1 setout (see Setout window, Glue-ups) can be put on the CNC bed for cutting.

# Newel Turning sheet

This sheet shows how to set out the newels prior to turning. Dimensions are RUNNING dimensions. Dimensions include provision for turning wastage at the top and bottom of the newel (item ~53 in the Setout window).

# Newel Routs sheet

This sheet shows the setout of the newels for trenching.

The dimensions down the side of each newel are RUNNING dimensions, with the zero mark normally at the top of the upper string housing (it’s usually more practical this way). These dimensions do not include provision for turning wastage - they are finished dimensions.

# Stair Balustrade sheet

This sheet shows the setout for each section of stair balustrading for both rail and bottom plate. They show each section as having been levelled (i.e. it is not simply a plan view of how they would appear looking down on the stair), so that the spacings for balusters will be wider than in plan view.

Centres of balusters are shown.

# Balcony Plan sheet

The first drawing shows the dimensions for the well.

If there is balcony balustrading, the this drawing will also show offsets from the well to the balconyplate, and a second drawing will show balusters spacings and baluster extensions.

# Balcony Balustrade sheet

This is the same as the Stair Balustrade sheet, except that it relates to the balcony.

# Cutting List sheet

This sheet shows the style, timber, quantity, exact finished size, and exact finished length of every blank item in the current design PRIOR to any blank items being (optionally) converted into parts. So parts from the part filters and loose items from the Materials window are not included. This sheet would be useful for staff doing the preparation and assembly of the job.

If the column spacing in this sheet is too narrow or too wide, see Preferences window (Prefs 2 tab, Column Spacing).

If a component in the Components window has the Part From Filter option selected, StairBiz ignores this Part From Filter setting for the purposes of calculating this list. StairBiz also ignores any Manual Mode setting in the Materials window.

In other words, if you were using no part filters and were not in Manual Mode in the Materials window, this list would be identical to the Bill Of Materials sheet (see next heading).

Note that the Don’t Process menu-item when you right-click a stair unit in the Stair Setout pane of the Design window can force StairBiz to ignore certain units of a stair for the purposes of spec’ing and costing labour and materials.

# Bill Of Materials (BOM) sheet

This sheet shows all components for the job. If those components are blank items, it will show them as per the Cutting List (see above). If any blank items have been converted to parts by your part filters, it will show the parts. It also shows loose items added in your Materials window.

This sheet is what many would call a Pick List. The total cost of materials is derived from adding up every item in this list.

There is an reference number at the end of each line in the sheet. If the preparation staff wrote this number on the relevant components, this sheet could also be useful to the assembly staff for identification purposes. The lengths are exact (except for walltrim in certain cases, where an over-length approximate is used), plus any EXTRA as specified in the Extra Lengths window. Cutting a blank too much over length would lead to wastage. Cutting it under length makes the blank unusable.

If the column spacing in this sheet is too narrow or too wide, see Preferences window (Prefs 2 tab, Column Spacing).

# Materials Cost sheet

This sheet gives a summary of the components by size and timber, and shows the total cost.

It comes directly from the Materials window.

If the column spacing in this sheet is too narrow or too wide, see Preferences window (Prefs 2 tab, Column Spacing).

# Labour sheet

This sheet gives the labour times and cost and/or contract rates for every task in the job. It comes directly from the Labour window. It may be useful as an office copy.

The information displayed on this sheet can be determined by the Print buttons at the bottom of the Labour window. This can be especially useful for creating reverse invoices for your contract workers.

See the note under the previous heading regarding Don’t Process.

The Labor sheet shows, in the very bottom row, total time for the job (if you have not included times for any items costed as “Contract”, then obviously they won’t be included).

# Quote Calculation sheet

This sheet shows the basis for calculating the final quote, and shows the schedule of payments.

It comes directly from the Quote Calculation window.

# Quote, Invoice and Receipt sheets

These sheets are ready for presentation to the client. They would normally be printed on your business letter-head. They are different to the other sheets in that they have no border or title block.

They comes directly from the Quote window, Invoice window and Receipt window.

There may be more than one page to these sheets (use the scroll bar).

# Notes sheet

This is derived solely from the Notes window (i.e. it contains your personal notes).

# Alert sheet

This sheet shows alerts or problems associated with the current stair design. It shows if you have exceeded your limits set in the Building Codes window (as selected in the Site window for the job). It also shows any alerts triggered in your Part Filters or Labour Cost Filters. It is updated every time the user amends the stair design.

When there are any items listed in the Alerts sheet, the red Alert button is enabled in the Design window. Clicking this button is an alternative way to open this sheet.

If alerts are current for a job the Alerts Current field of the Job Directory window will indicate such.

