In addition to various performance improvements, user interface updates and error corrections, this release will also include:
Updated User Interface
Many of the improvements are cosmetic in nature but we have also included a number of new designs to increase the usability and user experience. These changes include:
- A new Browse navigator to find and selectyour partition. This improvement makes it easier for new users to navigate their partition/project structure, allows for fewer clicks to access the desired partition/project and provides more real estate to view the partition name and path
- Replaced the ‘Go’ menu with an App Launcher. The new App Launcher provides a more familiar interface for launching apps and makes it easier to find your applications.
- New iconography to make it easier to navigate the UI.
- Moved the view controls to the Host footer. This removed confusion from competing view controls(split screen, full screen, new window, etc.).
- Right-click on app to access more app commands (configure, open in new window, close)
- In addition, you will find many styling changes that make the user experience more intuitive and familiar.
General Layout:
The Kahua Windows Host is laid out from top to bottom with higher level navigation (e.g. partition/project location, search, etc.) at the top, followed by apps and app controls, followed by logs and documents within apps.
- Title Bar
This the Windows title bar. It contains information about the environment (e.g. Production, QA, Beta, etc.), logged in user information and controls to minimize, resize and close the Kahua Host. - Header
The header contains the highest level of Kahua information and functions, including:
-Current partition/project
-View/Edit partition/project control
-Global search
-User’s Account Settings - App Bar
The app bar contains the navigation and controls for Kahua applications. The App Bar Contains:
-App Launcher to open apps
-Browse to navigate to partitions/projects
-Tasks App
-Messages App
-Open Apps
-App Config (where applicable)
-Control to open app in a new window
-Control to close the current app (where applicable) - List Selector
The list selector allows the user to access different lists (e.g. Pre-Construction, Construction) the apps may have. - Action Bar
Actions are the app level commands (ex. New, Edit, View, etc.) that allow you to work with your Kahua apps. Actions vary by app, but common commands include New, Reports, Export, Import, Send, Edit, View, Process, Delete and History. Both the List View and Detail Panel have Action Bars - List Header
The list header allows users to manage the contents of their list.
-Change the list view (columns, sort order, filters)
-Search
-Print the list view - List View
The list view contains the log for your app. From here, you can select a record to view the preview or take action from the action bar. - Detail Panel
The detail panel contains the views for the record selected in the list view. Views include edit views, previews, portable views, etc. - View Selector
The view selector allows you to switch between currently open views in either the List View or Detail Panel. Hovering over the bullet provides a tool tip with the description of the view. Clicking on the bullet accesses the view. - Panel Actions
The Panel Actions allow the user to control the view of the Details Panel. Users can:
-Get a link to the record
-Maximize the Details Panel
-Close the Details Panel - Layout Selector
The Layout Selector controls how the List and Detail Panel views share the screen. Users can maximize the List or Detail Panel or return to the split view.
Browse Partitions:
A new partition navigator simplifies the process of accessing your partitions/projects.
- Click the Browse button in the App Bar to open the navigator
- You can search for a partition to easily access a partition if you know part of the name
- A list of up to 10 of your recently accessed partitions is located in the Recent section
- The path of the current partition can be clicked to easily navigate higher levels of your partition structure
- The current partition is indicated in bold
- Partitions located below the current partition are listed. Partitions that have further sub-partitions are indicated by an icon showing the number of sub-partitions. Clicking this icon will drill down the tree.
- Clicking the partition name will navigate you to the partition
- The current partition name and path is displayed in the Header
- Clicking the icon next to the name in the header will open the project details preview for the active partition. Users with the appropriate permission can edit the details by clicking the edit button at the top of the view.
App Launcher
An all-new App Launcher makes it easier to find and access your apps.
- Click the Apps button in the app bar to open the launcher
- A search will let you easily access an app by typing in part of its name
- The recent section will contain your 5 most recently opened apps
- Apps are grouped in containers for ease of access
- Currently open apps have a green background making them easy to spot. They will also be in the App bar.
- Easily access the kStore to find more apps to help you work. Only users with a license administrator permission can purchase and install apps.
Sub RFI App
Kahua will have a new Sub RFI app within the Document Management suite. This application is intended to address the RFI workflow between subcontractors and general contractors with a more simplified set of attributes and workflow than the formal RFI process. This is actually made up of 2 applications that work together between the subcontractor and the general contractor – each having their own specific application enabled. Features of this new application:
- Each party maintains their own data.
- Data is transported back and forth thru workflow actions.
- No tasks for individual users other than the initial setup.
- Multiple people can be set up for notifications per project to know when new Sub RFIs are received.
- Each party can use the apps without collaboration if they want.
- Enhancements made to processing Sub RFIs into formal and back again.
- There are two components to the app: Inbound and Outbound, which can be enabled independently
- The Outbound Sub RFI is used to submit a question, typically done by a subcontractor, to be answered
- The Inbound Sub RFI is a log of all requests sent by other parties to your company
iOS and Android App Updates
We have redesigned our Android app from the ground up, and this first phase brings a whole new approach to project and app navigation. Look for more improvements in the coming months including a redesign of the Android app!
Kahua Mobile for iOS on iTunes
Kahua Mobile for Android on Google Play
Mobile app updates will be released as approved by Apple and Google. It may take up to 14 days for the app updates to become available in each respective store.