Florida BuildingForms Users Guide Page 1 
 HOME SITE INDEX BuildingForms Intro Building Forms Manual Users Guide PRINT SETUP | PRINT 
CONTENTS
  1. Introduction
  2. Installing the Program
  3. Registering the Program
  4. 1st Time Setup
  5. Setting Default Entries
  6. Document Libraries (Lists)
  7. Main Screen
  8. Entering Projects
  9. Tracking Milestone Dates
  10. Creating a Document
  11. The Document History Log
  12. Finding a Previous Document
  13. Reviewing Document History
  1. Editing Names & Projects
  2. Deleting Names & Projects
  3. Supplemental Lists
  4. Printing Setup
  5. Printing Blank Documents
  6. Printing Labels
  7. Printing Lists
  8. File Maintenance
  9. Technical Support
  10. Legal Disclaimer
  11. Warranty
  12. License
  13. Copyright
 
INTRODUCTION
  1. Florida BuildingForms is a database program that creates documents used by the construction industry in Florida.
  2. BuildingForms works by combining a user-maintained database of names, along with additional information entered by the user, with a library of pre-designed forms. The user selects the desired project and the form, then enters or selects the additional information as prompted by the program, upon which the user may then preview and print the document.
  3. BuildingForms keeps a history of all documents printed, which may be searched by any number of criteria such as all documents for a project, all documents of a specific type, all documents created by a specific program user, and many others. Any document can be reviewed and re-printed as desired.
  4. BuildingForms also allows the user to keep track of the mailing, delivery and recording dates of many of the most critical documents in the process.
 
INSTALLING the PROGRAM
  1. Florida BuildingForms may be downloaded and installed from our website at www.FloridaBuildingForms.com, or it may be installed from our installation CD.
  2. Both of these methods are short and easy. Detailed instructions are provided in the BuildingForms Installation Guide on our website and on the Installation CD. We recommend you print this one-page guide to follow while performing the installation.
 
REGISTERING the PROGRAM
  1. After you have reviewed the Florida BuildingForms Demo, you will probably want to register your copy so you may take advantage of all of it's features.
  2. You may register the program with our easy on-line order form on our website at www.FloridaBuildingForms.com.
  3. You may also register the program by fax or mail by selecting Register on the menu and then selecting Print Registration Form.
  4. Both of these methods are short and easy. Detailed instructions are provided in the BuildingForms Setup Guide on our website and on the Installation CD. We recommend that you print this one-page guide to follow while performing the registration.
 
1st TIME SETUP
  1. Once you've installed the program, you will want to set it up for your use.
  2. The extent to which you enter the setup information will depend upon what type of user you are. This process involves...
    • Setting up your Program Users.
    • Entering your company information.
    • Entering the names and addresses of the other parties you do business with.
    • Entering your current projects.
  1. The Program Users are...
    • Identified in the Document History Log as the authors of the documents they create. In a single-user environment, this is of little importance.
    • The source for the "Return to" and "Prepared by" info required on some documents.
    • on the potential Signors list for a document.
  2. If you are an Owner, you would...
    • Enter yourself as a Program User.
    • Enter yourself or your company as the only Owner
    • Enter your Contractor as the only contractor.
    • Enter any Vendors who have sent you a Notice to Owner.
    • Setup your Project as the only project.
  3. If you are a Vendor, you would...
    • Enter yourself as a Program User.
    • Enter your company as the only Vendor.
    • Enter the Contractors you are doing business with.
    • Enter the Projects you are currently working or supplying.
  4. If you are a Contractor, you would...
    • Enter yourself as a Program User.
    • Enter your company as the only Contractor.
    • Enter the Vendors you regularly do business with.
    • Enter the Owners you have contracts with.
    • Enter the Projects you are currently building.
  5. You may add, edit or delete any of this information at any time, so don't worry about getting everything entered in the beginning.
 
