Getting Started

Everything you need to get GlyphFex installed, create your first project, and start tracking jobs.

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. Start Product Tour — An interactive 15-step guided walkthrough that spotlights key features. The app dims the background and highlights each area one at a time, so you can see exactly where everything is.
2. Guided Setup — A 6-step wizard that walks you through configuring your project: pipeline stages, categories, fields, and more. Best if you already know how your workflow should be structured.
3. Skip — Go straight to the empty app and configure everything manually at your own pace.

Not sure which to pick? If you are brand new to GlyphFex, start with the Product Tour to get oriented, then run the Guided Setup afterward to configure your project. If you have already used similar tools, the Guided Setup alone is usually enough.

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 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 reference IDs and other fields
• Built-in field selections (customer name, PO number, due date, etc.)

Setup Wizard

The Setup Wizard provides a guided, step-by-step configuration experience. You can access it from Help > Setup Wizard in the menu bar, or from the first-launch welcome dialog.

The wizard walks through six configuration steps:

1. Choose an industry template — Pick a pre-built template or start blank
2. Configure pipeline stages — Name your stages, set SLA targets, mark completed stages
3. Set up tag categories — Define how you will categorize entries (e.g., Material, Process, Priority)
4. Enable built-in and custom fields — Choose which data fields appear on every entry
5. Configure validation rules — Set up patterns for reference IDs and required fields
6. Review and apply — See a summary of your configuration before committing

The wizard is smart about skipping steps that are already configured. If your pipeline is already set up, it will offer to skip that step automatically.

Creating Your First Entry

An entry represents a single job, order, quote, or work item. Here is how to create one:

1. Navigate to New Entry — Press Ctrl+1 or click New Entry in the left sidebar.
2. Enter a Reference ID — This is the unique identifier for your job (e.g., Q-2026-001, WO-4521, or whatever your shop uses). If you configured a validation pattern, 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 to Database button. Your entry 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 entries — Start adding your first jobs. Press Ctrl+1 to go to the New Entry 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.

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

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