# Getting around

> The sidebar, the app drawer, each app's top bar, Spotlight search, and signing out.

Source: https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/getting-around
Last updated: 2026-09-28

Clockwork CRM is made up of apps, such as Contacts, Sales and Calendar. The sidebar on the left of
every page gets you to them, and to the tools you use everywhere.

## The sidebar

| Item | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Apps** | Opens the app drawer. Select it again to close the drawer |
| **Files** | Opens the file browser. See [File browser](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/file-browser) |
| **To Do** | Opens your to do list. See [To do](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/todo) |
| **Search** | Opens Spotlight search |
| **In Trial** | Shown while your Clockwork CRM is in its free trial. Hover over it to see how long is left. Selecting it opens the subscription page, where you add a payment method. See [Subscription information](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/admin/subscription) |
| **Exports** | Shown when an export you started is ready. The badge counts the exports waiting. Selecting it opens the **Documents** tab of your profile and clears the count. See [Your profile](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/profile#documents) |
| **My Profile** | Your profile picture, or a person icon if you have not added one. Opens your profile. See [Your profile](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/profile) |
| **Clockout** | Signs you out |

When an administrator is signed in as another user, the sidebar also shows an impersonation item.
Selecting it stops the impersonation and returns the administrator to
**Administrator Tools → Users**.

## The app drawer

**Apps** opens the app drawer.

![The app drawer: categories, the applications in the chosen category, and upcoming activities](https://clockworkcrm.blob.core.windows.net/public-internal/docs/general/app-drawer.png?v=ec7dc651)

The drawer has these parts:

| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| **Categories** | The areas of Clockwork CRM. Selecting one lists its applications |
| **Applications** | The applications in the selected category, each with a short description. Selecting one opens it |
| Your name and photo | Selecting your photo opens your profile |
| Credits | Your Clockwork CRM's remaining email credits and automation credits, as the amount left out of the monthly allowance. A **+** figure beside them is top-up credits, which are used after the monthly allowance and never expire |
| Counts | Three icons: unread emails, which opens the email client; unread notifications, which opens **Notification Stream**; and unread calendar notifications, which opens the calendar |
| **Upcoming Activities** | Your next three calendar activities in the coming week. Selecting one opens it in the calendar |
| **Your Popular People** | The three people you have viewed most recently and most often. Selecting one opens their record |
| **Latest Emails** | Your three most recent emails. Selecting one opens the email client |
| **Your Popular Companies** | The three companies you have viewed most recently and most often. Selecting one opens its record |

The category of the page you are on is selected when the drawer opens.

The categories are **Administrator Tools**, **Automations**, **Calendar**, **Case Management**,
**Contacts**, **Emails**, **General**, **Marketing**, **Products & Services**, **Projects**,
**Sales** and **Help**. Plugins can add their own categories.

You only see the applications your teams have permission to use, and a category with none of them is
hidden. **Administrator Tools** is shown to administrators only. See
[Teams and permissions](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/admin/teams).

The version of Clockwork CRM you are using is shown at the bottom of the drawer.

## Each app's top bar

Every app has its own top bar across the top of the page, holding that app's sections. For example,
Contacts has **Add Contact**, **Import Contacts**, **Find Duplicates**, **Properties** and
**Call Log**. The bar changes with the page: on a contact's record it holds **Back to contacts**,
**Edit Contact** and **Delete Contact**.

Most apps also have a quick search box at the right of the bar, which shows matches as you type, and
a **Detail Search** link for searching by more criteria.

## Spotlight search

Spotlight search finds records across Clockwork CRM from any page.

![Spotlight search, with results grouped by type](https://clockworkcrm.blob.core.windows.net/public-internal/docs/general/spotlight-search.png?v=7e4d72a2)

To search:

1. Select **Search** in the sidebar, or press **Alt + Shift + F**.
2. Type in the **Spotlight Search...** box. Results appear as you type.
3. Select a result, or move through the results with the up and down arrow keys. The selected
   result is previewed on the right.
4. Select the preview's button, such as **Go to Person Record**, or press **Enter**, to open it.

Press **Alt + Shift + F** again, or select outside the search, to close it.

Results are grouped, with a count for each group. Each group lists up to 50 results, and shows
**50+** when there are more.

| Group | Matched on | The preview shows |
|---|---|---|
| **Apps** | The application's name or description | The application, with **Go to App** |
| **People** | Full name | Photo, job role, company, primary email, telephone and mobile, with **Go to Person Record**. Selecting the email address opens a new email to them |
| **Companies** | Name | Logo, registration number (linked to Companies House), primary email, telephone, website and address (linked to Google Maps), with **Go to Company Record** |
| **Projects** | Name | Whether it is complete or in progress, description, due date and value, with **Go to Project** |
| **Sales** | Name | Importance as stars, chance of success, whether it is open or closed, description, estimated and actual close dates and value, with **Go to Sale** |
| **Cases** | Title | Case number, type, status, summary and due date, with **Go to Case** |
| **Knowledge Base Articles** | Title | The article's title, with **Go to Article** |

Apps are only found if you have permission to use them.

## Related

- [Your dashboard](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/dashboard)
- [Notifications](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/notifications)
- [Your profile](https://help.clockworkcrm.com/general/profile)