StarBrix includes a large number of useful functions and properties. Nearly all of them are optional. This means that you can activate a function (to make it visible) or deactivate a function (to hide it). This allows you to optimise the tool to your specific needs.
Project phasing, the Gantt time chart and project models
Which types of projects can be managed using StarBrix?
StarBrix can be used for managing all types of projects: customer projects, internal projects, development projects, product-development projects, research projects, construction projects, IT projects, and so on. Projects can be large or small, as well as long-term or short-term.
Can I divide projects into different phases, such as sub-projects and tasks?
Yes. This can easily be done in the visual Gantt chart. The chart allows the easy division of your project into tasks and sub-tasks, while also allowing task scheduling, and creating dependencies between them. In practice, you can create an unlimited number of tasks and task levels for a project.
Can we create our own project templates for establishing new projects?
Yes. You can create your own project templates for saving documents, tasks, resources, and schedules. After this, creating a new project can be done quickly on the basis of the selected template. This also improves the quality of project activities.
Can I copy existing projects as new projects?
Yes. When you do this, existing project tasks are also copied into the new project.
Project portfolios
Can I get a summary of my projects?
Yes, it is easy to create a visual summary of all the projects. The largest project portfolio contains all the company’s projects; please refer to the image below. It may contain hundreds of projects.
You can also create project portfolios for the company’s various operational areas. In addition, each user has their own project portfolio containing all projects in which the user is participating.
The so-called umbrella project function can be used for connecting ordinary projects under one umbrella project. This enables you to monitor them as a whole.
Am I able to create a summary from all of my personal projects?
Yes, you can create a very visual and clear summary; please refer to the image below. The projects are listed first, followed by all of your tasks, sorted into chronological order.
Can I view my own projects and tasks in calendar format?
Yes, projects and tasks in which you are a participant can also be viewed in your personal StarBrix calendar; please refer to the image below. It is also handy for adding other calendar entries. The StarBrix calendar is also optimised for use on smartphones.
Can I synchronise the StarBrix calendar with Outlook?
Yes. You can synchronise your StarBrix calendar with other calendars, such as Outlook and Google. This means that all data (projects, tasks, meetings, and calendar entries) which are entered into StarBrix are automatically also shown in your Outlook or Google calendar, on your computer, tablets and smartphones.
Resource planning, scheduling, and workload management
Can I manage resources for project hours?
Yes. Resource- and workload management is advanced in terms of its development and integration for the purpose of project control.
The image below is an example of a project which has been divided into multiple tasks, and each task has been scheduled. The workloads for the tasks are entered into the 'Estimated hours' column. Anyone who carries out the work is entered into the 'Hour resources' column. The red in the 'Resourced hours' column indicates an overload situation. Weekends, national and private holidays and all hours, which have been planned into other projects, have been taken into consideration in the calculations. Planned hours can be viewed in the bar diagram on the bottom right. Clear and simple.
Can I examine the workload level for an individual, team or the entire staff as a whole?
Yes, this information can be examined in a very visual form as a bar diagram, in the form of days, weeks, or months. You can select the schedule and the desired resources. In addition, you can determine whether the hour plan is shown in one or more diagrams. The planned workload is then printed on a chart or charts, which appear as follows. The daily capacity is zero when the resource is not at work. In a similar manner, the load for a specific team or the entire staff can be printed out.
Can I examine the hourly plans (covering the projects and related tasks) for specific individuals during a specified time interval?Yes; in days, weeks, or months. This will be printed out in table format.
Hour reporting
Can the hours spent on projects be reported in StarBrix?
Yes. Hours can be reported for projects and their tasks either on a weekly basis as in the image below, or one day at a time.
Can I also enter times, such as when work started and when it ended?
Yes. You can enter them in the table’s 'Additional information' columns. You can also report the time used via a completely different method; please refer to the image below. First select the project or task, and then enter the starting and ending times. Also enter the possible overtime percentage. In addition, you can describe the work that has been carried out if required. If you invoice completed work hours, you can specify the number of hours to be invoiced and add a possible comment for internal use. The fields for overtime percentages and invoicing can be hidden or shown with the help of parameters.
The reporting window shown above has also been optimised for smartphones, so that you can report working hours used when you are on the go.
Instead of reporting working hours used only after the work has been completed, you can also do it as you go along. When you start working, you start the clock, and when the work has been completed, you stop the clock by clicking on the Stop button on the last row. A work clock which is already running will also be stopped when you start new work.
Can reported hours be checked and approved?
Yes. StarBrix includes a good system for checking and approving reported working hours.
Can I import reported hours on a customer invoice?
Yes. StarBrix includes a good invoicing function for reported hours. This means that you can create invoices using StarBrix, and then import the reported hours with their hourly cost details directly into the invoices.
