The project database can be accessed in a number of ways. The user can click on the "See project database" hyperlink at the top of the Start worksheet; or the database can be accessed by clicking on the RETScreen menu bar or floating tool bar (see "Data & help access"). Once the project database dialogue box is open, the user then chooses either the built-in templates, case studies or user-defined projects by clicking on the appropriate tab. The user can also start a completely new project by selecting the Templates tab and then clicking on the "New" button at the right. This will clear all input cells in the software.

To help the user search the database, the order of each column title (e.g. Project type, Project name, etc.) can be sorted alphabetically by clicking on the title. The user can also choose, for example, to have the "Project location" column first to the left by dragging the title completely to the left.

Templates, case studies and user-defined projects are opened by clicking on the appropriate row and then clicking the OK button at the bottom of the dialogue box, or simply by double-clicking on the appropriate row. The OK button closes the dialogue box and automatically switches the software's input and output cells directly to the project chosen. The user can then modify the inputs for their particular project situation. Note that if the user was already working on the software file, the user should first save the file; otherwise all the information will be lost once the project switches. The Cancel button closes the dialogue box without automatically switching the software, the Print button is used to print the dialogue box, and the Help button opens the user manual. The X button at the top right corner of the form closes the dialogue box without automatically switching the software.

For user-defined projects, the same steps are taken, but the user must first open a RETScreen ".ret" file. This is described in more detail in "User-defined."

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Case Studies / Templates
User-defined