Help

Help

Copper Project Help Area.

Please note this is the help area for version 4 (April 2013), for the latest version 5 help click here.

 

Logging in to your Copper

At your Copper welcome page a Username and password field will be visible. Enter in your Username and password and click on Login or hit return on your keyboard.

copper project management software - help - intro - logging in

Recovering your lost user name or password

Visit your Copper login screen and click the ‘Forgotten your User name or password?’ link. The password request box will prompt you to enter your email address. After entering your email address and hitting Submit, your User name and password will be emailed to the address you entered.

copper project management software - help - intro - finding a lost password

Using the Copper Menu

Hover over any Menu item and you will be presented with an info box and shortcut action items.

copper project management software - help - intro - using the copper menu

Searching within Copper

Need to find that elusive File, Project, Task or contact? The search bar is always available, and provides access to anything within your Project portfolio. Just type in a search term, the results are displayed instantly.

copper project management software - help - intro - searching within copper

Your personal profile and Avatar

You can customize the landing page and other personal proFile settings. Click on the icon at the top right of the screen. Then click options. Now you can set your preference and upload an avatar. When you have made your changes, press save at the top left of the screen, directly below your Username. All your settings are now customized and your avatar (if you chose one) will be displayed next to your User name at the top right hand side of the screen.

copper project management software - help - intro -personal profile and avatar

Changing system settings

To change your system settings, select Admin from the top menu bar and then choose “settings”. Amend the sections as you wish and press save at the top left of the screen, directly below the title “settings”.

copper project management software - help - intro - changing system settings

You can also change any label within Copper by clicking the Labels tab and changing the values to whatever you wish. For example you might decide to change “Projects” to “Initiatives”.

copper project management software - help - intro - changing labels

Creating Users and Groups

Select Admin from the top menu bar and then choose “Users”. Then select NEW USER from the action bar. Enter the Users log in name, password, and other details and hit save. You can then set the permissions for that User.

You can create a Group by clicking the Groups tab, clicking NEW GROUP and entering the relevant details. Groups are handy as they allow you to set permissions for everyone in that group, but remember that by default a Group’s permissions with override a User’s permissions.

copper project management software - help - intro - creating users and groups

Managing Permissions for Users and Groups

Users must be allocated permission rights by an admin User. An admin User has ‘superUser’ powers, meaning they can grant/deny/restrict permissions for all other Users. This can be done via the Admin module, or when creating or editing a Client, Project or Task. They can do anything within the system and therefore it is advisable to keep your Admin account untouched and create a second Admin account for this use.

The Copper permissions model is managed on four levels: Modules, Clients, Projects, and Tasks.

Definitions:

Modules – what a User can see in their menu when they log in

Clients – gives access to Client data, including all Projects and Tasks for each Client.

Projects – allows a User to view Projects

Tasks – allows a User to view Tasks

Other definitions:

Deny – prevents a User from accessing data

Read – allows a User to read data but prevents editing

Write – allows a User to read and edit or create data

Clients/Projects/Tasks permissions

If the User has access to the Clients module, you can next set access for specific Clients. All Client records are denied by default so you need to explicitly grant access to a Client either during creation or via the admin view. Client access is suitable for Account managers, Senior managers, or Clients (Note you need to create a User for a Client to be able to log in).

If the User has access to the Projects module, you can set them to have access to specific Projects. All Projects are denied by default, unless the User has access to the Client record (in which case they see all Projects). Project access is suitable for Project managers, participants who need access to all Tasks, or Client Users restricted to a single Project.

You can have a User work on individual Tasks within a Project via their Springboard by simply allocating a Task to that User. In order to have a Task display in the springboard you need to allocate a resource to a Task, regardless of the User’s permissions. Task access is suitable for Subcontractors, support staff, or any User you don’t wish to see full Project details.

Examples:

A User with a Deny setting to the Projects module means they will not see the Projects icon in the main menu when they log in.

A User with Read access to the Projects module will see the icon when they log in, but won’t be able to create new Projects.

A User with Write access to the Clients module will see the Clients icon when they log in, and be able to create new Clients as well as view and edit any Project underneath that Client.

A User allocated to a Task will see that Task in their springboard, along with any related Files or contacts, but not have access to the Project or Client details.

A User might be given access to a “sign-off” Task where they can log in and review Files and post comments or logged hours without access to other Tasks or Project information.

copper project management software - help - intro - managing permissions for people