SETTING DEFAULT ENTRIES
  1. The Default Entries function allows you to establish same default entries in your documents when they are first created. This is a valuable time saver, especially for any user who creates the same type of document repeatedly.
  2. Default Entries can be changed at any time, and can be overridden on any document at any time.
  3. Individual Default Entries may also be left blank, which would be the correct setting for any information you expect to be different for every document. for example, if you are a Contractor, you would make your company the Default Entry for Contractor so that your company name would automatically appear each time you selected a document that included a Contractor field. However, you would leave the Vendor setting blank because you will be printing Lien Releases for many different Vendors.
  4. To set the Default Entries...
    • Select Settings.
    • Select Default Entries.
    • Select the desired Default Entries.
    • Select OK to save the Entries.
 
DOCUMENT LIBRARIES (LISTS)
  1. The Document Lists feature allows you to select one of several specifically tailored lists, or libraries, of documents.
  2. The default list is "All Documents", which is as implied, a list of every document available in the Library. However, the All Documents list contains more documents than any single user will probably need.
  3. To shorten the list, we have created selected libraries if documents for specific types of users. For example, the Vendor Documents list contains only those documents that would be of interest to a Vendor using the program. The advantage is that it's easier to select from a list that is narrowed down to the choices you would need.
  4. You may switch between the lists at any time, thus you can always access every document in the Documents Library at any time.
 Florida BuildingForms Users Guide Page 2 
  1. To use the Documents List Feature to switch between the lists...
    • On the Main Screen, select the pull-down window under Program, adjacent to "List".
    • Select another of the available lists.
    • Review the available documents in the newly selected list.
    • You may change the selected Documents List at any time.
  2. As Florida BuildingForms gains new users, we anticipate adding additional documents to our library, which we expect to be able to make available for downloading through our website.
 
MAIN SCREEN
  1. The Main Screen is the first dialog box you will see when you open Florida BuildingForms. It is the primary dialog box for using the Program, and is where you will create the documents.
    • Use Project to select the project you are creating a document for.
    • Use Document to select the desired document.
    • Use User to select yourself as the current user of the program.
    • Use List to select from one of the Libraries of documents.
    • Document Description will present information about the document currently selected.
    • Enter the Additional Information as presented for that form.
    • Use the Preview Button to see a preview of the completed document.
    • Use the Print Button to send the completed document to your printer AND log the document into the Document History Log.
    • Use the Print Blank Button to print the document as a blank form (no information).
    • Use the Exit BuildingForms Button to close the program.
  2. When entering Additional Information, you may enter the desired information directly into the field, or you may select the information from the pull-down list.
  3. A detailed description of every field and function on the Main Screen may be found in the Dialog Box Reference that is a part of this manual.
 
PROJECT DIALOG BOX
  1. All documents you will create with Florida BuildingForms will use information from a specific project.
  2. The Projects Dialog Box is used to setup each of your projects. This is where you enter, edit or delete the information about each project.
  3. A Projects Dialog Box contains the following information:
    • On the Projects tab you will enter the Project's address and the Owner Information.
    • On the Names tab you will select the names of the various parties to the project (Contractor, Designer, Lender, etc.)
    • On the Notes tab you may enter any free-form notes and miscellaneous information you may wish to record about the project.
    • On the Legal Description tab you will enter the Projects legal description and related information.
    • On the Notifications & Recordings tab you may record any of the dates and numbers associated with the displayed documents.
    • On the Document History tab you may review a list of all the previous documents created for that project.
  4. Be sure to select the Save button to record your changes or they will not be saved.
  5. To print a list of all your Projects:
    • Select Projects.
    • Select Project List.
    • Select Print List.
  1. A detailed description of every field on the Projects Dialog Box may be found in the Dialog Box Reference that is a part of this manual
 
TRACKING MILESTONE DATES
  1. Florida BuildingForms provides you with a convenient place to enter mailing, delivery and recording dates for most of the documents to which this applies.
  2. BuildingForms does not enter these dates automatically when the document is printed because the print date is not automatically the date you mailed the document, when it was received, or when it was recorded.
  3. To enter one of these dates...
    • Select Projects | Existing Projects.
    • Double-Click a project, or select a project and then select OK.
    • Select the Notifications & Recordings tab.
    • Enter the appropriate dates.
    • You may change this information at any time if necessary.
    • You may print this information using report #1 Project Information.
 