If you use another invoicing program, you can print out a summary of reported hours and append it to the invoice.
Can reported hours be imported into StarBrix from another system?
Yes. We will create an interface which is compatible with the other system.
Can the reports on allocated time be printed for a specific time interval?
Yes.
Can the reports on allocated time mentioned above also include planned hours?
Yes.
Budgeting and cost monitoring
Can I create a budget for a project?
Yes. A budget includes the revenue, expenditure, and margin. The budget will be presented in both table format and as trend and bar diagrams; please refer to the image below. The budget in the pictured example includes both planned revenues and expenditure. In addition to this, actual revenues and expenditure have also been entered into budget monitoring.
Can I create custom cost types in the budget?
Yes.
Can actual costs be monitored and reported in StarBrix?
Yes. You can enter actual costs directly into the project or import them to the system using a file in CSV format. Actual costs are shown in the budget on the right-hand side of the planned costs.
Can StarBrix import costs from our ERP system?
Yes. We will create an interface which is compatible with your ERP system.
Can we monitor the financial situation of all projects in one view?
Yes, such a view does exist; please refer to the image below. An equivalent view with only the projects you are involved in can be found in your menu. The image below pictures all of the company’s projects.
Project monitoring
Does StarBrix include project indicators?Yes. You can monitor the progress of your project using our versatile project indicators. You can also monitor several projects in the same indicator view.
Can I use StarBrix to create status reports on a project?
Yes. You can also conveniently send them via email.
Materials management
Can I manage the materials required by the project in StarBrix?
Yes. We have integrated the materials register and stock balances in the tool.
Can I create purchase orders?Yes.
Email and chat
Does StarBrix send reminders to users via email?
Yes. In project tasks, you can set practical email reminders for specified individuals, such as for project managers when a project task is started, or upon task completion to individuals who are carrying out dependent tasks so that they know when to start their task. StarBrix will also provide reminders on overdue tasks...
Can I send messages from StarBrix?
Yes. You can send email messages from StarBrix. When the recipient sends you a response, it can be delivered to you via StarBrix or, alternatively, to your normal email inbox. This depends on your personal StarBrix settings.
Let’s say you have a project in StarBrix and you want to send a message regarding this project. Afterwards, you can find the sent message and any responses on the 'Messages' tab for the project in question. Information related to a project can easily be found.
Can I chat via StarBrix?
Yes. You can chat within projects in a way which is similar to chats on platforms such as Facebook.
Document management
Is it possible to manage documents in StarBrix?
Yes.
Can I save documents which were created using other programs?
Yes, you can save all types of files in StarBrix, such as Excel, Word, or PowerPoint files, PDFs or image files.
Can I create personal links?
Yes. In the projects, you can create links to files, directories, or websites, such as to Google Drive, Dropbox, or MS Sharepoint files and folders.
Can I create a summons to a meeting or the minutes of a meeting using StarBrix?
Yes. In StarBrix, it is easy to send a summons and share the minutes.
Can I make offers in StarBrix?Yes.
Can I send invoices to my customers via StarBrix?Yes.
Customer management
Can I manage my contacts in StarBrix?Yes. It works similar to CRM. You can create individuals and companies, and plan and monitor projects and tasks related to them.
Machine register and maintenance
Can I use StarBrix to manage equipment maintenance?Yes. In the machine register you can plan and monitor measures which are related to the maintenance of equipment and machines.
Team work
Our organisation has permanent teams which manage their own projects. Can you monitor projects by group or team in StarBrix?
Yes. You can generate what are known as operational area menus with similar views as in the person menus for your groups (departments, cells, units, processes, branches, etc). These menus can be used for the central monitoring of team projects and tasks.
Can multiple teams participate in a single project and monitor it via their own menus?Of course they can!
Importing and exporting data between systems
Can I import data from other programs into StarBrix?
Yes. Usually this is done using the CSV file format.
Can I export data from StarBrix into other programs?
Yes. Usually this is done in the Excel file format.
Is StarBrix able to communicate with other software?
Yes, StarBrix is able to transfer data between several systems which are using multiple different methods. We will be happy to help you in this.
System requirements and language
Is StarBrix a cloud-based service?Yes, StarBrix is a cloud-based service. You only need a web browser and a network connection, so there is no need to install any software on customer machines. Simple and trouble-free.
Does StarBrix run on a PC, Mac, tablets, and smartphones?Yes, on all of them.
In which web browsers does StarBrix run?In Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox browsers.
What language options are available?Finnish, Swedish, and English. The user can change the language at any time.
User management
Can I add users myself?Yes, as the main user, you can add or remove other users if you wish.
Does StarBrix have various user profiles?Yes, profiles can be used for setting access rights. This also ensures smooth and secure work with individuals from other organisations.