Getting Started in BQE CORE

Welcome to BQE CORE! After you have signed into CORE, you should navigate the program and get familiar with its various features and benefits. You can also check out the Onboarding Workflow to understand how to start using CORE.

Depending on your role in the company, you can understand the different workflows to get a comprehensive view of CORE and the flow of data within the modules. You can also check out the most common and initial tasks to do to get started in each functional area.

Note: You can download the attached CORE Getting Started Role-Based Checklist below and share it with your teams.

Getting Started for CORE Owner/Admins

Getting Started for Project Managers

Getting Started for Time & Expense Users

Getting Started for Billing Managers

Getting Started for Accountants

Getting Started for CRM Users

Getting Started for HR Users

Getting Started for CORE Owner/Admins

As a CORE owner or administrator, you are responsible for managing the CORE account, adding other users and entering company data. If you are using a blank database, you can create master lists like clients, employees, activity items, expense items, and so on. But if you are using a sample database, you can skip that step and go ahead exploring different areas of CORE. 

1. Understand the BQE CORE workflow. This chart shows the flow of information in CORE and also the order in which you can explore related features.
2. Watch this overview video to get a comprehensive look at CORE and the features it offers.
3. Set up your Company profile and settings. 
4. Purchase and manage CORE subscriptions.
5. Assign and manage CORE users.
6. Assign security permissions to CORE users so as to grant access to the relevant areas of CORE.
7. Specify other global settings. These company-wide settings and rules can be specified by you to ensure smooth and consistent functioning of CORE.  
8. Set up your activity items for time entry and expense items for expense entry.
9. Set up your user preferences. These are individual-level settings that you can customize as per your preferences.
10. Create employee and vendor contacts (optionally clients). You can link these profiles to the respective CORE users added earlier.

Getting Started for Project Managers

You can start to customize CORE the way you like. If you are using a blank database, you might have to create master lists like clients, projects, budgets, fee schedules, and so on. But if you are using a sample database, you can skip that step and go ahead exploring different areas of CORE.

1. Understand the BQE CORE workflow. This chart shows the flow of information in CORE and also the order in which you can explore related features.
2. Watch this overview video to get a comprehensive look at CORE and the features it offers.
3. Understand the project management workflow. It allows you to see the flow of information in the project area of CORE and see how they are connected.
4. Check out the global project settings. These company-wide settings and rules can be specified by you to ensure smooth and consistent functioning of your projects. 
5. Set up your user preferences. These are individual-level settings that you can customize as per your preferences.
6. Create client profiles and their contacts. Clients are a prerequisite for creating projects and are billed for them.
7. Create new projects and set up projects templates. 

Getting Started for Time & Expense Users

As an employee or vendor, you can start going through the user settings and customize CORE the way you like. Start entering your time and expenses on projects. 

1. Understand the BQE CORE workflow. This chart shows the flow of information in CORE and also the order in which you can explore related features.
2. Watch this overview video to get a comprehensive look at CORE and the features it offers.
3. Understand the time and expense workflow. It allows you to see the flow of information in the Time & Expense areas of CORE and see how they are connected.
4. Set up your user preferences. These are individual-level settings that you can customize as per your preferences.
5. Start tracking your time using your preferred way. You can use timers, timesheets or time card views.
6. Start tracking your expenses. You can enter employee reimbursable expenses or billable expenses for clients.
7. Submit your time and expenses for approval.

Getting Started for Billing Managers

You can start to customize CORE the way you like. If you are using a blank database, you might have to ensure you have the right setup: submitted time and expenses, invoices, chart of accounts, and so on. But if you are using a sample database, you can skip those steps and go ahead exploring different areas of CORE.

1. Understand the BQE CORE workflow. This chart shows the flow of information in CORE and also the order in which you can explore related features.
2. Watch this overview video to get a comprehensive look at CORE and the features it offers.
3. Understand the billing workflow. It allows you to see the flow of information in the accounts receivable (A/R) area of CORE and see how they are connected.
4. Check out the global billing settings. These company-wide settings and rules can be specified by you to ensure smooth and consistent functioning of CORE.  
5. Set up your user preferences. These are individual-level settings that you can customize as per your preferences.
6. Learn about the different billing methods in CORE. You can choose the ones according to your project contract types.
7. Create manual invoices one by one or multiple invoices in a batch. 
8. Record client payments.

Getting Started for Accountants

You can start to customize CORE the way you like. If you are using a blank database, you might have to create chart of accounts, registers and so on. But if you are using a sample database, you can skip that step and go ahead exploring different areas of CORE.

1. Understand the BQE CORE workflow. This chart shows the flow of information in CORE and also the order in which you can explore related features.
2. Watch this overview video to get a comprehensive look at CORE and the features it offers.
3. Understand the general accounting and A/P workflow. It allows you to see the flow of information in the accounts payable area of CORE and see how they are connected.
4. Get an overview about accounting in CORE. Learn about various A/P features that you need to run your business.
5. Check out the global accounting settings. These company-wide settings and rules can be specified by you to ensure smooth and consistent functioning of CORE.  
6. Set up your user preferences. These are individual-level settings that you can customize as per your preferences.
7. Set up your chart of accounts. You can import them from an existing system and get rolling.
8. Create vendor bills and make bill payments.

Getting Started for CRM Users

You can start to customize CORE the way you like. If you are using a blank database, you might have to create CRM lists and so on. But if you are using a sample database, you can skip that step and go ahead exploring different areas of CORE.

1. Understand the BQE CORE workflow. This chart shows the flow of information in CORE and also the order in which you can explore related features.
2. Watch this overview video to get a comprehensive look at CORE and the features it offers.
3. Understand the CORE CRM workflow. It allows you to see the flow of information in the CRM areas of CORE and see how they are connected.
4. Get an overview of CORE CRM. This helps you learn how to go set up and work in CORE CRM. 
5. Set up the global CRM profiles and templates. These company-wide settings can be specified by you to ensure smooth and consistent functioning of your CRM system. 
6. Set up the CRM lists. This data is required to work in the CORE CRM system and flows to those areas.
7. Set up your user preferences. These are individual-level settings that you can customize as per your preferences.
8. Create leads and prospects. These can be converted into future clients.
9. Create various opportunities and quotes. These can be converted into projects when won.

Getting Started for HR Users

You can start to customize CORE the way you like. If you are using a blank database, you might have to create HR lists and so on. But if you are using a sample database, you can skip that step and go ahead exploring different areas of CORE.

1. Understand the BQE CORE workflow. This chart shows the flow of information in CORE and also the order in which you can explore related features.
2. Watch this overview video to get a comprehensive look at CORE and the features it offers.
3. Understand the CORE HR workflow. It allows you to see the flow of information in the Human Resources area of CORE and see how they are connected.
4. Get an overview about CORE HR. This helps you learn how to go set up and work in CORE HR.
5. Set up the global HR lists. This data is required to work in the CORE HR system and flows to those areas.
6. Set up your user preferences. These are individual-level settings that you can customize as per your preferences.
7. Set up HR benefits for your employees.
8. Create review templates and performance reviews.