CREATING a DOCUMENT
  1. Creating a document in Florida BuildingForms is easy. From the Main Screen:
    • Select the Project.
    • Select the Document.
    • Enter the Additional information as prompted.
    • Preview and print the document.
  2. You may change the information and preview the document as many times as you wish until you are satisfied that it is correct.
  3. When you print the document it will be logged into the Document History Log as having been printed on that date by the Program User currently logged on.
 
The DOCUMENT HISTORY LOG
  1. Florida BuildingForms records a copy of every document you PRINT in the Document History Log.
  2. The Document History includes the Program User and the date and time the document was printed
  3. This can be a very helpful tool for managing the flow of documents and for supervising multiple users in a large office.
  4. You can easily review the Document History Log for a specific Project by opening the Project Dialog Box ad selecting the Document History tab.
  5. You may also view the entire Document History Log and search it by any of a number of criteria by using the Find Document function, as follows:
    • Select File | Find Document.
    • Select a Sort criteria to change the sequence of the documents list.
    • Select a Filter to narrow your search by any one of a number of available criteria, including project, date, document name or Program User.
    • Use Print List to print a list of the currently displayed documents.
  6. Occasionally, you will want to trim the size of the Document History Log by removing documents for old projects.
  7. To delete old documents from the Document History Log:
    • Select File.
    • Select Delete Documents.
    • Select All Documents to delete the entire Document History Log (not a common request).
    • Select All Documents created before... to specify a cutoff date.
 Florida BuildingForms Users Guide Page 3 
FINDING a PREVIOUS DOCUMENT
  1. You may find a previously created document at any time, as follows:
    • Select File | Find Document.
    • Select a Sort criteria to change the sequence of the documents list.
    • Select a Filter to narrow your search by any one of a number of available criteria, including project, date, document name or Program User.
    • Use Print List to print a list of the currently displayed documents.
  2. You may Preview a document on the list, as follows:
    • Select a document and then select Preview OR,
    • Simply Double-Click a document on the list.
 
REVIEWING DOCUMENT HISTORY
  1. You can review the document history of any project at any time, as follows:
    • Select Projects | Existing Projects.
    • Double-Click a project, or select a project and then select OK.
    • Select the Document History tab.
 
EDITING NAMES & PROJECTS INFORMATION
  1. Of course, there will be many situations where you will need to edit the names or project information.
  2. You can change any of this information at any time without any effect on previously created documents.
 
DELETING NAMES & PROJECTS
  1. As you finish projects, or as some names in your database become obsolete, you will want to remove them.
  2. You can delete any project or any name information at any time with no effect on the past documents.
  3. BuildingForms keeps all the information about a document in the Document History Log, including the name and project information, so deleting information from the names or projects list does not delete it from the Document History.
  4. In other words, you can always review any document in the Document Log at any time, regardless of whether or not the project or the names are still in the BuildingForms database.
 
SUPPLEMENTAL LISTS
  1. To speed your work in Florida BuildingForms, we have created supplemental lists for certain repetitive information. These lists include:
    • Countries
    • States
    • Job Titles
    • Improvement Descriptions
    • Owners Interest
    • Delivery Methods
  2. The lists appear throughout the program where applicable as pull-down windows.
  3. You may add, edit or delete any item on and of these lists at any time, as follows
    • Select Settings from the menu.
    • Select the desired List.
    • Add, edit or delete the desired entry.
    • Select Close.
  4. A detailed description of every field and function on the Lists Dialog Boxes may be found in the Dialog Box Reference that is a part of this manual.

 PRINTING SETUP
  1. You may select the default printer you want Florida BuildingForms to use from your computers list of available printers, as follows:
    • Select File.
    • Select Select Printer.
    • Select the desired printer from the list.
    • Select OK.
  2. Florida BuildingForms does not access your printer's properties window, largely because the program does not require you to change any of these settings. For example, all the Florida BuildingForms documents and reports use the same standard 8.5x11 paper, so there is never a need to change the paper size.
  3. Florida BuildingForms does not provide a method of accessing or changing the page margins for the documents and reports. Page margins have been pre-set in the design of the documents to conform to the limitations of the vast majority of printers on the market.
  4. If you experience a printer problem related to the print margins, please contact us at www.FloridaBuildingForms.com.
 