# Custom sheets

Custom sheets relating to the current job can be opened from the Custom menu.

They contain whatever you have set them up to contain (see Custom Editor window).

The sheets shown in the Custom menu (and their order) are set in the Custom Menus window.

# Draw windows

Draw windows can be opened from the Draw menu.

They contain whatever you have drawn in them (see Draw window).

# Annotation

Any sheet can have user text and/or graphics inserted into it. See Annotation.

# Printing a job

There are two ways to print Job sheets, Custom sheets and Draw windows:

  1. One at a time (see Printing a Single Sheet)
  2. In a batch (see Printing Multiple Sheets)

# Printing a Single Sheet

To print a single Job sheet, Custom sheet or Draw window:

  1. The sheet must be the active window on your screen.
  2. Select the Print Page menu-item from the Project menu (or press Control+P on the keyboard).
  3. The Print dialog window will open and request the details of the printing.
  4. Click the Print button.

If the Print Page menu-item is not enabled, it means that there is not a printable sheet active.

You do not have to manually select different page orientations – StairBiz does it automatically. See Page Setup.

# Printing Multiple Sheets

It may be more convenient to print many sheets for a job in a single hit rather than one at a time (even if the sheets are not open).

  1. Select the Print Job menu-item from the Project menu.
  2. The Print Job window will open and request the details of the printing.
  3. Click the Print button.

The Print Settings window allows you to nominate a default set of sheets to be pre-selected when you open the Print Job window of a new job. It can be accessed from the Print Settings menu-item under the Defaults menu.

Also see Print Job window.

To print more than one copy of a Custom sheet in a single hit (even pages that are slightly different, e.g. different copies of a quotation page), see Custom Editor window.

You do not have to manually select different page orientations – StairBiz does it automatically. See Page Setup.

# Naming a project

A project needs a Project Name in the Process window before it can be saved. A Project Name must be different from any other Project Name (StairBiz will alert you if there is a problem here).

If there is only one job in the project, you can set the Project Name OR the Job Name OR both in the Process window – if there is no Project Name set, StairBiz will use the Job Name to set the Project Name; if there is no Job Name set, StairBiz will use the Project Name to set the Job Name.

If there is more than one job in the project, each job will need a Job Name different from any other Job Name within the project (but it may be the same as a Job name in some other project).

Project names and job names can be changed at any time, even after the project has been saved. If you want to set the Project Name to that of the Client Name (assuming you have already set the Client Name in the Client window), you can simply double-click the “Project Name” label to the left of the Project Name field. To set it instead to the Site Street, hold down the SHIFT key while double clicking. Alternatively you can define which fields become a default project name under these circumstances (see Preferences window/ Def Project Name and Def Job Name)

# Saving a job

# Overview

When you do work on a job, or any scenario within that job, the job is marked as needing a save and the Save button, menu and toolbar item become enabled.

Saving a job saves the current job (there can only be one job loaded at one time), plus all scenarios in that job. Any other job in the project has already been saved and stays as is.

There are four ways to save a job:

  1. Click the Save button in the Process window (this button is enabled only when a job has been changed since it was started, opened, or last saved)
  2. Press Control+S on the keyboard.
  3. Select the Save menu-item from the Project menu.
  4. Click the Save icon in the Tool-bar.

If you are opening a new or existing job (either within the project or outside of the project), and the current job needs saving, you will be alerted and given the opportunity to save it prior to the new job opening.

See also Naming a Project, Naming a Job and Project Folders.

# Saving – a good habit

Note that it is good practice to regularly save your work as you progress through a job. If anything should go wrong, or you make a major mistake, you can always revert to your last saved situation (see the Revert Job menu-item under the Files menu).

Get into the habit of pressing Control+S (i.e. Save) every few minutes. Saving to disc takes a fraction of a second.

# Project folders

Projects are saved in folders. This makes it easier to categorize and find particular projects. You could have a “Main” project folder, plus folders for particular builders or projects or cities or sales reps etc. You could have a “Confirmed” folder (for jobs that have been confirmed but not yet processed), a “Done” folder (for jobs that are finished but not yet archived), a “Dead” folder (for jobs that have not been confirmed after a certain period of time), etc.

The Project Folder is one of the fields available in the Directory window and as such is very useful for grouping or sorting jobs in that window. You can also change a project’s folder in this window.

Projects are also grouped according to their folder in the Open Project window.

The folder the project will be (or is already) saved in is shown in the Project Folder field to the right of the Project Name in the Process window. You can change it any time (whether the project has previously been saved or not) - click the drop-down list. To create, delete or amend project folders, see Folders window.

