Octayne PSA provides multiple navigation mechanisms to help you move efficiently through the platform. Whether you prefer clicking through a structured sidebar, jumping directly to a page via keyboard shortcut, or using tab-based navigation within modules, the platform is designed to minimize the number of clicks between you and the data you need.
This guide covers all navigation elements: the sidebar, the Command Palette (global search), central navigation menus, breadcrumbs, organization switching, keyboard shortcuts, and responsive behavior.
[Screenshot: Full Octayne interface showing the sidebar navigation on the left, central navigation tabs at the top of the main content area, and the breadcrumb trail]
The sidebar is the primary navigation element in Octayne. It is always visible on the left side of the screen (unless collapsed) and organizes all platform modules into two logical groups.
The Workspace group contains modules related to your day-to-day operational activities:
| Menu Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Your personal or organizational dashboard with KPIs and metrics |
| Time Ledger | Log, view, and manage time entries; includes calendar integration view |
| Expenses | Submit, view, and manage expense entries |
| Review Time & Expenses | Review and approve submitted timesheets and expenses (for approvers) |
| Billing & Invoice | Create, manage, and send invoices; track payments and collections |
| Utilization | View utilization reports, compare actuals vs. targets |
| Reports & Exports | Generate and export reports across all platform data |
The Platform group contains modules for managing the platform's configuration and data:
| Menu Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Clients | Manage client/customer records, contacts, and relationships |
| Projects | Create and manage projects, tasks, budgets, and staffing |
| Team Management | Manage organization members, permissions, and invitations |
| Integrations | Connect and manage third-party service integrations |
| Settings | Configure organization settings, roles, locations, and feature flags |
[Screenshot: Sidebar navigation expanded showing both Workspace and Platform groups with all menu items]
To maximize screen real estate, you can collapse the sidebar into icon-only mode:
[Screenshot: Collapsed sidebar showing only icons, with a tooltip visible on hover over one of the icons]
Tip: Collapsing the sidebar is especially useful when working with data-dense views like the Time Ledger or Utilization reports, where every pixel of horizontal space matters.
The sidebar highlights the currently active page:
Note: If you navigate using the Command Palette or a direct URL, the sidebar automatically updates to reflect the correct active state.
The Command Palette is a global search and quick navigation tool that lets you jump to any part of the platform instantly.
A search dialog appears in the center of the screen with a text input field.
[Screenshot: Command Palette open in the center of the screen with a search input field and suggested results below]
Type any of the following into the Command Palette:
Results appear as you type, organized by category (Pages, Projects, Clients, Members). Use the arrow keys to navigate results and Enter to select.
Tip: The Command Palette is the fastest way to navigate the platform, especially if you know the name of what you are looking for. Develop the habit of pressing Ctrl+K / Cmd+K and typing instead of clicking through menus.
The Command Palette indexes all navigable pages and records. Some examples of what you can find:
Note: The Command Palette searches across all data accessible to your role. You will not see results for items you do not have permission to view.
Many modules in Octayne contain multiple sub-pages, organized as tabs in a central navigation menu at the top of the main content area.
Examples of central navigation tabs include:
Each tab represents a distinct view or sub-section within the module.
[Screenshot: Central navigation menu showing tabs for a module, with one tab highlighted as active]
Tip: Tab navigation does not change the sidebar highlight. The parent module remains active in the sidebar while you switch between its sub-tabs.
Breadcrumbs provide a hierarchical trail showing your current location within the platform. They appear near the top of the main content area, above or alongside the central navigation tabs.
Example breadcrumb trail:
Projects > Project Alpha > Task Details
Each segment of the breadcrumb is clickable:
[Screenshot: Breadcrumb trail showing three levels of navigation with clickable segments]
Tip: Breadcrumbs are especially useful when you have navigated deep into a module (e.g., from a project to a task to a sub-task). They provide a quick way to jump back to any parent level without using the browser's back button.
If you belong to multiple Octayne organizations, you can switch between them without logging out.
[Screenshot: Organization switcher dropdown showing two organizations, with the current one marked with a checkmark]
Note: Each organization has its own members, projects, clients, settings, and integrations. Switching organizations changes the entire platform context.
Warning: Ensure you are working in the correct organization before making changes. Data entered in one organization is not visible in another.
Octayne supports keyboard shortcuts for common navigation and actions:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+K / Cmd+K | Open Command Palette |
| Esc | Close modal, dialog, or Command Palette |
| Arrow Up / Down | Navigate results in Command Palette |
| Enter | Select highlighted result in Command Palette |
| Tab | Move focus to next interactive element |
| Shift+Tab | Move focus to previous interactive element |
Tip: The Command Palette shortcut (Ctrl+K / Cmd+K) is the single most useful keyboard shortcut to memorize. It gives you instant access to any page, project, client, or member.
Note: Additional keyboard shortcuts may be available in specific modules (e.g., time entry forms, invoice editor). Look for shortcut hints in tooltips and help text throughout the platform.
Octayne's navigation adapts to different screen sizes and browser window widths.
[Screenshot: Octayne on a narrow browser window showing the collapsed sidebar with a hamburger menu icon]
Tip: For the best experience with data-heavy modules like Utilization or Reports & Exports, use a desktop browser with the sidebar collapsed.
Q: Can I customize the sidebar order or hide modules I do not use?
A: The sidebar layout is fixed and determined by your role. Modules you do not have permission to access are automatically hidden. There is no manual customization option at this time.
Q: Does the Command Palette search inside documents or time entry descriptions?
A: The Command Palette searches page names, project names, client names, and member names. It does not perform full-text search within time entry descriptions or document contents. For content-level search, use the search and filter tools within each module.
Q: Can I bookmark specific pages within Octayne?
A: Yes. Octayne uses standard URLs for all pages. You can bookmark any page in your browser for quick access. Bookmarks work correctly even for deep links like specific project detail pages or settings sub-tabs.
Q: Is there a way to open multiple modules simultaneously?
A: You can open multiple browser tabs with different Octayne pages. Each tab operates independently with its own navigation state. All tabs share the same session and organization context.
Q: How do I navigate back to a previous page?
A: You have several options: use the browser's back button, click a breadcrumb segment, use the sidebar to navigate to a parent module, or press Ctrl+K / Cmd+K to jump to any page via the Command Palette.
Q: Will the platform remember my sidebar collapsed/expanded preference?
A: Yes. Your sidebar state preference (collapsed or expanded) is saved in your browser and persists across sessions. The preference is per-browser and per-device.
Navigate to all Octayne PSA support guides and reference docs.
