Layout and Forms
The Dashboard enables you to view basic information for your key types of records. Any time you need to see the full details of a record – activity, contact, listing, closing, etc. – it opens in its own form.
Top Producer 8i forms conveniently organize record details into manageable sections. You can view, change, and save information for your selected record as well as for any related records.
Regardless of what form you open, there are a number of common features that perform the same function throughout 8i. This means any knowledge you gain in one area of 8i can be applied throughout the program.
- Header
Headers appear at the top of forms whenever you view details for an existing record. They contain a summary of key information for that record. They can also contain options for performing actions, such as creating an appointment or printing a report for the record you are viewing.
- Tabs
Tabs along the top of the form organize a record’s details and related records on separate pages for easy viewing. Click on a tab to open more information about the record.
- Collapsible Segments
On each tab, information is further organized into segments that can be collapsed or expanded. This reduces the need to use the scroll bar for tabs that display a lot of information.
Use the green
icon to collapse a segment and the orange 
icon to expand. - Links
Links allow you to quickly navigate to another area of 8i, or to a record that is linked to the current record you’re viewing. They work exactly like hyperlinks on your Internet browser. Any time you hover over text that becomes underlined, you can view additional information, or perform a specific action by clicking on the link.
- Buttons
Clicking a button in 8i performs a certain action, such as saving, viewing, and cancelling.
- Entering Information
There are a variety of ways you can enter information in 8i:
- Text field: Type in information.
- Drop-down list: Click in the field to display a list of choices.
- Date field: Either click in the field to open a calendar below, or type in a date.
- Option button: Select your choice by clicking in the circle beside the field name.
Required fields: Any field names with an * means you must enter information in order for the record to be saved.
Tip: You can move from one field to another by clicking the Tab button on your keyboard.
- Read vs. Edit Mode
Forms for existing records allow you to view records in two modes.
Read mode:
Edit mode:
Read mode is the default view when viewing existing records. To edit, either click into any field, or choose the Edit link at the bottom of the form. Return to read mode by clicking the Cancel button.
Tip: Read mode is great when you want to print a screen capture. It’s a cleaner look that lets anyone viewing the print-out to focus on the information.