PRINTING BLANK DOCUMENTS
  1. Occasionally, you may wish to print a blank version of a document for review or to be completed by hand.
  2. You may print any document in Florida BuildingForms as a blank document (no data entered), as follows:
    • Select ANY Project.
    • Select the Document.
    • Skip any Additional information fields.
    • Select Print Blank.
  3. Blank Documents are not entered into the Document History Log.
 
PRINTING LABELS
  1. The Print Labels function allows you to print mailing labels for the names in your database.
  2. The mailing labels are printed onto a single 8.5x11 sheet of 2x4 labels which are commonly available in any office supply store..
  3. The function allows you to select both the recipient and return address on up to 10 labels for each sheet.
  4. The function also allows you to select which labels on the sheet of labels are to be printed upon, thus allowing you to utilize partially printed sheets of blank labels.
  5. To use the Print Labels function...
    • Select Labels.
    • Select 2x5 Full Sheet
    • Select the Return address.
    • Select the Recipient.
    • Leave the other labels blank.
    • Load labels into printer.
    • Select Print.
 
PRINTING LISTS
  1. Occasionally, you may wish to print a list of names, projects or perhaps one of the Settings Lists.
  2. Printing lists is done within the dialog box that edits the list
  3. To print a list of Documents in the Document History Log, select File | Find Document | Print List.
  4. To print a list of Projects, select Projects | Project List | Print List.
  5. To print a list of Names, select Names | View Names Lists, select a list, then select Print List.
  6. To print a list of Program Users, select Settings | Program Users | Print List.
  7. To print a list of Settings Items, select Settings, select the setting item, then select Print List.
 Florida BuildingForms Users Guide Page 4 
FILE MAINTANENCE
  1. The File Menu provides several functions designed to manage your BuildingForms database.
    • Use Repair Database to fix a database access problem that may occur on rare occasions.
    • Use Compact Database to periodically "repack" you database for faster access times.
    • Use Find Document to find previously printed documents in the Document History Log. Powerful sort and filter functions allow you to quickly find any document.
    • Use Delete Documents to selectively remove old documents from the Document History Log.
  2. When reviewing the list of documents in the Document History Log, you may double-click on a document to open it in the preview window.
  3. A detailed description of every field and function on the Find Document dialog box may be found in the Dialog Box Reference that is a part of this manual.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
  1. Technical Support is available online through our website at www.PowerTools Software.com and by email at support@PowerToolsSoftware.com.
  2. The full text of our Technical Support Policy is available at our website at www.PowerTools Software.com.
 
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
  1. Florida BuildingForms is a tool for creating documents used in the course of administrating construction projects in Florida.
  2. The Florida BuildingForms program, it's manual and this website ARE NOT legal dissertations, legal opinions, or legal advice.
  3. You, as the Program User, MUST obtain the advice of an Attorney BEFORE using any of these documents.
  4. You, as the Program User, MUST REVIEW every document created by the Program for accuracy, completeness and correct use BEFORE implementing the document.
  5. You, as the Program User, accept ALL LIABILITY for the accuracy, correctness, correct use and correct application of the documents provided herein or created by you.
  6. PowerTools Software, Inc. accepts NO LIABILITY for the accuracy or correctness of the documents, or for the correct use or application of any documents provided herein or created by the user, or for the contents of the program, it's manual, or the website.
  7. This is only a part of the full LEGAL DISCLAIMER, which is incorporated into the installation program and may also be viewed at www.PowerTools Software.com
 
WARRANTY
  1. Generally, our Warranty provides that the software and the distribution media (Installation CD or disc) will perform substantially as represented or we will replace it at our cost.
  2. The full text of our Warranty Policy is available at our website at www.PowerTools Software.com.
 
LICENSE
  1. Florida BuildingForms is owned by PowerTools Software, Inc. and is licensed to you for your use under the terms and conditions of our License Agreement.
  2. The full text of our License Agreement is available at our website at www.PowerTools Software.com.

 COPYRIGHT
  1. Florida BuildingForms, it's manual and the contents of the website are copyrighted property and are protected by US and International Copyright Law.
  2. The full text of our Copyright is available at our website at www.PowerTools Software.com.
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