Using the AfricaOS Web Interface

The AfricaOS web interface provides a clean, intuitive experience for managing your organization. This guide will help you navigate the interface, use key features, and customize your workspace to match your workflow.

---

AfricaOS Interface Overview

Main Navigation Areas

The AfricaOS interface consists of several key areas:

1. Sidebar (Left) - Primary navigation to modules, settings, and organization
2. Header (Top) - Global actions, notifications, search, and user menu
3. Main Content Area (Center) - Where module interfaces and data appear
4. Footer (Bottom) - Version information, links, and legal notices

Sidebar Navigation

The sidebar provides access to all major sections of AfricaOS:

• Dashboard - Organization overview with key metrics
• Modules - Access to all installed modules (Payments, Patients, etc.)
• Settings - Organization, team, billing, and platform configuration
• Help - Documentation, support, and feedback options

Each installed module appears as a section in the sidebar with its own sub-items.

Header Components

The header contains global controls and information:

• Organization selector - Switch between organizations if you belong to multiple
• Module title - Shows the current module or screen you're viewing
• Search bar - Global search across all modules (?K / Ctrl+K)
• Notifications - Bell icon showing alerts and updates
• User menu - Your profile, preferences, and sign out

---

Navigating AfricaOS

Basic Navigation

Moving between different parts of AfricaOS:

Using the Sidebar

1. Click on any item in the sidebar to navigate to that section
2. Hover over module names to see sub-items
3. Click the chevron (?) to expand or collapse module sections
4. The current location is highlighted in the sidebar

Using the Header

1. Use the organization selector (top-left) to switch between organizations
2. Click the AfricaOS logo to return to your organization's dashboard
3. Use the search bar (?K) to quickly find anything in your organization
4. Click the notifications bell to view recent alerts
5. Open the user menu (bottom of sidebar) for profile and settings

Breadcrumbs

• See your current location path below the header
• Click any part of the breadcrumb to navigate to that level
• Example: Dashboard ?>' Patients ?>' Appointments ?>' Today's Appointments

Navigation Examples

From Dashboard to a Specific Patient Record

1. Click Dashboard in sidebar (if not already there)
2. Click Patients in sidebar
3. Click All Patients or search for a specific patient
4. Click on the patient's name to open their record

From Any Screen to Settings

1. Click Settings in sidebar
2. Choose the specific setting area:
   • Organization - Organization details and preferences
   • Team - User management and roles
   • Billing - Subscription and payment information
   • And so on...

Using Global Search (?K)

1. Press ?K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux)
2. Start typing what you're looking for:
   • Patient names
   • Invoice numbers
   • Appointment times
   • Module names
   • Settings options
3. Use arrow keys to navigate results
4. Press Enter to select the highlighted result
5. Press Esc to close search without selecting

---

Dashboard and Widgets

Organization Dashboard

Your dashboard provides an at-a-glance view of your organization's health:

Default Widgets

• Overview Summary - Key metrics across all modules
• Recent Activity - Latest actions across your organization
• Upcoming Appointments - Today and tomorrow's scheduled appointments
• Outstanding Invoices - Unpaid invoices requiring attention
• Inventory Alerts - Low stock items needing reorder
• Team Availability - Who's available today for bookings or assignments

Customizing Your Dashboard

Personalize your dashboard to show what matters most to you:

Adding Widgets

1. Click Edit dashboard (pencil icon) in the top-right of the dashboard
2. Browse available widgets in the panel that appears
3. Click + Add on any widget you want to include
4. Drag widgets to rearrange them
5. Click Save layout when finished

Removing Widgets

1. Click Edit dashboard
2. Hover over the widget you want to remove
3. Click the x that appears in the corner
4. Click Save layout

Widget Settings

Many widgets have configurable options:

1. Click **Edit dashboard'
2. Click the **gear icon' on a widget
3. Adjust settings like:
   • Time range (today, this week, this month)
   • Specific modules to include
   • Display format (charts, lists, numbers)
   • Filter criteria
4. Click **Apply' then **Save layout'

Widget Types

Metric Widgets

Show key numbers with comparison to previous periods:

• Total patients this month vs last month
• Revenue this quarter vs last quarter
• Average appointment duration
• Inventory turnover rate

Chart Widgets

Visualize trends and patterns:

• Line charts showing trends over time
• Bar charts comparing categories
• Pie charts showing distributions
• Scatter plots showing relationships

List Widgets

Show recent or important items:

• Recent patients visited
• Upcoming appointments
• Outstanding invoices
• Low stock items
• Recent workflow executions

Calendar Widgets

Show scheduled events:

• Today's appointments
• Room/resource availability
• Team member availability
• Upcoming deadlines

---

Working with Data

Views and Lists

Most modules display data in lists or tables with powerful features:

Sorting

• Click any column header to sort by that column
• Click again to reverse sort order
• Shift-click to add secondary sort criteria
• Current sort shown by small triangle in column header

Filtering

• Click the **filter icon' (funnel) in column headers
• Set conditions for what to show:
  • Equals, not equals, contains, etc.
  • Date ranges (today, last 7 days, custom range)
  • Text matching
  • Numerical comparisons
• Multiple filters can be combined with AND/OR logic
• Click **Apply' to see filtered results
• Click **Clear' to remove all filters

Column Management

• Right-click any column header to show/hide columns
• Drag columns to rearrange their order
• Adjust column width by dragging the separator
• Some columns can be frozen to stay visible when scrolling

Row Actions

Perform actions on individual items:

• Hover over a row to see action buttons
• Click checkboxes to select multiple rows for batch actions
• Use the **Select all' checkbox for all visible rows
• Batch actions appear at top/bottom of list when items selected

Forms and Data Entry

When creating or editing records:

Field Types

• Text fields - Single line or multi-line text input
• Number fields - With validation for min/max values
• Date/time pickers - Calendar and time selection
• Dropdown menus - Predefined options to choose from
• Checkboxes - Binary yes/no choices
• File uploaders - Attach documents, images, or other files
• Related record selectors - Link to other records in the system
• Tags - Categorize items with searchable labels

Form Validation

• Required fields are marked with asterisk (*)
• Invalid entries show inline error messages
• Form cannot be submitted until all errors are fixed
• Some validations happen in real-time as you type
• Others validate on submit attempt

Auto-Save and Drafts

• Many forms auto-save as you type
• Look for the **Saved' indicator near the submit button
• Some forms have explicit **Save as draft' option
• Drafts can be accessed from the module's main listing
• Unsaved changes typically prompt for confirmation before navigating away

---

Search and Discovery

Global Search (?K)

The fastest way to find anything in your organization:

What You Can Search For

• Records - Patients, customers, invoices, products, etc.
• Documents - Uploaded files and attachments
• Notes and comments - Text within records
• Module names - Quick navigation to different sections
• Settings options - Find specific configuration options
• Help articles - Search the documentation
• Shortcuts - Execute common actions directly

Search Syntax

• Simple terms - Just type what you're looking for
• Quoted phrases - "exact phrase" for precise matching
• Prefix search - Use _ for wildcards (pat_ finds patient, patty, etc.)
• Exclude terms - Use - to exclude results (-cancelled)
• Field-specific - Some modules support field:term syntax

Search Results

Results are organized by type with icons:

• People (patients, customers, users)
• Financial (invoices, payments, quotes)
• Events (appointments, bookings, deadlines)
• Inventory (products, stock items, orders)
• Documents (files, notes, templates)
• Settings (configuration options, features)
• Help (documentation articles, guides)

Advanced Search

For more complex searches:

1. Click **Advanced search' in the search results
2. Specify multiple criteria across different fields
3. Save searches for reuse
4. Set up alerts for when new items match your criteria

Module-Specific Search

Each module has its own search optimized for its data type:

Patients Module

• Search by name, ID, phone, email, or medical record number
• Filter by condition, last visit date, or assigned practitioner
• Search within clinical notes for symptoms or treatments

Payments Module

• Search by invoice number, customer name, amount, or date
• Filter by status (paid, pending, overdue), payment method, or currency
• Search within line items for specific products or services

