Home Screen
The Home Screen is the e-Builder landing page.
Take a minute to identify the following on the Home Page.
- Tabs across the top of the page that open different modules
- The Recent Pages drop down menu located on the left side of the page
- The Quick Start links on the left side of the page
- Workflow in your court
- My first 10 tasks
- Submittal items in your court
- Items pending approval
- The project selection dropdown
- The Announcements area
- The Calendar area
Workflow in Your Court
The convenience of using The Home tab is that it is a centralized place where e-Builder users see upcoming pertinent items. e-Builder determines items that are most important for you to look at or work on by pulling information from the e-Builder modules for all of your projects. Those items are considered "workflow in your court". Each time you access this module or refresh the page, the most current data is populated; ensuring that all information is accurate and in real time.
You can control the number of items that appear in Workflow in your court, Submittal items in your court and Items Pending Approval by using the Show dropdown above each respective table.
The table for Workflow in your court displays the Project, Name, Subject, Step and Due Date
My First 10 Tasks
This table includes all tasks that require your attention, such as a task that has been assigned to you, listed in chronological order. If you are a manager who receives notification when tasks reach a certain level of completion, these tasks will display in your court as well.
Use the Show option to control the number of tasks that appear in the list.
The table for My First 10 Tasks displays the Project, Task, Finish Date, Completion percentage and Manager.
Submittal Items in Your Court
This table displays submittal items. There are two filters for this table:
Filter by Action allows you to see either All in my Court, Action Required or Forwarded and No Response. The latter option displays items that have been forwarded for review on which action not yet been taken. Show allows you to determine the number of Submittal items displayed.
The table for Submittal Items in Your Court displays the Project, Title, #, Rev #, Package #, Status, Due Date and Held By information.
Items Pending Approval
This table displays cost items that are awaiting your approval.
This table displays the Project, Item Type, Item #, Approval Requested by, Date Approval Requested and Amount.
Note the link that allows you to display more items that are pending approval.
Announcements and Calendar Events
On the right side of the Home page are MIT specific announcements including contact names should you have issues with e-Builder as well as Help Desk session times and locations.
Under announcements are the calendar events occurring for today’s date created in e-Builder. Events are created through the Calendar module in a project. Click on the event for more information.
Navigation Tips
Top Tabs vs Left Menu
Tabs along the top are the summary level, when you select one of these tabs you will be required to select a project.
Left Menu options are project specific. In other words, you must first select a project to view these options. If from here you click on one of the top tabs, you will exit the project and will need to re-select it.
Recent Pages
Displays a list of recently used pages
Quick Start
This menu allows you to easily start any form or process instance. The default menu options contain a combination of the first ten processes/ forms that you have permissions to modify. The ten listed forms/processes will automatically update based on your usage. The most recently created instances will append to the top of the menu list.
First select the desired form or process type from the Quick Start menu. Then from the popup window select the corresponding project and create your instance.
If the form or process you are looking for is not displayed in the defaulted menu list, click the ‘More’ links. The ‘More’ link give you access to the remaining instances you have permissions to modify.
Project Dropdown Menu
The project dropdown menu allows you to open and switch between projects to which you have been granted access.
To quickly find your project you can start typing the project name or project number and it will narrow the list in the menu.
Search
By default the search prioritizes words from left to right unless one of the search methods listed below is used.
• Search through the custom field values and notes where applicable.
• Ignore any of the noise words listed below.
Search Methods
• Phrase search (""): Double quotes around a word or phrase will search for an exact match to what's in the quotes.
• Exact word search (+): Placing a plus sign immediately before a single word is the equivalent of putting double quotes around that single word. By default the search will look for other forms of a search word. ex: A search of 'test' will look for test, testing, tests, etc. This will eliminate searching for those other forms.
• Terms to exclude (-): Putting a minus sign immediately before a single word will exclude that word from the search results.
• AND operator: Placing AND in all caps in between words/phrases will search for both phrases/words equally.
• OR operator: Placing OR in all caps in between words/phrases will search for either phrase/word.
• (): Parentheses can be used in conjunction with AND and OR to further specify what needs to be searched for ex: (word1 AND word2) OR word3.
Noise Words
$, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z, about, after, all, also, an, and, another, any, are, as, at, be, because, been, before, being, between, both, but, by, came, can, come, could, did, do, does, each, else, for, from, get, got, had, has, have, he, her, here, him, himself, his, how, if, in, into, is, it, its, just, like, make, many, me, might, more, most, much, must, my, never, now, of, on, only, or, other, our, out, over, re, said, same, see, should, since, so, some, still, such, take, than, that, the, their, them, then, there, these, they, this, those, through, to, too, under, up, use, very, want, was, way, we, well, were, what, when, where, which, while, who, will, with, would, you, your
<!--Search allows you to complete a key word search on any area of a project across all projects. Documents search is restricted to a single project due to the number of results a key word can cause.
