Getting Started

Learn how to get started, set up your company's data, and take advantage of the system modules and options.

Tip: You can access Help a few different ways:
  • Select the Help menu at the top of the screen.
  • When you have a specific screen open, press F1, or select .
Before you start using ProContractor, review the following sections:
  • Install or Upgrade ProContractor:

    This section contains information that will help you install and upgrade your software as well as any additional options that you purchased. This section also contains instructions for managing your application, including for applying licenses, setting users and user groups, and creating backups.

  • Log in to ProContractor:

    This describes the steps required for logging into the software after it has been successfully installed.

  • System Setup:

    This section describes the steps required to configure the application for your business. Depending on the complexity of your organization, this process can take as little as one week or up to several weeks. You will need to gather information about many aspects of your business. This may require input from different people throughout your organization, including owners, project managers, the controller, and those responsible for payroll.

  • ProContractor Interface:

    You can increase your productivity when you learn how to use screens, grids, lookup lists, date pickers, and the formatted text editor. This section also describes how to customize your home page and toolbar and how to set various system preferences.

Overview of Modules

You may also want to review the following sections, which describe the main modules and the tasks you might perform in each.
  • Accounting:

    This section describes the accounting operations you can perform in ProContractor, organized by module: accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, payroll, projects, equipment, and materials.

  • Estimating:

    This section describes how you can create estimates by performing takeoffs right from your plans. You can trace your plans using a stylus pen and digitizer board or import digital plans using your mouse. Either way, you'll generate accurate measurements and quantities.

  • Earthwork:

    This section describes how to perform earthwork tasks to digitize job elements for sitework (such as existing and proposed elevations, areas, and trenches), measure cut and fill quantities, and view cross sections and summary totals. You can also create a 3D model of your job or export data for machine control.

  • Screen Reference:

    This section details each screen in the ProContractor application, including the functions you can perform with the screen, the possible next steps that you might want to perform after completing the screen, and a complete reference of fields that describes all of the information that the screen can display.