Dashboard Overview
After signing in, you land on your Dashboard -- the central hub where you access your modules, manage your subscriptions, and reach the assistant, support, and literature search tools.
The header (always visible at the top)
A fixed header runs across the top of the page at all times. It contains two things:
- The e-picos logo (left) -- clicking it has no extra action; it is decorative.
- Your account menu (right) -- shows a user icon and your registered email address (the email is hidden on mobile screens to save space).
Clicking the email/icon opens a small dropdown with three items:
| Item | Action |
|---|---|
| Your email address | Displayed at the top of the dropdown, truncated if too long |
| Settings | Opens the Settings page |
| Sign Out | Ends your session, clears all stored data, and returns you to the home page |
If sign-out fails for any reason, the platform still clears your local session and sends you back to the home page so you are never left in a stuck state.
The welcome area
Below the header you are greeted with:
Welcome back, Researcher -- "Continue your research or start a new analysis"
This heading is the same for everyone -- it does not yet display your name personally.
Dashboard layout
The Dashboard is organised into five vertical blocks, in this order:
- Subscription Status panel
- Three quick-access shortcuts -- Need Help?, Support, and PicoSearch
- Module Grid -- all seven modules, each as a card
- Promo Code Input
- How to Cite E-PICOS panel
Three pop-up dialogs are loaded but only become visible when you trigger them:
- The E-PICOS Assistant dialog (opens via the Need Help? button)
- The Consultancy Form (opens from inside the Assistant)
- The Support Center (opens via the Support button)
Subscription Status
Just below the welcome message, a single-row panel summarises your current module subscriptions.
When you have no active modules
The panel shows a grey crown icon with: "No Active Modules -- Subscribe to access research modules"
This is the default state for new accounts.
When you have at least one active module
The panel shows a crown icon with a summary:
- "Active Module" (singular) if you own exactly one
- "N Active Modules" (plural with count) if you own two or more
Click the row to expand it. You then see a list of each active module with:
- A small green dot showing it is currently active
- The module name (e.g. Calculator & MyData)
- The expiry date of your subscription, shown in Month Day, Year format
Manage Billing
To the right of the panel you see a Manage Billing button (with an external-link icon). Clicking it:
- Briefly shows a loading state.
- Creates a secure session with the Stripe billing portal.
- Redirects you to the Stripe Customer Portal in the same tab.
Inside the Stripe portal you can update your payment method, view past invoices, cancel subscriptions, and see your full billing history. When you finish, you are sent back to your dashboard automatically.
If the billing portal cannot be opened for any reason, a browser alert appears: "Failed to open billing portal. Please try again."
Module Grid
Below the shortcuts you see all seven modules as cards in a responsive grid (1 column on mobile, up to 4 columns on large screens).
While the modules data is still loading, each card shows a pulsing placeholder.
Cards for modules you own
The card shows the module icon, title, an "Active" badge, a short description, and the text "Click to access". Clicking anywhere on the card opens that module in the same tab. Your session token is carried with you so you do not need to sign in again.
Cards for modules you do not own
The card shows the module icon, title, a price badge (e.g. $19/month), and a short description, plus two buttons:
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| More Info | Opens the module's public website in a new tab |
| Buy Now | Starts the Stripe checkout flow for that module's subscription |
While checkout is being prepared, the Buy Now button shows a loading state. Once Stripe is ready, you are redirected to a secure checkout page.
If you are not signed in and try to open a module card, you are first sent to the sign-in page with a returnUrl so that after signing in you are taken straight to that module.
Promo Code Input
Below the Module Grid you find a section for entering a promo code. Promo codes grant access to modules for a specified period.
How to Cite E-PICOS
At the very bottom of the dashboard sits the How to Cite E-PICOS panel. It provides six expandable citation formats (Most Recommended, In-text, APA, IEEE, Nature/Science, In-sentence) that you can copy with a single click for use in your publications.
Always-on overlays
Two elements stay loaded on the dashboard regardless of what you are doing:
- Cookie Banner -- appears at the bottom of the screen until you make a consent choice
- Profile Completion Dialog -- appears as a modal if your profile is still incomplete; it must be filled in before you can use the dashboard