Getting Started

Everything you need to get GlyphFex installed, create your first project, and start managing your shop.

System Requirements

GlyphFex runs on modern Windows machines with minimal hardware requirements:

• Windows 10 (build 19041 or later) or Windows 11
• .NET 8 runtime — installed automatically by the MSI installer if not already present
• 100 MB of free disk space for the application
• For multi-user / team mode: SQL Server Express 2019 or later installed on one machine on the local network

Installing GlyphFex

Installation takes about a minute and requires no special configuration.

1. Download the installer — Get GlyphFex-Setup.msi from the download page.
2. Run the installer — Double-click the MSI file and follow the prompts. The default settings work for most users.
3. Launch GlyphFex — After installation, GlyphFex appears in your Start Menu. Click to open.

First Launch

When you open GlyphFex for the first time and create a new project, you will see a welcome dialog with three options:

1. Get Started (Recommended) — The fastest path to a working project. One click seeds an 8-stage workflow (Quote → Quoted → PO Received → In Production → QC → Shipped → Invoiced → Closed), 5 key fields (Customer, PO Number, Due Date, Quantity, Estimated Value), and starter tag categories. You can customize everything afterward.
2. Skip — Go straight to the empty app and configure stages, categories, and fields manually at your own pace.
3. Import CSV — Bring in existing data from a spreadsheet, JobBOSS export, or any CSV. A 3-step wizard walks through column mapping and validation.

Not sure which to pick? If you are brand new to GlyphFex, click Get Started — you get a working project in 5 seconds and can change anything later. If you are migrating from another tool, Import CSV brings your data in. Skip is for advanced users who want full manual control.

Creating a Project

A GlyphFex project is a single database that holds all of your entries, tags, pipeline configuration, audit trail, attachments, and settings. You can create as many projects as you need — one per shop, one per product line, or one for the whole company.

How to create a project

Go to File > New Project or press Ctrl+N. You will be asked to choose a project type:

Personal (Solo)

• Creates a single .glyphfex file (SQLite database) on your local machine
• Fully offline — no network or server required
• Everything (entries, config, attachments, audit trail) is stored in that one file
• Easy to back up: just copy the file

Shared (Team)

• Creates a .glyphfex-server configuration file that points to a SQL Server Express database on your network
• Multiple users can connect simultaneously over LAN
• Supports role-based access (Admin, Editor, Viewer)
• Requires SQL Server Express 2019+ running on one machine

For a Personal project, simply choose where to save the .glyphfex file and click Create.

For a Shared project, you will need to provide:

• Server name — The machine name and SQL Server instance, e.g., SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS
• Database name — A name for the new database (e.g., ShopFloor_2026)
• Shared attachments folder (optional) — A network path where file attachments will be stored so all users can access them

For detailed instructions on setting up SQL Server Express for team use, see the Multi-User & Team SQL Server Setup guide.

Industry Templates

After creating a project, GlyphFex offers pre-built industry templates that configure your pipeline, categories, fields, and validation rules in one click. Templates save significant setup time — you can always customize them later.

Each template pre-configures:

• Pipeline stages with SLA targets and business-day settings
• Tag categories relevant to the industry (Material, Process, Machine, etc.)
• Custom fields for common data points
• Validation patterns for Job Numbers and other fields
• Built-in field selections (customer name, PO number, due date, etc.)

Creating Your First Job

A job (formerly called "Entry" pre-S86) represents a single order, quote, repair, or work item. Here is how to create one:

1. Navigate to New Job — Press Ctrl+3 or click New Job in the left sidebar.
2. Enter a Job Number — The unique identifier for your job (e.g., Q-2026-001, WO-4521, or whatever your shop uses). The field was renamed from "Ref ID" to "Job Number" in the S87 plain-language pass. If you configured a validation pattern in Workflow → Job Number Format, GlyphFex will enforce the format.
3. Add comments — Describe the job, scope of work, or any notes. This is the main text body of the entry.
4. Select a pipeline status — Choose the current stage from the pipeline dropdown. New entries default to the first stage.
5. Choose tags — On the right panel, click category buttons or use dropdowns to tag the entry (e.g., Material: Stainless Steel, Priority: Rush).
6. Fill in built-in fields — If enabled, enter the customer name, PO number, due date, quantity, and other key fields in the built-in fields panel below the form.
7. Save — Press Ctrl+S or click the Save button on the toolbar. Your job is now stored and will appear on the Dashboard.

