Quick-Start Guide - Admin

Quick-Start Guide
These are the recommended first steps to help you get up and running with the least fuss. There are several other features that you will want to get familiar with, but this is the bare minimum to get started.

Use your browser print command to print this Guide to use as a checklist.
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HOW MyCORBU WORKS
MyCorbu tracks your time and your transactions by assigning each item to a specific Phase of a specific Project called 'Project-Phases'. You create these Project-Phases in MyCorbu to avoid having to select a Project and then a Phase for every entry that you make. 

To Get MyCorbu Set Up For Your Organization

1. First, Add Your Standard Phases That You Are Using
2. Second, Add The Projects That You Are Working On, Plus One For Your Firm
3. Third, Add The Mileage Rates That You Are Using
4. Fourth, Create The Project-Phases You Need 
5. Fifth, Add Any Other Users 
6. Sixth, Add Rates For Each User
7. Last, Add Your Transaction Categories

​Preparation will make for a smooth process; you can download this list of things you will need.
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ADD PHASES
The first thing to do is to create a list of phases that your projects use. The immediate need is to get your in-progress work into the system. Secondarily you can add standard phase names that will be re-used in the future. A little bit of planning will pay dividends later. Open the Phases article in HELP. This article contains a list of suggested Phase Names that you might use. 

1. Go to the ADMIN page by selecting "Admin" in the top menu bar.
2. Scroll down to "Phase Creation" near the bottom of the Admin page. Click the ADD PHASE button.
3. A form pops up. Add a Phase Name or copy/paste one from the Phases article in HELP.  Add a number for Sort Number, explained in (6) below. Accept 'Yes' for 'Standard?' so that this Phase Name will appear in drop down lists. Add Phases one at a time by clicking Submit. 
4. Complete this form for each of the Phases that you are currently using. Clicking 'Reload the Form' brings up an empty form for your next Phase.
5. You can always come back to add more Phases.
6. Sort Order Numbers determine the order that your Phases appear in when selecting them from a list. You can fine tune this now or later. Using numbers like 10, 20, 30, etc. makes it easy to insert phases in the place you want later.
7. Don't forget Phase Names for your non-billable time - General Office, Time Off, etc.

ADD PROJECTS
The second thing to do is to add your current projects. See a Full Review of Projects here.

1. Go to the PROJECTS page by clicking on it in the blue menu bar.
2. Click the ADD PROJECT button.
3. Fill out the form that pops up.  Enter a unique project name to avoid intermingling of records. The Project Name is the only data that is required. The remainder of the form can be completed later by editing. 
4. Complete this form for each of your 'active' projects. Clicking 'Reload the Form' brings up an empty form for your next project.
5. Check off the project as 'Active'.
6. Add a project that represents your firm/office so that you can collect non-billable time, too. Perhaps use something like "General" or "Office", whatever you use now. You will have all of your time records in one place. 

ADD MILEAGE RATES
You will probably need at least three mileage rates. Use a self-evident name for each mileage rate. The recommended format for the Mileage Rate Name is 'YYYYxMarkup Factor', e.g. 2019x1.  Full Review of Mileage here.

SUGGESTED RATES
1]  A rate that applies the current mileage reimbursement rate to entries but does not provide a markup (Markup = 0). This is suitable for Projects that WILL NOT be charged/invoiced for mileage. A Project that has reimbursable expenses, at least mileage, included in the fee would be an example. 
2]  A rate that applies the current mileage reimbursement rate to entries and includes a ‘pass through’ markup (Markup = 1). This is suitable for Projects that WILL be charged/invoiced for mileage. Your General Office Project falls in this category.
3]  A rate that applies the current mileage reimbursement rate to entries and includes a markup of more than a ‘pass through’ amount. (Markup > 1, say 1.2). This is suitable for Projects that WILL be charged/invoiced for mileage. Your typical revenue-generating Project falls in this category.

Mileage Rates are added by going to the Bookkeeping page, click the 'Tools' button, then click the Mileage Entries button. Finally click the Add Mileage Rate button. Fill in the self-explanatory form and click Submit. The new rate appears in the table of rates.

Clicking the "Reload Form" link opens a new mileage form to enter another mileage rate. 

Finally, use the table at the bottom of the page to easily add mileage rates to all your Projects. Click the 'Edit' link for a Project, select the rate that you want to use, then Submit.


ADD PROJECT-PHASES 
The third task is to create 'Project-Phases'. See 'About Project-Phases' below.