The search can be narrowed down by selecting a project first. -->
Project Details
The Project Details page will be frequently used by project members as it provides key information about the project such as project name, project administrator, start and target dates, and status.
This information should be kept up to date throughout the life of the project. When viewing the Project Details page it is important to remember that your ability to view and update fields is based on your role and permissions. In other words, two people on the same project may have different roles and will not have access to the same information.
To open the Project Details page:
Select a project.
In the left-hand column, click Details
To edit:
Click on the Edit button in the top right corner of the screen
Update the project information in the details page.
Project roles cannot be updated here.
To change project members, please use the Add a Resource process or an Action Item form. (See Table of Contents)
Click Save when complete.
Document Folder Structure
All project documentation, including documents attached to a process or form is stored in the Documents tab. The structure was created for MIT and determined by a Committee. If you have comments or suggestions, please provide them using e-Builder MIT Feedback.
To access the documents for a project from outside the project, click the Documents tab at the top of the page and then select the project. If you are in the project, click the documents menu on the left side.
Once in the project you will be able to navigate through the folders for which your role has been given permission.
The folders are labeled “I” for Internal (MIT users) or “E” for External or “I&E” for Internal and External. Project Managers can view all folders. However, if you upload documents, pay close attention to which type of folder you upload documents.
Upload Multiple Documents
You can upload multiple documents into a folder at one time, by dragging your documents from the folder on your computer to the right hand side of the screen.
Note: You must have IE 10 and above or any other browser. If you have IE9, you will still be able to upload multiple documents, you would need to click the upload link first.
At the present time, the ability to Create Folder has been restricted. Therefore, you will be unable to upload an entire folder at a time.
Menus
The menu under folder name on the right side is for multiple documents. You would select the checkbox to one or more documents and click on an option (Download, Send, Compare, etc.)
The menu under the file name is just for that file.
Email In
The contents of each folder can be viewed on the right side. The folder name appears at the top. The menu under folder name on the right side is for multiple documents. To Delete, Move, Copy, etc. document(s), you must select the item(s) by clicking in the checkbox and clicking the desired option (Download, Send, Compare, etc.)
From the project documents page:
Select the “00 – E-mail In-box (I)” folder.
On the right side, click “Email Address”
It will copy the email address (you may receive a prompt requesting access to do so)
In your email message, paste the email address.
The project email address format should be: MIT_projectnumber@docs.e-builder.net. If it is not, please contact the MIT e-Builder Administrator.
Sending Documents
Within the documents module you have the ability to send the document to users or nonusers of e-Builder from within the folder.
From the project documents page:
Select the document or documents you want to send.
Click the Send link (top link if multiple documents, link under document name for just that one)
You will have an option of
Fax: Sends to a fax machine anything that can be converted to a PDF
Email: Send the native file or a PDF to any valid email address
As Attachments – will physically attach the document to the email
As Link – will provide a link to the document in e-Builder. They do not have to be an e-Builder user to access. This is recommended if sending large files that may be rejected by the recipient’s IT.
Notify: Use inform another e-Builder user that the file is in the folder. They will be provided a link to that folder and will be required to login.
In your email message, paste the email address.
Check Out versus Download
A document that has been checked out by a user is temporary locked by that user. Another user will not have the ability to upload a new version of the document until that document has been checked back in. This helps prevent multiple people updating different versions of the same document.
A document that has been checked out will have a check mark in over the document icon next to the document name. If you hover over that icon it will list the person’s name who checked out a document. To check the document back in, a new file with the same name can be uploaded to the folder by the user that checked out the document and it will automatically check the file back in.
Download is used when you do not need to make any updates and would like to review or distribute the file outside of e-Builder.
Forms
Forms are used to have a ball-in-court communication. The initiator selects and submits a form and sends it to another e-Builder user. That person becomes responsible for responding. They need to either complete the form and send it back or they have the ability to send it to others for additional comments or information. Each send makes a new person responsible to complete the item until the initiator or a role with permissions marks it complete.
Creating a Form
Select a Project:
Click on Forms in the left-hand column
Click on Fill Out Form on the right side of the screen.
Note: You will only be able to fill out forms you have access to.
Select a Form.
Fill out the details of the form and select the recipient. Recipients must be e-Builder users.
Note: All fields with a red asterisks are required before sending.