# Opening a saved project

Note that when you have a sizeable number of jobs, the Directory window in the ideal tool to manage, track, find and open jobs. The following method is useful when you have a smaller number of jobs, or where you know exactly what you’re looking for. The following assumes that no project is currently open.

You cannot open a project without opening a specific job (a project is a container for jobs). The following methods open both a project and a specific job within that project:

  1. Click the Open button in the Process window
  2. Click the Open icon in the Tool-bar
  3. Press Control+O (the letter, not zero)
  4. Select the Open Project menu-item under the Project menu
  5. Select the job in the Directory window, and click the Open Job button.
  6. If you know the project name, you can type it in to the Project Name field in the process window, then click the Open button (or press ENTER). The first job in the project will be opened.
  7. If you know the job name, quote number, job number or purchase order, you can type it in to the relevant field in the process window, then click the Open button (or press ENTER).

Methods 1, 2, 3 and 4 above opens the Open Projects window, showing projects (on the left) and their related jobs (on the right). Select the project from the left hand list. If there is only a single job in the project (as indicated by a single job name in the list on the right), or if there are multiple jobs but the job you want is already selected on the right (i.e. is the first in the list), you may simply double-click this project name to open the job. If there are more than one job and the job you want is not selected, double-click the job you want.

Methods 6 & 7: Note that if Enable SpeedSearch Job Find in the Prefs 2 tab of the Preferences window is ticked, as you type you get a list of jobs that correspond with what you have typed so far – at any time you can click the item in the list to open that job. Note that if you are networked and have a slow internet connection, and you get errors (or crashes) while using this feature, you should untick Enable SpeedSearch Job Find (your connection speed cannot handle it).

All other lists in this window can be speed searched – see Speed Search Lists.

# Project Folders

To locate a project in a folder different to the one displayed at the top of the Open Projects window, select the folder name (or “All”) from the pull-down list (see Folders window and Saving a job). See also Opening a saved job within a project.

# Project History

The second folder in the Folders List at the top of the Open Projects window is the Project History folder. This folder simply shows up to the last 30 projects you opened or created. The most recent project at the top of the list, and so on down (these projects are also listed in their normal project folder).

The Project History folder is useful for easily locating and opening your most recent projects. It is unique to the current user, so that even when connected to a server it will show only your history.

There are no “doubles” in the list – if the fourth in the list is opened, it is removed from its fourth place and inserted in first place. The project history survives a shutdown (it will still be intact the next time you launch StairBiz).

# Project History shortcut

If you know which item in the History Folder list you want to open (i.e. the first, second, third, etc.), you do not even have to use the Open Projects window to open that project – just type the number into the Project Name field in the Process window and click the Open button (or press ENTER). For example, if you want to re-open the last project opened, type a “1”. If you want to open the project opened the time before last, type a “2” and so on.

Using this shortcut it becomes very easy to toggle between two projects. For example, open ProjectA, then close it. Open ProjectB, then close it. To re-open ProjectA, type “2”. To re-open ProjectB, type “2”. To re-open ProjectA, type “2”, etc. (because the project opened the time before last is always 2nd in the history list).

# Filter check

On opening a job, StairBiz will check to see that all filters current at the time the job was saved are still available; see Chapter 22 : Filter check on opening job

# Adding a job to a project

The first job of a project is automatically added when you start a new project.

For subsequent jobs, either:

  1. From the Jobs menu, select Add Job. A new job will be added. The information contained in the shared windows will be the same (obviously) as the shared windows in the first job. All windows that relate to the specific design of the new job (Design window, Materials window, Labour window, Quote Calc window and Payments window) will contain nothing (you haven’t yet created a design for this job), or
  2. From the Jobs menu, select Duplicate Current Job. A new job containing an exact duplicate of the previous job will open. Shared windows are shared. Other windows contain a COPY of the contents of the same windows in the previous job.

In both cases, if the previous job needs saving before the new job is created, you will be alerted and given the opportunity.

# Naming a job

Your first job (i.e. the one created automatically for each new project) doesn’t need a name in the Job Name field of the Process window – if it’s left empty the job is called whatever the project is called. If you want this job named something other than the Project Name, you can enter a name.

Each additional job will need a name, and that name must be different to any other Job Name in the project (but may be the same as job names in other projects). StairBiz will alert you if there is a name clash.

If you want to change a Job Name you can at any time. A change in Job Name won’t show up in the Jobs menu until the next time you save.

# Opening a job within a project

The following assumes that a project is currently open.

If the project contains only one job, it will already be open (you cannot have an open project without having an open job). Otherwise, from the Jobs menu, select the job you wish to open.

# Deleting a job from a project

From the Jobs menu, select Delete Current Job.