1. Stay on the PROJECTS page, click the ADD PROJECT-PHASE button.
2. Select your Project from the drop-down list.
3. The Phases that you created earlier are in the Phase drop-down list. Select one for the Project-Phase in question. You can click the 'Plus' sign to the right of the box to add a new phase name. This method works just the same as the ‘Add Phase’ form on the Admin page.
4. In the interest of time you can enter just the Project-Phases you are actively working on, and come back to this later.
5. If you want to track your time budget for this phase, enter the total hours allocated for this phase. Or come back later to do that.
6. Select whether this phase is 'Billable?' and 'Active?'.
7. Complete a Project-Phase form for each of your active phases, including non-billable time. Your Project-Phases will appear in the table when you are finished.

About Project-Phases 
Project-Phases are a key concept in MyCorbu. Each time entry has to be connected to something, and that something is the Project-Phase. 'Project' is too broad. ‘Phase’ is not unique. 'Task' is too narrow. Project-Phase is just right. And ...

• You bill by Project-Phase. 
• You track budgets by Project-Phase. 
• You can have Project-Phases 'inactive' so they are removed from lists. 

A Project-Phase is identical to a Phase with the exception that it is unique because of the connection of Project and Phase.  

Without Project-Phases each time entry would require you to enter the Project and the Phase, but that is extra clicks every day. Having a unique name also allows your timesheet to be set up for you automatically each day. See 'TIMESHEET DISPLAY' (below).


ADD USERS
The fourth task is to get other users set up so that everyone can start adding time.

1. Go to the ADMIN page.
2. Click the ADD USER button near the top of the page.
3. Complete the form that pops up. 
4. The password that you assign could be the same for all new users. They will get an email telling them how to change the temporary password. 
5. The User Role is set to Level 1 by default. Click in the box to add additional levels to suit their need to see data. More about User Roles.
6. Assign all roles up to the level you choose for them. See descriptions next. You as an Admin should have every User Role.
7. Level 1 - access to own time records only. (Level 1)
8. Level 2 - access to ALL time records. (Level 1, Level 2)
9. Level 3 - can create Projects and Project-Phases. They can see budgets. (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3)
10. Level 4 - can access Bookkeeping, which is part of the Subscription Version. (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4) Ignore this for now if you want.
11. Admin - access to everything. (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4(?), Admin)
12. You can change roles later. 
13. Your new users will show up on your table of Staff as you click SUBMIT.

SECURITY ISSUE!
It is critical that each User changes their temporary password. Your competitors can access your account with a user’s email address and guessing the temporary password! Urge each User to use three or more short, hyphenated, misspelled words in a phrase.
Example: Blu3-gurl-sch00lbus

Hacking comes from poor password practices and lack of vigilance to phishing. 


ADD USER RATES
MyCorbu makes use of Rates to add financial information to the time entries that you make. The three rates that are used are Labor Rate, Charge Rate, and Standard Billing Rate. THESE ARE ALL HOURLY RATES.
Labor Rate is what you pay the staff member.
Charge Rate is what you charge to the project for the staff member's time.
Std Billing Rate is the basis for what you invoice a client for the staff member's time.
There are also Custom Project Billing Rates that allow each project to be invoiced differently.

You set these rates by clicking the button "Add Staff Rates". 'Edit' each staff member to add the rates. CHECK THE BOX "Make Payee" to integrate them with Bookkeeping for payroll, reimbursements, etc.


ADD CATEGORIES
All bookkeeping entries require a Category. You set up your categories for income and expenses just once. Categories can be edited, but all existing transactions using the category will be changed. You can add a new category anytime. See a Full Review of Categories here, including suggested names.

Categories are added by going to the Bookkeeping page, click the 'Tools' button, then click the Categories button. Finally click the Add Category button. Fill in the self-explanatory form and click Submit. 


TIMESHEET DISPLAY
This can wait, but it saves time every day.

You can have your Timesheet set up for you automatically every day. This is a time-saving convenience. You will save lots of clicks by setting this up. When a random task comes along, just use the ADD TIME ENTRY button.

Here's how to use this feature.

1. Go to the TIMESHEET page.
2. Click the button that reads 'UPDATE WHAT APPEARS ON YOUR TIMESHEET'.
3. On the page that appears, click the button at the top 'ADD PROJECT-PHASE TO DISPLAY'.
4. On the pop-up, select the Project-Phase that you want on your timesheet.
5. Select YES so this Project-Phase will display.
6. Reload the form to select any other Project-Phases you want on your timesheet.
7. Your Timesheet is created for you every night. Your custom Timesheet will start appearing tomorrow.

YOU ARE READY TO START!
Go to the TIMESHEET page, click ADD TIME ENTRY, and fill in the form for your first time entry. 


WHEN YOU HAVE TIME
There are a few non-urgent tasks remaining such as adding Fees and Historical Data. You will find help on these topics in the Reference Guides.


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Last update: May 31, 2019