Light Blue’s Home Screen: what are the different Widget Types

This article will explain each of the different Widget types that can be used to display information on your Home Screen.

👉 If you’re not familiar with Light Blue’s customisable Home Screen and the different layouts possible do have a look at this article.

Charts

Charts are a simple way to visualise how your business is doing. You can add as many Chart Widgets as you like to your Home Screen layout using any of the options that are available from the main Charts section.

We’ve included a few useful Charts in the Widget’s options menu, along with shortcuts to open the same chart in the Charts section or in List View; simply click on the cog icon in the top right corner of the Widget and select your choice from the drop-down menu. You’ll find more chart options by selecting “Widget Options”.

Current events

The “Current events” Widget shows the Shoots, Appointments, Time Off, and Calendar Notes that fall between ‘today’ and your chosen number of days after ‘today’. You can also set a number of days earlier than ‘today’ and the Widget will then include older Shoots which have not yet been completed so you can see which are still in post-production.

Modify the number of days by clicking on cog icon in the top right corner of the Widget and selecting “Widget Options” from the drop-down menu; at quieter times you may like to choose a longer time frame but when it’s busy shortening this to only a week (or even a day!) might be a better option so the list doesn’t become overwhelming!

NB. There can only be one copy of the “Current Events” Widget in your Home Screen.

Enquiries

This Widget shows a list of your open enquiries (ie Shoot Records with their status set to “Enquiry”) and unconfirmed Appointments. You can use this list to chase up leads and convert them into bookings.

When an enquiry doesn’t book, or you decide that it isn’t likely to become a confirmed shoot, we recommend changing the Shoot Record’s status to “Cancelled” recording a “Cancel Reason”. This helps keep the list in this Widget tidy and allows you to focus on the enquiries that you’re trying to convert right now.

NB. There can only be one copy of the “Enquiries” Widget in your Home Screen.

Inbox

The “Inbox” Widget shows a list of incoming messages and items from your clients. You can process these items right here from the Widget: double-clicking does the most common option (e.g. reading an email or accepting a signed contract) and right-clicking gives you further options.

You can choose which types of messages and items can be shown in the Widget by selecting “Widget Options” from the cog icon in the top right corner of the widget. e.g. showing just pending items and unread messages allows you to concentrate on the things that require your attention.

Quick Query

The “Quick Query” Widget shows a list of Records that match one of the Quick Queries from any of the main sections in Light Blue, e.g. the “Awaiting Payment” query from the Sales section, or the “Confirmed With No Spend” query from the Shoots section.

To easily view the most important information for your business you can create and save your own Quick Queries so they can be used on the Home Screen. 👉 If you’re not sure how to create your own Quick Queries have a look at this article.

Checking the “Compact Rows” checkbox in this widget’s options gives a more compact view of the list, allowing you to see more Records at once.

Query Totals

The “Query Totals” Widget allows you to get a quick overview of lots of information at once by showing the number of Records or financial totals that match Quick Queries from any of the main sections in Light Blue. e.g. showing the “This Year” and “Last Year” queries from the Shoots section allows you to see how your bookings are doing compared to last year, or showing the “This Month” query from the Sales section shows how much you’ve billed so far this month.

You can set custom foreground and background colours for each Query Total, allowing you to make them stand out or be easier to read at a glance. There’s also a “Compact Rows” option which allows you to see more totals at once but without the option of setting custom foreground and background colours.

Task Manager

The “Task Manager” Widget shows a list of Tasks that are due to be completed. 👉 Find out more about Tasks and how they can help you to deliver great service to your clients in our “Mastering Your Workflow” article.

Clicking on the cog icon in the top right corner of the Widget reveals various options to customise the Tasks shown:

• The “Due Date” option alters how many tasks are shown. When you’ve got a lot to do, the “Today” or “Today & Tomorrow” views are probably most helpful.
• Tasks can be grouped by their due dates, or by their category, the staff member assigned the task, or the record that they’re linked to. Showing today’s tasks grouped by category allows you to work your most urgent tasks of the same type in one go (e.g. completing all of your admin tasks, then working on your editing).
• Filtering staff and categories allows you to show only the tasks that are assigned to a specific member of staff or category, so you’re only seeing the tasks that are most relevant to you right now.

👉 More details on these different options are in this help article.

NB. There can only be one copy of the “Task Manager” Widget in your Home Screen.

Web View

The “Web View” Widget shows a web page of your choice, for example your local weather forecast or the inbox for your Instagram account.

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