Click the documents, processes or forms tab to attach supporting documentation.
Click “Post Form”
Replying to a Form
To find forms created related to a project:
In the Filter Forms: Select Forms In My Court” , “Opened” and
‘All Workflow and Static Forms” and click filter
Select a Form in the grid.
Fill out the details of the form click Reply. This will allow to send the form back to the originator and add comments.
Click “Reply” again.
Note: You can also forward the form to another user if additional review or action is needed.
Closing a Form
From in the Project Form Page:
In the Filter Forms: Select Forms In My Court” , “Opened” and
‘All Workflow and Static Forms” and click filter
Select a Form in the grid.
Review the details, if everything looks complete, click “Close Form”.
Processes
Processes are similar to forms where you fill detail and pass it along, but with processes it is structure of what steps and approvals are needed determined by the team and approved by the steering committee. In addition, there are processes that are cost integrated the cost module, which allows you to have the status of the cost item (such as an invoice) be updated as the correct approvals are received. Giving full consistent visibility.
Starting a Process
Select a Project, then go the Processes in the left-hand column. Or, select Processes from the tabs at the top and select a project.
Click on Start Process on the right side.
Note: This will list the processes you have the ability to start based on your permissions.
Select a Process.
Fill out the details of the process.
Note: All fields with a red asterisks (*) are required before sending.
Click the documents, processes or forms tab to attach any supporting documentation needed.
Click “Submit”
The workflow will automatically get routed to the next step.
Taking Action on a Process
When a process reaches a step where you are listed as an actor through the structured workflow, you will need to take action on the process/
From the Project Process Page:
In the Filter Processes: Select Processes In My Court” , “Opened” and
‘All Processes” and click filter
Select a Process in the grid.
Fill out the details on the process, attach any support documentation necessary.
At the top of the page, there will be an Action drop down, select your action and click the button.
The workflow will automatically move to the next step.
Navigating a Process
Process Name & Number
Allows you to always see what process you are in and the number instance it is on the project.
Action Dropdown
If you are an actor on the step and are responsible for completing the task you will see this drop down with the different actions you have the ability to take. Should you want to see what step is next you can use the Show Workflow Diagram link..
History
Clicking on the Show History link will give you all the details about the process: what steps it has gone through; who took action on those steps; the date/time and field values that have been changed and by whom.
Current Actor
The user(s) currently responsible for reviewing this step and taking action.
Current Step and Show Workflow Diagram
If you click on the Show Workflow Diagram another window will pop up and it shows the entire process. The current step will be outlined in blue.
Comments & Attachments
If you want to add a comment or see the comments that have been made you have the ability to click on the comments tab. In addition, any documents, another form or another process can be attached in the following tabs.
Schedule
The schedule module will be used to track the project schedule. A template has been created for consistency across projects and ease of use. The following are the steps you will take when you first start using the schedule:
Adjust the durations and dates to fit the project.
Activate the schedule.
Save Baseline of the schedule tasks.
Update and maintain the schedule.
Updating Schedule
The steps to updating the schedule are the same for when you first setup the project schedule to when you are maintaining the project schedule.
To update the schedule you will click the Pencil icon, update dates or the duration and click the Save icon.
You may also want to save Snapshots so you can compare current schedule to prior Snapshots and/or the Schedule Baseline
Activate and Save Baseline
Activing a schedule makes it available for all users to see. Before the schedule is activates only the e-Builder Administrator and the Schedule Manager have the ability to see it.
To activate the schedule select all tasks with the first checkbox and go to Actions – Activate
Once you have activated the schedule, select all the tasks again, click the Action button and select Save Baseline.
Time Sheets
Single Sign On (SSO)
Single sign on allows you to access e-Builder without having to login using your name and password. SSO will notice that you are signed in as an MIT user and will sign you into e-Builder using the below link.
To access e-Builder using SSO:
Make sure you are authenticated in Kerberos, to enable e-Builder to use your MIT credentials. If you can log into Atlas or Touchstone, you are authenticated in Kerberos.
Copy the following URL and paste it in your browser, or click the link below:
http://e-builder.mit.eduYou should be logged into e-Builder automatically using your MIT credentials.
You do not need to log out of the application when you are done.
You can save the URL as a favorite to make it easier to access e-Builder by using SSO:
1. In e-Builder, save the URL as a favorite.
2. Edit the settings of that favorite and replace the URL with http://e-builder.mit.edu.
Note that you can still log into e-Builder from outside the Kerberos environment by using your existing e-Builder login and password. Changing your password in e-Builder only affects your logins when you are outside Kerberos.