Stock Module

• Search by product name, SKU, category, or supplier
• Filter by stock level, location, or status
• Search within descriptions for specific features or compatibilities

---

Productivity Features

Keyboard Shortcuts

Work faster without taking your hands off the keyboard:

Navigation

• ?K / Ctrl+K - Open global search
• ?1 / Ctrl+1 - Go to Dashboard
• ?2 / Ctrl+2 - Go to first module in sidebar
• ?3 / Ctrl+3 - Go to second module in sidebar
• Esc - Close modals, dropdowns, or search

Common Actions

• ?N / Ctrl+N - Create new item (in list views)
• ?S / Ctrl+S - Save current form
• ?Z / Ctrl+Z - Undo last action
• ?Y / Ctrl+Y - Redo last action
• ?P / Ctrl+P - Print current view
• ?C / Ctrl+C - Copy selected text or item
• ?V / Ctrl+V - Paste clipboard content
• ?X / Ctrl+X - Cut selected text or item

Module-Specific Shortcuts

Check the help menu in each module for specific shortcuts:

• A - Add new appointment (in calendar views)
• E - Edit selected item
• D - Delete selected item (with confirmation)
• F - Focus search field
• R - Refresh current view
• ? - Show help overlay

Bulk Actions

Save time when working with multiple items:

Selecting Items

• Click checkboxes to select individual items
• Click the header checkbox to select all visible items
• Use Shift+Click to select a range of items
• Hold Command/Ctrl while clicking to toggle individual selection

Available Bulk Actions

Actions vary by module but commonly include:

• Delete - Remove selected items (with confirmation)
• Export - Export selected items to CSV, Excel, or PDF
• Update - Apply the same change to multiple items
• Assign - Assign selected items to a user or team
• Change status - Move items to a different status or stage
• Tag - Add or remove tags from selected items
• Merge - Combine duplicate records (where applicable)

Performing Bulk Actions

1. Select the items you want to act on
2. Look for the bulk actions bar that appears (usually top or bottom)
3. Choose the action you want to perform
4. Follow any prompts or dialogs
5. Confirm the action when prompted

Templates and Snippets

Save time with reusable content:

Document Templates

Create standardized documents:

• Invoice templates - With your branding and terms
• Email templates - For common communications
• Report templates - With predefined layouts and metrics
• Consent forms - For healthcare or legal purposes
• Contracts - For services or agreements

Text Snippets

Reusable text blocks:

• Common responses - Frequently used replies to customers
• Clinical notes - Standard phrases for medical documentation
• Product descriptions - Standard descriptions for inventory items
• Terms and conditions - Legal text for various purposes

Using Templates

1. When creating a new document or text field
2. Look for the **Template' or **Snippets' button
3. Browse available templates
4. Select one to insert into your current field
5. Customize as needed before saving

---

Customization and Personalization

Personal Settings

Tailor AfricaOS to your preferences:

Profile Settings

• Photo - Upload your profile picture
• Contact information - Email, phone, and other details
• Bio - Short professional biography
• Time zone - Your personal time zone (may differ from organization)
• Language - Interface language preference

Notification Preferences

Choose how and when you're notified:

• Email notifications - Which events trigger emails
• In-app notifications - What appears in the notification center
• Browser notifications - Desktop pop-ups (if enabled)
• Frequency - Immediate, daily digest, or weekly summary
• Specific events - Turn on/off notifications for specific module events

Interface Preferences

Customize how AfricaOS looks and feels:

• Theme - Light, dark, or system preference
• Density - Comfortable, compact, or spacious layout
• Animation - Enable or disable motion effects
• Tooltip delay - How long to wait before showing tooltips
• Sound effects - Enable or disable UI sounds

Default Behavior

Set defaults for common actions:

• Start page - Where you go when logging in
• Default view - Default listing view for modules
• Items per page - How many records to show in lists
• Date format - Your preferred date display format
• Number format - Your preferred number and currency format

Organization-Wide Customization

Settings that affect all users in your organization:

Branding

Make AfricaOS feel like your own:

• Logo - Replace AfricaOS logo with your own
• Colors - Set primary and secondary colors to match your brand
• Favicon - Customize browser tab icon
• Email templates - Customize the appearance of automated emails
• Portal URL - Use a custom subdomain (yourorg.africaos.dev)

Localization

Adapt to your region and language:

• Date/time formats - Regional preferences for displaying dates/times
• Number formats - How numbers, currencies, and percentages display
• Measurement units - Metric vs imperial for various fields
• Address formats - Regional address formatting preferences
• Language - Default interface language for new users

Security Policies

Organization-wide security settings:

• Password requirements - Length, complexity, expiration policies
• Session timeout - How long until idle sessions log out
• IP restrictions - Limit access to specific networks or locations
• Login attempts - Number of failed attempts before lockout
• Multi-factor authentication - Require additional verification

---

Help and Support

Getting Help Within AfricaOS

Multiple ways to get assistance while working:

Contextual Help

• Help icons - Look for ? icons near complex fields or features
• Tooltips - Hover over buttons and icons for explanations
• Walkthroughs - Interactive guides for first-time use of features
• Video tutorials - Short videos demonstrating key workflows
• Guided tours - Step-by-step walksthroughs of new features

Documentation Access

• Help menu - Click the question mark in the bottom-left corner
• Search documentation - Find articles by keyword or topic
• Popular articles - See what other users are reading
• Recently updated - Find the latest help content
• Related articles - See suggestions based on current page

Community Resources

• User forums - Ask questions and share tips with other users
• Feature requests - Suggest new functionality for future versions
• Showcase - See how other organizations use AfricaOS
• Integrations gallery - Pre-built connections to popular services
• Template library - Download ready-to-use templates and workflows

Contacting Support

When you need direct assistance:

In-App Support

1. Click **Help' in the sidebar
2. Select **Contact support'
3. Fill out the form with:
   • Subject and detailed description
   • Steps to reproduce the issue
   • Screenshots or screen recordings (if applicable)
   • Impact on your work (low, medium, high, critical)
4. Attach relevant files if needed
5. Click **Submit' to create a support ticket

Email Support

• General support - support@africaos.dev
• Billing inquiries - billing@africaos.dev
• Security issues - security@africaos.dev (for responsible disclosure)
• Feature requests - features@africaos.dev
• Partnership inquiries - partners@africaos.dev

Phone Support

• Available hours - 9AM-5PM West Africa Time, Monday-Friday
• Phone number - +234-XXX-XXXX
• Have ready - Your organization name and ID
• Best for - Urgent issues requiring immediate attention

Status and Updates

• Status page - status.africaos.dev for system uptime and incidents
• Release notes - docs.africaos.dev/release-notes for new features
• Scheduled maintenance - Planned downtime announcements
• Security bulletins - Important security updates and patches

---

Tips and Tricks

For New Users

1. Start with the dashboard - Get familiar with your organization's overview
2. Try the guided tours - Look for walkthroughs when first using features
3. Use search heavily - ?K is your best friend for finding things fast
4. Explore one module at a time - Don't try to learn everything at once
5. Customize early - Set up your preferences and dashboard right away
6. Ask for help - Don't hesitate to use the help features or contact support

For Power Users

1. Master keyboard shortcuts - They can cut your navigation time in half
2. Save common searches - For frequently used filters and views
3. Use templates - For repetitive documents, emails, or entries
4. Set up automations - Simple workflows can save hours each week
5. Create dashboard widgets - For the metrics you check most often
6. Learn the API basics - Even if you don't code, understanding capabilities helps

For Administrators

1. Delegate effectively - Use roles and permissions to distribute workload
2. Automate onboarding - Set up workflows for new user setup
3. Monitor usage - Check which modules are most/least used
4. Review security regularly - Monthly checks of access logs and settings
5. Plan for growth - Consider how your configuration will scale
6. Document processes - Keep notes on how you've configured workflows

Common Time-Savers

---

Related Guides

• Getting started - Initial organization setup
• Platform management - Managing your organization and settings
• Applications overview - Learn about available modules
• Team management - Managing users and permissions
• Billing guide - Understanding your subscription