# Adding a scenario to a job

The first scenario of a job is automatically added when you start a new job. For subsequent scenarios, either:

  1. From the Scenarios menu, select Add Scenario. A new scenario will be added. The information contained in the shared windows will be the same (obviously) as the shared windows in the first scenario. All windows that relate to the specific design of the new scenario (Design window, Materials window, Labour window, Quote Calc window and Payments window) will contain nothing (you haven’t yet created a design for this scenario), or
  2. From the Scenarios menu, select Duplicate Current Scenario. A new scenario containing an exact duplicate of the previous scenario will open. Shared windows are shared. Other windows contain a COPY of the contents of the same windows in the previous scenario. In both cases the new scenario will become the current scenario (the one the job is using to cost and quote and specify).

# Naming a scenario

By default, scenarios are automatically named “Scenario 1”, “Scenario 2” etc. When you have more than one scenario in a job, the Process window will show an extra field being the Scenario Name field. If you want to change the Scenario Name you can at any time. A change in scenario name won’t show up in the Scenarios menu until the next time you save.

# Opening a scenario within a job

From the Scenarios menu, select the scenario you wish to open. It becomes the current scenario.

# Deleting a scenario from a job

From the Scenarios menu, select Delete Current Scenario.

# Closing a Job

A job can be closed at any time. There are four ways:

  1. Click the Close button in the Process window
  2. Click the Close project icon in the Tool-bar
  3. Press Control+E
  4. Select the Close Project menu-item under the Project menu

If the job needs saving, you will be alerted.

All windows will close except the Process window. All buttons and text boxes in the Process window becomes disabled except for the New button and Open button.

To start a new project, click the New button.

# Deleting a Job

Also see Deleting a Project

If the job to be deleted has not been saved simply close the job as described in Closing a Job. When you are asked if you want to save the job, click the No button.

Otherwise, with the job closed, select the job in the Directory window and click the Delete Job toolbar button. If there is more than one job in the project, StairBiz will ask whether you wish to delete the entire project or just the one job.

# Deleting a Project

Also see Deleting a Job

If the project to be deleted contains only one job which has not been saved simply close the job as described in Closing a Job. When you are asked if you want to save the job, click the No button. Otherwise, there are two methods ...

  1. With all jobs in the project closed, select one of the jobs in the Directory window and click the Delete Job toolbar button. If there is more than one job in the project, StairBiz will ask whether you wish to delete the entire project or just the one job.
  2. With all jobs in the project closed, select Delete Project from the Project menu.
    Archiving a job or project To send a job to an archive database, close the job, open the Directory window, select the job, and click the toolbar button. You will have the option to create a new archive file or select and existing archive file. You will also have the option to delete the archived job from the current jobs database.

# Quitting StairBiz

There are three ways to quit StairBiz:

  1. Select the Quit menu-item under the Project menu
  2. Press Control+Q on the keyboard.
  3. Click the Close box at the top right of the StairBiz window. You will be asked if you want to quit (this button is easy to click accidentally).

If a project is open and needs saving, you will be alerted and given the opportunity. Any project open will automatically close.

# Managing your jobs

# Directory window

Generally, when our client is more than a two man show, they do not use the ‘Open Project’ button in the Process window to find and open a job. They use the Directory window, and it is often permanently left open.

In the Directory window you can elect to show whatever columns you like (e.g. Project name, Quote Number, Job Number, Site Address, Client etc.). Note that you can also have multiple “views” of the Directory window.

In the Directory window you can sort (forwards/backwards) by an column. You can speed search (click a column and start typing – the window scrolls in an attempt to match as you type). You can group (by client, job status, etc.) and even sub-group using the Group panel. You can filter. When you double click on a job in the Directory window, the job opens.

In other words, the Directory window is a powerful way to manage, track and find your jobs. We have some clients that have many thousands of jobs active at any one time, and the Directory window works well for them.

See Chapter 13 : The windows in alphabetical order/ Directory window

Chapter 8 : Using StairBiz to process your jobs/ Opening a saved project

# Project Names

You can “auto-fill” the Project Name field in the Process window by double clicking on the ‘Project Name’ label. In the Preferences window you can set the default behaviour for this feature (i.e. insert any combination of current Client Name, Job Number, Quote Number, Site address etc.), so it’s very easy to get your project names unique.

See Chapter 8 : Using StairBiz to process your jobs/ Naming a project

See Chapter 13 : The windows in alphabetical order/ Preferences window/ Prefs 1

# Project Folders

You also have the Project Folders feature as yet another way of organizing jobs (although I suggest you only use this if you have a compelling reason to do so).

See Chapter 8 : Using StairBiz to process your jobs/ Project folders

See Chapter 13 : The windows in alphabetical order/ Folders window

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