Navigation and filters
Screen reference
EVX Software uses two layers of navigation at the same time. The left navigation sets the business context. The module area sets the type of information you want to work with.
This is one of the core concepts in EVX Software. A project, client, workspace, tag, or other dimension member selected on the left narrows the records shown across the modules. Then each module can apply its own filters on top of that context.
For example, a project manager can select one project in the left navigation, open Tasks, and then filter the task list by Assigned to, Status, Start date, or Due date. The result is not a separate task search. It is a focused view of task records that match both the selected project and the task filters.
Screen areas
A typical EVX Software screen has four working areas.
| Area | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Shows the current account area, global search, and user options. | It gives access to account-level actions and broad search. |
| Left navigation | Shows configured dimensions, such as clients and projects, workspaces, and tags. | It sets the context for the content shown in the main area. |
| Module tabs | Switch between information types, such as Tasks, Documents, Time, Expenses, Reports, Calendar, Notes, and Contacts. | It changes what kind of records you are looking at without changing the selected context. |
| Module toolbar and filters | Shows actions and filters for the active module. | It narrows the records inside the selected module and context. |
The left navigation and the module filters are cumulative. They do not replace each other. Selecting a project on the left and filtering by assignee in Tasks gives a narrower result than either filter alone.
Left navigation as business context
The left navigation is not only a menu. It is the main way to apply business context to the system.
When a user selects a project, EVX Software shows the objects related to that project. If the user moves from Tasks to Documents, the selected project remains the context. The user sees project tasks in Tasks, project documents in Documents, project time in Time, project expenses in Expenses, and project reporting in Reports, depending on permissions and module availability.
That behavior is important because the same work exists in several forms. A remediation project can have field tasks, time entries, subcontractor expenses, budgeted expenses, invoices, reports, technical documents, and contacts. Those records live in different modules, but the selected project ties them together.
Dimensions in the left navigation
A dimension is a classification structure. Clients and projects are dimensions. Workspaces and tags are also dimensions. Depending on how the account is configured, other structures can be exposed as dimensions too.
The left navigation can show several dimension panels. Common panels include:
| Dimension panel | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Clients and projects | Navigate to one client, one project, or a project group. |
| Workspaces | Organize work by department, service line, operating area, or internal team. |
| Tags | Add a lighter classification for labels that do not require a full structure. |
| Other configured dimensions | Represent account-specific structures, such as sites, job phases, regions, or project managers, when configured. |
Each dimension narrows the records shown in the main area. When more than one dimension is selected, the result must match the selected context. This gives users a precise way to move from a broad operational view to a specific working set.
Searching inside a dimension
Each dimension panel can have its own filter box. That field filters the list of available dimension members in the left navigation. It does not filter task names, document titles, time entry descriptions, or invoice numbers. It filters the navigation tree itself.
This matters in accounts with many clients, projects, workspaces, or tags. Instead of scrolling through a long tree, the user can type part of a client, project, workspace, or tag name and select the matching item.
After the user selects the dimension member, the main area applies that context to the active module.
Showing and hiding dimension panels
The left navigation can be adjusted to make room for the dimensions a user needs most.
Users can expand and collapse dimension sections, show more items, and hide parts of the left navigation when they need more space in the main content area. This is useful when an account has a large project tree or when a user spends most of the day inside one module.
Administrators also affect what appears in the navigation by enabling modules, configuring dimensions, and setting permissions. A user may not see every dimension or every item in a dimension if the account configuration or permission model limits access.
Module tabs keep the context
The module tabs change the kind of object shown in the main area. They do not clear the left navigation context.
If a project is selected on the left and the user opens Tasks, EVX Software shows tasks connected to that project. If the user then opens Documents, the context remains the same and EVX Software shows documents connected to that project. If the user opens Time, the context remains the same and EVX Software shows time entries connected to that project.
This is the main benefit of combining modules with dimensions. Users do not need to rebuild the same filter every time they move between work areas.
Module filters refine the selected context
Each module can have its own filters because each module has its own fields. The Tasks module can filter by assigned user, status, start date, due date, priority, invoicing status, and grouping. Documents can filter by file fields and classification. Time can filter by user, date range, task, project, or approval status, depending on configuration. Reports have their own report parameters.
The module filters apply inside the context already selected on the left. They do not ignore it.
| Left navigation context | Module | Module filter | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project A | Tasks | Assigned to: Maria | Tasks in Project A assigned to Maria. |
| Project A | Tasks | Start date: this week | Tasks in Project A starting this week. |
| Client B | Documents | File name contains: permit | Documents for Client B that match the file filter. |
| Workspace: Field operations | Time | Date range: last month | Time entries in Field operations for the selected dates. |
| Tag: Draft | Reports | Report date range: quarter | Report output limited by the selected tag and report parameters. |
Example: project context plus task filters
A project manager wants to check near-term field work for one project.
The project manager first selects the project in the left navigation. That selection limits the working context across the application. The project manager then opens Tasks and uses the task filters at the top of the list.
For example, the manager can filter by Assigned to, Status, Group by Projects, Order by Task name, From, and Until. The result is the project task list narrowed by the task-specific fields.
This gives the manager a working answer, not just a list. They can ask: What open tasks belong to this project? Who owns them? Which ones start this week? Which ones are billable? Which labor categories or job phases are attached?
Why this matters
The taxonomy in EVX Software gives users a way to classify records once and reuse that structure throughout the system. A task, document, time entry, expense, invoice, or note can carry context through dimensions. Modules then add their own fields and filters.
That combination is what makes searching and filtering useful in daily work. The user does not need to choose between browsing by project and filtering by task fields. They can do both.
For environmental consulting firms, this is especially important because project data is rarely flat. The same engagement may need to be reviewed by client, project, site, phase, staff member, labor category, billable status, date range, and supporting documents. Dimensions provide the shared context. Module filters provide the working detail.
When results look empty
An empty module view does not always mean there are no records in the system. It often means one or more filters are still active.
Check the selected item in the left navigation first. Then check the filters in the active module. A task may be hidden because the user selected a project on the left and also selected an assignee, status, or date range that excludes it.
Permissions can also affect results. A user only sees records they are allowed to access. If another user sees records that do not appear for you, the difference may be caused by dimension permissions, module permissions, or both.
What you can do next
- Review dimensions to understand how classification works.
- Review modules to understand how each module uses shared context.
- Review finding, filtering, and grouping tasks for task-specific filters.
- Review permissions overview to understand why two users may see different records.