# Quick tour of the Pentaho User Console
If you use file management tools or any web browser, you should feel right at home with the Pentaho User Console (PUC). To familiarize yourself with the different features and options of the User Console, take a quick tour.
{% hint style="info" %}
The features and options you see depend on your role and permissions.
See the **Pentaho Business Analytics** documentation for full details.
{% endhint %}
Jump to a section:
* [Log in](#log-in-to-the-pentaho-user-console)
* [Home](#home)
* [Opened](#opened)
* [Use Pentaho tools](#use-pentaho-tools)
* [Browse Files](#browse-files)
* [Schedules](#schedules)
* [Administration](#administration)
### Log in to the Pentaho User Console
Follow these steps to log in to the User Console.
1. Launch a web browser.
2. Enter the URL for the Pentaho Server.
Your IT administrator can provide the URL.
3. On the Welcome page, enter your username and password.
4. Select **Log in**.
You can also use **Log in as an evaluator** if enabled.
### Home
After you log in, you land on the Home perspective. Use it to start most tasks.
| Item | Name | Function |
| ---- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 1 | User menu | Shows the name of the user currently logged in to the User Console. To log out or change your password, click the arrow next to your username. |
| 2 | **Home** | Indicates the Home perspective, which you can use to explore learning resources, create reports, dashboards and data sources, open recent files, view Help documentation, and access other User Console perspectives. Click Home and use the drop-down menu to navigate to the different perspectives:
- Home - Shows the Home perspective. See the Pentaho Business Analytics documentation for more information.
- Opened - Shows your open files.
- Browse Files - Helps you access, view, and manage the files and folders you need.
- Schedules - Shows your active scheduled reports, any block out times, and allows you to create, edit, and maintain report schedules.
- Administration - Allows you to perform user setup, mail server configuration, revise Pentaho Server authentication settings, and view the available Pentaho licenses.
|
| 3 | **Getting Started** | Shows resources to help you get familiar with Pentaho. Click the tabs in this section for videos, and report and dashboard examples.- The Welcome tab contains an introductory video about Pentaho products. Click the play icon to view the video.
- The Samples tab contains sample reports and dashboards that you can use to get familiar with the features and functionality of the User Console. Click Explore to view the samples.
- The Tutorials tab contains tutorial videos that provide a visual tour of the User Console, reports, and dashboards. Click Watch the Video to view the tutorial.
|
| 4 | **Browse Files** | Opens the Browse Files perspective, where you can locate your files and folders, manage files, and schedule reports. Any file that you open appears in a new tab on the Opened perspective. |
| 5 | **Create New** | Allows you to create new reports, dashboards, and data sources, if your user role has permissions. |
| 6 | **Manage Data Sources** | Allows you to manage existing, and add new, data sources. |
| 7 | **Documentation** | Opens the [Pentaho documentation](https://docs.hitachivantara.com/) in a new window or tab. |
| 8 | **Recents** | Shows a list of your most recently opened files. Click the star next to the file name to add it to Favorites. |
| 9 | **Favorites** | Shows a list of your favorite files for quick access. To add a file for future access, use **Recents**, or select **Add to Favorites** in Browse Files. |
### Opened
The Opened perspective contains your open files. It appears after you open a file from **Recents**, **Favorites**, or the **Browse Files** perspective.
Select **Home** > **Opened**.
The icons and options you see depend on the file type you select. See the **Pentaho Business Analytics** documentation for more information.
#### Use Pentaho tools
Your download includes sample reports and dashboards. It also includes the Steel Wheels sample database.
* [Interactive Reports](/pdia-try-pdia/archive-flattened-pages/get-started-with-interactive-reports.md) helps you create operational, tabular reports.
* [Analyzer Reports](/pdia-try-pdia/archive-flattened-pages/get-started-with-analyzer-reports.md) helps you explore data visually with filtering and drill-down.
* [Dashboard Designer](/pdia-try-pdia/archive-flattened-pages/get-started-with-dashboard-designer.md) helps you combine multiple visuals into one dashboard.
### Browse Files
The Browse Files perspective helps you organize, find, and manage files. Your files can be local, stored in the repository, or accessed through a virtual file system (VFS) connection.
Select **Home** > **Browse Files**.
You can use this view for file management and actions like sharing and scheduling. See the **Pentaho Business Analytics** documentation for more information.
### Schedules
The Schedules perspective shows your active scheduled reports.
Select **Home** > **Schedules**.
You can view recurrence patterns, last run time, next run time, and status. You can also edit schedules and create blockout times. See the **Pentaho Business Analytics** documentation for more information.
### Administration
The Administration perspective is for users with the **Administer Security** permission.
Select **Home** > **Administration**.
If you do not have admin privileges, you do not see **Administration**.
Options include:
* **Users & Roles**
* **Authentication**
* **Mail Server**
* **Licenses**
* **VFS Connections**
* **Settings**
* **Email Groups**
See the **Pentaho Business Analytics** documentation for more information.
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