System Navigation Guide
How to find your way around DHIS2 — for data entry staff and programme partners
What We'll Cover
Core Navigation (for Everyone)
The Top Bar
App Menu
Click to open all available apps. Your apps depend on your role.
Search Bar
Type an app name to find it quickly — faster than scrolling.
Notifications
System messages and alerts appear here.
Profile Icon (top right)
Access your profile, change password, and log out.
User Profile & Password
- 1
Click your profile icon (top right) — shows your name and a dropdown menu
- 2
Select "Edit profile" — opens your profile settings page
- 3
Scroll to "Change password" — enter current password, then new password twice
- 4
Click Save — you will be logged out and asked to log in with the new password
⚠️ First login: Change your temporary password immediately. Use at least 8 characters with letters and numbers.
Language & Locale Settings
💡 Tip: If you switch to Nepali and can't find a setting, the menus are in the same position — just translated.
Browser Cache & Cache Cleaner
When to clear:
- Dashboards show old or blank data
- Forms or apps behave unexpectedly
- After your role or group was changed
- After a system update
DHIS2 way
App menu → search "Cache" → open Browser Cache Cleaner → click Clear All. Then refresh the page.
Browser way
Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac) → clear cached images and files.
Data Entry App (for Data Entry Users)
Opening a Data Entry Form
- 1
Open the Data Entry app — App menu (⊞) → click Data Entry
- 2
Select the Dataset — choose "Health facility data collection tools" from dropdown
- 3
Select your Organisation Unit — pick your assigned ward or health facility from the tree
- 4
Select the Period — choose correct month and year
Filling & Saving Data
Click a cell and type the number — press Tab to move to next field, cell turns green when saved
Data saves automatically — each cell saves when you move away, no need to click Save per row
Click "Complete" when finished — marks form as fully submitted for that period, do only when all fields filled
⚠️ Warning: Do not click Complete until all data for that month is entered. Completed forms are harder to edit.
Editing a Previous Entry
- 1
Open Data Entry and select the same dataset, org unit, and period — previously entered values appear
- 2
If form shows as "Completed" — click Incomplete first — unlocks the form for editing
- 3
Edit the values you need to change — click cell, clear old value, type correct number
- 4
Click Complete again when done
ℹ️ Can't edit? If the period has expired (past the submission deadline), only a Superuser can reopen it. Contact your system administrator.
Capture App (for Data Entry Users)
Finding a Programme
- 1
Open the Capture app — App menu (⊞) → click Capture
- 2
Select your Organisation Unit — use org unit selector at top
- 3
Select the Programme — only programmes your group has access to appear
ℹ️ Don't see your programme? You may not be in the right User Group. Contact your administrator to be added to Capture Entry Community Group or Capture Entry HF Group.
Registering a New Event
- 1
Click "+ New Event" — button appears top right of programme's event list
- 2
Fill in the event date — date the visit or assessment took place, not today's date if different
- 3
Fill in all required fields — fields marked with * are mandatory
- 4
Click Save Event — event appears in event list
Searching & Editing Events
Use the search bar — filter events by date range or other fields
Click Edit on any row — opens event form with existing values
Works on mobile too — open DHIS2 URL in mobile browser, events save with slow connection
User Management (for Partner/Admin Users)
Reset a Password
- 1
Find the user → click ✏️ Edit
- 2
Scroll to the Password field
- 3
Enter a new temporary password and Save
- 4
Share the new password securely with the user
Disable a User
- 1
Find the user → click ✏️ Edit
- 2
Find the "Disable" toggle or checkbox
- 3
Enable it and Save — the user cannot log in anymore
- 4
To re-enable: repeat and uncheck the disable toggle
💡 Tip: Disable users who leave the programme — do not delete accounts. Disabling keeps the data history intact.
Common Gotchas (for Everyone)
❌ Dataset not visible in Data Entry app
✅ Fix: You are not in the right User Group. Ask admin to add you to Dataset Entry Group. Then log out and back in.
❌ Programme not visible in Capture app
✅ Fix: Your group doesn't have access. Ask admin to add you to Capture Entry Community Group or Capture Entry HF Group.
❌ Form is locked / can't edit
✅ Fix: Period may have expired or form is Complete. Click Incomplete to unlock. If period expired, contact Superuser admin.
❌ Health facility not in the org unit list
✅ Fix: Account not assigned to that facility. Ask admin to edit your account and assign correct Organisation Unit.
❌ "You don't have permission" error
✅ Fix: Your role doesn't allow that action. Contact admin — may need different role or additional authorities.
❌ Forgot password / locked out
✅ Fix: Too many failed attempts locks account. Contact a user manager (partner1–4) or admin to reset your password.
How to Log Out Properly
- 1
Click your profile icon (top right corner)
- 2
Click "Log out"
- 3
Close the browser tab — especially on shared computers
⚠️ Shared computers: Always log out after your session. Never leave DHIS2 open and unattended.
ℹ️ Session timeout: DHIS2 automatically logs you out after a period of inactivity. Save your work frequently.
Useful Links
Hello World — Health Informatics Training Series