First time orientation
Article Content
Pilla has two surfaces. The web app is where managers and admins build things, look at numbers, and run the business side of Pilla. The mobile app is where staff actually do their work runs. Most managers use both. This page is a map to help you find where everything lives.
What the web app is for
The web app is the side of Pilla that runs in a browser. It's where workflow templates are built on the canvas, where integrations are connected, and where teams and users are managed. Staff don't usually need the web app at all because there's nothing on it for completing a workflow run, that part happens on the mobile app.
If you're a manager or admin, you'll spend most of your Pilla time here. If you're staff, you can sign in to the web app but most of the screens will feel empty because they're built for setup, not for doing work.
The Pilla bar at the top of the web app
The web app has a thin bar across the top of the screen. It stays in place wherever you are. On the left of this bar is a small button with your profile picture and name. Tapping it opens a short menu with these options.
- Change picture -- opens a panel where you can upload or replace your profile photo
- Switch to light mode or Switch to dark mode -- flips the whole app between bright and dark colours
- Log out -- signs you out and returns you to the sign-in popup
In the middle of the top bar is a small title that tells you which screen you're on, for example Dashboard, Workflow runs 11 May, or Workflow templates.
Poppi chat in the web sidebar
Down the left side of the web app there's a sidebar. The sidebar is Poppi's home on the web. Poppi is Pilla's AI assistant. Whichever screen you open, the sidebar shows a short message from Poppi explaining what you're looking at. At the bottom of the sidebar is a chat box where you can type a question and Poppi will answer it.
Some Poppi features only work on the Pro and Enterprise plans, in particular Poppi looking up your live data. On Basic and Standard, Poppi will still chat with you and explain how things work, it just won't query your account.
When you're on a screen that isn't the main dashboard, a small "Back to main menu" link appears at the top of the sidebar. Tapping it takes you back to the dashboard.
The dashboard and the five cards
When you first sign in to the web app you land on the Dashboard. Across the top is a row of five cards, each one is a doorway into a different area of the app. Each card shows a count and a View button.
- Workflow runs today -- tap View to open the list of every workflow run scheduled for the date you pick
- Workflow templates -- tap View to open your library of templates
- Workflow integrations -- tap View to open the page where you connect outside services like Slack and Google Calendar
- Teams -- tap View to open the teams list
- Users -- tap View to open the users list
Below the cards is an analytics chart that shows how your workflow runs are tracking over time. Below that, a grid of placeholder cards tells you which extra charts unlock on the Pro plan.
The workflow runs screen
Tapping View on the Workflow runs card opens a data table of every run for the date or date range you choose. Each row is one execution of a workflow template. Rows are colour-coded so you can spot trouble at a glance. Green means the run finished on time. Orange means it finished late. Red means it's overdue and still not finished. Filters across the top let you narrow the table by team, tag, frequency, and progress status.
The workflow templates screen
Tapping View on the Workflow templates card opens your library of templates. Each row is a template you've published or saved as a draft. Tapping a template opens the canvas, which is the visual builder where you wire up the steps of a workflow. The canvas is web only because there's no way to drag and drop on a small phone screen.
The first time you open the canvas, Poppi's sidebar fills with explanations of each step type, called elements, as you drop them onto the board. Triggers can be Manual, One-time, Recurring, or External. Elements include things like check items, photos, rich text, signatures, and the three Poppi AI nodes (Poppi briefing, Poppi decision, Poppi action). You can also wrap a set of elements into a group.
The integrations screen
Tapping View on the Workflow integrations card opens a grid of outside services Pilla can talk to, including Slack and Google Calendar. Each tile shows whether it's connected. Once connected, your workflow templates can pick from a list of automatic actions to run when a workflow reaches an action element. Integrations are a Pro and Enterprise plan feature.
The teams screen
Tapping View on the Teams card opens a list of your teams. Teams control who sees what. Staff and managers only see workflows and other data tied to the teams they belong to. Admins see everything. From this screen you can edit a team, add a new team, or open the team import form to add lots of teams at once from a spreadsheet.
