Getting Started with Your ECOSIRE ERP
This page covers everything you need before you touch the Property Management or Construction apps: logging in, finding your way around the screen, and the small set of native ERPNext concepts every other page in this manual assumes you already know.
What you'll need
- Your login email and a temporary password from your System Manager.
- A modern browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari — desktop is recommended for data entry; the Desk also works on tablets).
- Your system address — the ERPNext site URL your System Manager gives you (for example
https://erp.your-company.example). - Your system runs ERPNext v16 / Frappe v16, so the screens in this manual match what you see. Older ERPNext videos or guides online may show a different-looking desk.
1. Logging in
- Go to your ERPNext site URL.
- You'll see the branded ECOSIRE login screen.
- Enter your email and password, then click Login.
- On first login, you'll be prompted to set a new password. Choose something you'll remember — this account has real accounting access.
If the login page ever looks unstyled (plain black-and-white HTML), refresh the page — this is a one-time asset-loading hiccup that resolves on reload, not a data problem.
2. The Desk — your home screen
After logging in you land on the Desk, ERPNext's home screen. Here you'll see coloured tiles ("workspaces"), one per app:
- Property Management — property operations
- Construction — construction operations
- Accounting, Selling, Buying, Stock, Projects — native ERPNext modules these apps build on
- License — tucked away, only needed if a license needs renewing
Click any tile to open that app's workspace — a dashboard of shortcuts, charts, and quick links into that app's records.
3. The sidebar and top bar
- Left sidebar: lists every workspace you have access to. Click the logo at the top to return to the Desk home at any time.
- Top-right search bar (the "Awesomebar"): the fastest way to find anything. Type a document type (e.g.
new lease) to jump straight to creating one, or type a name/number (e.g. a tenant's name or an invoice number) to search across the whole system. - Bell icon: your notifications — assignments, mentions, and system alerts (including license warnings).
- Your avatar (top right): account settings, "My Settings", and Log Out.
4. Switching company
If your group runs more than one company on one system, most list views and "New" forms have a Company field. Always double-check it before saving:
- On any new document (Lease, Sales Invoice, Construction BOQ, etc.), look for the Company field, usually near the top.
- Set it to your property company for anything property-related, or your construction company for anything construction-related.
- Your System Manager can also set a default company per user so this pre-fills correctly for staff who only ever work in one company (the Company Hub app adds a one-click company switcher).
Creating a document under the wrong company doesn't just look wrong — it posts to the wrong company's ledger and will need a proper accounting correction to undo. When in doubt, ask before saving.
5. Native ERPNext concepts used throughout this manual
The Property Management and Construction apps extend these standard ERPNext building blocks rather than replacing them. If any of these are new to you, the linked official ERPNext manual pages are short and worth five minutes each:
| Concept | What it is | Official manual |
|---|---|---|
| Customer | Any person or company you invoice — used for Tenants and Construction clients | docs.frappe.io/.../customer |
| Supplier | Any person or company you pay — used for Landlords, Brokers, and Subcontractors | docs.frappe.io/.../supplier |
| Sales Invoice | A bill you send out (rent, progress billing) | docs.frappe.io/.../sales-invoice |
| Purchase Invoice | A bill you receive (subcontractor certificates) | docs.frappe.io/erpnext/user/manual/en |
| Payment Entry | Recording money received or paid against an invoice | docs.frappe.io/.../payment-entry |
| Journal Entry | A manual accounting posting (used automatically for withholding tax) | docs.frappe.io/erpnext/user/manual/en |
| Chart of Accounts | The list of ledger accounts your company posts to | docs.frappe.io/.../chart-of-accounts |
| Item | A billable line (Rent, Service Charge, Progress Billing, etc.) | docs.frappe.io/.../item |
| Project | The construction job a BOQ, work order, or progress bill belongs to | docs.frappe.io/.../project |
| Navigating the Desk | General Desk orientation | docs.frappe.io/.../navigating |
| Introduction to ERPNext | The big picture | docs.frappe.io/.../introduction |
The official Frappe/ERPNext YouTube channel has free video tutorials covering the Desk, Sales, Buying, and Accounting modules end to end. Search "Frappe School" or "ERPNext" on YouTube — useful for a 10-minute refresher on any native screen.
6. User roles, in plain terms
Your System Manager assigns roles per user. Roughly:
- System Manager — full access, including Settings and user management (your in-house administrator and ECOSIRE support have this).
- Accounts Manager / Accounts User — can post invoices, payments, and journal entries.
- Property Manager role (custom) — day-to-day property, lease, and maintenance work without full accounting access.
- Projects User — construction site staff working with BOQs, work orders, and daily logs.
- Property Tenant / Property Landlord / Property Broker — portal-only roles for the self-service tenant, landlord, and broker portals.
If a menu or button you expect is missing, it's almost always a role permission — ask your System Manager rather than assuming the feature doesn't exist.