Getting Started Checklist

When you open a new project, the Dashboard displays a Getting Started checklist banner to help you through initial setup. The checklist tracks four steps:

1. Set up categories — Create tag categories to organize your entries (e.g., Material, Process, Machine). Press Ctrl+T or use the Command Palette.
2. Configure pipeline — Define your workflow stages with SLA targets. Press Ctrl+P to open the pipeline editor.
3. Add custom fields — Enable built-in fields (like customer name and due date) and create any custom fields your shop needs.
4. Create jobs — Start adding your first jobs. Press Ctrl+3 to go to the New Job page.

Each step shows a checkmark once completed. The checklist automatically hides once you have 5 or more entries, or when all 4 steps are done. You can also dismiss it at any time by clicking the close button.

KPI Sidebar

The Dashboard includes a collapsible KPI sidebar on the right side of the screen. It provides at-a-glance metrics so you can spot issues without leaving the Dashboard:

• Needs Attention — count of entries that are overdue, stale, or have expired quotes. Click to filter the Dashboard to just those entries.
• Due This Week — entries with due dates in the current week, helping you prioritize immediate work.
• On-Time Rate — percentage of completed entries that finished within their SLA target. A quick health check for your shop's delivery performance.
• Active Value — total estimated value of all currently active (non-completed) entries, giving you a snapshot of work in progress.

The sidebar can be collapsed by clicking the close button to maximize your Dashboard workspace. To bring it back, click the "Show KPIs" button in the Dashboard toolbar. Your preference (shown or hidden) is saved between sessions.

Trial Mode

GlyphFex includes a generous free trial so you can evaluate the software with no commitment:

• 50 entries — create up to 50 entries per project, no time limit
• All features included — nothing is locked or hidden during the trial
• Full Admin access — you can test every configuration option, export, and workflow
• No credit card required — just install and start using it

When you approach the 50-entry limit, banners on the Dashboard and Entry page show your current usage and remaining entries. Once the limit is reached:

• Existing entries remain fully editable — you can update, tag, move through pipeline stages, add attachments, and export as usual
• New entry creation is blocked — you will need a license key to create entry #51 and beyond

Setting Your Name & Business Calendar

Before creating entries, take a moment to configure your identity and work schedule in the Settings Hub (Ctrl+,):

Profile (name & signature)

• User signature — Auto-detected from your Windows username. This name appears on audit trail entries, clock in/out records, and PDF exports. Override it with a custom display name if needed.
• Company name — Your organization's name, shown in PDF reports and the Entry Detail header.
• Project name & description — Optional but recommended for multi-project setups.

Business calendar

• Work days — Check or uncheck each day of the week to define your standard schedule. SLA calculations only count checked days.
• Holidays — Load a regional template (US Federal, Canadian, UK, etc.) and add custom plant closures. Holidays are excluded from SLA and business-day counts.

Overview of Each Page

GlyphFex has six main pages, accessible from the left sidebar or with keyboard shortcuts:

Next Steps

Now that you have GlyphFex installed and your first project set up, here are the best places to go next:

• Entries & Forms — Learn about entry fields, tags, templates, attachments, and linked entries
• Pipeline & Workflow — Configure pipeline stages, SLA targets, and multi-pipeline support
• Dashboard — Master the card, table, and timeline views with filters, search, and bulk actions
• Configuration — Deep-dive into the Settings Hub, categories, custom fields, validation, and all configuration options