The users screen
Tapping View on the Users card opens a list of everyone in your Pilla account. Each user has a role, either Staff, Manager, or Admin. From this screen you can edit a user, add a new user, or open the user import form to bring lots of users in at once from a spreadsheet.
What the mobile app is for
The mobile app is what your staff carry with them while they work. It's optimised for doing, not for setting up. There's no canvas, no integrations screen, and no signup flow on mobile. Staff sign in, see what work runs are due today, complete them, post stories, and chat with their teammates. Managers can do all of that too plus a few extra options that appear in their menu.
When you first sign in on the mobile app, you land on the Work Items tab. This is the only tab in the bottom bar.
The Stories row at the top of the mobile work list
Across the top of the Work Items tab is a horizontal row of round profile pictures. This is the Stories row. Each circle is a recent photo, video, or short note someone on your team has posted. Tap a circle to see the story, tap the plus on your own circle to post one yourself. Stories are a quick way to share what's happening in real time without sending a message to everyone.
The date scroller on the mobile work list
Just below the Stories row is a strip of dates you can swipe left and right. Tapping a date jumps the work list below it to that day. Each date in the strip shows a small dot or number telling you whether there are runs scheduled and how they're progressing. By default the screen opens on today.
The work list on the mobile app
Below the date scroller is the list of workflow runs for the selected date. Each card is one workflow run. Cards show the title, the team, the time window it should be completed in, and a colour bar that matches the same green, orange, red status used on the web app. Tap a card to open the workflow run and start working through its steps. Swipe a card left for quick actions like messaging the team about that run.
The floating action bar on the mobile app
At the bottom of the mobile app, floating above the work list, is a small bar with three buttons. From left to right these are.
- A chat bubble icon -- opens your Chats, where you can read team messages, group chats, and direct messages
- A target icon -- opens the Poppi chat as a full screen popup so you can ask questions like "what's due tomorrow?"
- A menu icon labelled Menu -- opens a list of extra options for the screen you're on
The bar floats over the work list so it's always one tap away no matter how far you've scrolled.
The mobile menu
Tapping the Menu button on the floating action bar opens an action sheet from the bottom of the screen. The options depend on your role and on which screen you're looking at. On the Work Items tab you'll usually see.
- Run a workflow template -- opens a picker so you can manually trigger one of the templates your manager has published
- Filter work view -- choose which teams to include in the list
- Only show work starting on this date -- a toggle to hide work that began on an earlier day
- Log out -- signs you out and sends you back to the Welcome screen
Managers and admins see extra options on the menu.
- Show workflow runs by tag -- pick a tag and see and export every run that uses it
- Show workflow runs by team -- pick a team and see and export every run for that team
Who uses what
Web is for managers and admins. Building templates on the canvas, connecting integrations, adding users and teams, reviewing analytics. There's nothing on the web app that helps a staff member complete a workflow run.
Mobile is for everyone, but it's the only place staff need to be. Staff sign in, see what's due, complete it, chat with their team, and post stories. Managers can do all of that plus their extra menu options.
If you're a manager, the easiest pattern is to keep the web app open on your laptop for setup and reporting, and your phone in your pocket for the same on-the-floor experience your staff get.
Tips
- Bookmark the web app URL once you've signed in, you'll be coming back to it a lot if you're an admin
- The dashboard is the front door, every other web screen has a "Back to main menu" link in the Poppi sidebar to get you back here
- Poppi's tone changes per screen, the sidebar always tells you what the current screen is for
- If you're a staff member who signs in to the web app, don't worry that there's nothing to do, the web app isn't built for completing runs, just sign in on your phone instead
- The Work Items tab on mobile always opens on today, swipe the date strip to look at yesterday or tomorrow
- Poppi's data lookups are a Pro and Enterprise feature, on lower plans Poppi will explain what you're looking at but won't query your account