Smash the continue button. Hit the F4 button to see the mailbox or F3 to enter the squad screen. Many people play the Football Manager with the shortcuts. If you would think about it, it's mainly the game of shortcuts. There's plenty of them available in the game. But. Did you ever think about to change the default ones?
I did that some time ago and I'm using my own system same as I'm using the customised sidebar on the left side of the screen.
The sidebar customisation is very easy. Just move icons by your mouse. Same as you can move the horizontal dividers.
I like to have it as in the picture. Schedule and Home bottom of the sidebar, mailbox separated, same as tactics and training. All the squads with team report and development centre together.
The rest contain three groups related to the club info, scouting and transfers and the last three are the "most rest" I used very less.
My current version of the customised sidebar
The most used shortcuts/screens
If you want to set your own shortcuts, or if you want to just check the default options, just go to Preferences and type shortcuts to the search bar. It will appear here.
You can see the keyboard commands sorted by name as it starts with Game - Continue option etc.
I didn't edit these so far. I still use spacebar to continue or CTRL+S to save the game.
But I changed or edited the "key bindings" for several screens what I'm using most often. I set them for F1 - F11 commands.
As you can see, F3 remained the same - the squad. But I changed, for example, the home screen, I also use F2 for the mailbox instead of F4 as this one is used for the tactics screen.
The highlighted shortcuts in the picture below are the most used right now. F12 is not here because it's set as taking a screenshot by default for the Steam.
If you would like to edit it by your own, just click the specific shortcut and Remove and +Add New buttons will appear here.
You can completely change it. But you can also have more shortcuts for the same line. For example - F4 and CTRL+T for tactics. And You can also restore it all to default.
The game of shortcuts
What shortcuts I also like to use?
There are other shortcuts I like to use during playing the game. Some of them are the same as default, some of them were edited during the time.
ALT+S - take a screenshot and save it to the Documents/Football Manager 2020/screenshots (you can set the picture format [png or bmp] in the Preferences too, just type Save Screenshots As)
SHIFT+F - visit the finances summary screen
SHIFT+T - notebook in the game, mainly when I want to make a quick note or create some reminder, usually about some transfer or loan.
SHIFT+R - reload skin, mainly when I'm editing the custom skin.
SHIFT+S - staff responsibilities.
- I'm using the same type of mouse for many years because I like the simple function when you are able to go back or forward with the mouse scroll wheel just as it's available to move left/right. It makes it easy and I don't have to use other keys.
You can also use the left/right arrow within your keyboard to go back or forward. You can also decide in Preferences if you will leave the player or staff screen when you use the back option.
Possible improvement?
If there is something that I would like to improve in the future, it has to be the option to be able to add our own shortcuts.
I mean, you can set the exact shortcut right now but only for the already available screens.
Example: you are now able to add/remove command shortcuts for the Scouting - Assignments and Scouting - Knowledge screens. But I would like to add the Scouting Centre screen as well.
Unfortunately, it's not available because the Scouting Centre screen is not on the list.
One of my shortcuts is F9 for the Tactics - Set Pieces screen but if you would expect the shortcut will take you straight to the set piece creator, you are not right. It will get you to the Set Piece Takers screen because it's the first one in the set pieces drop-down menu.
Until this will be available, it's better to click to the Tactics icon in the sidebar with the right mouse button and go straight to the set pieces creator to corners, free kicks or throw-ins. I will change some of the shortcuts probably in the future. For example the set pieces I mentioned above as it's not as useful as I would like. I still have to make one more click to go to the corners or free kicks.
It's just the game of the shortcuts and you are the one who will decide how you will use them. Do you use them? Feel free to vote or comment what do you like to use.
Pictures & videos shortcuts
Time from time, someone asks me about how to capture things from the game. Mainly longer videos.
I'm using Gyazo or Lightshot for pictures. The first one mainly for quick pictures without edit, or to use the picture link to the text. Lightshot is good because of the unlimited library for free.
The biggest advantage in comparison with Gyazo where you would have to have a PRO version to have more than last 10 pictures/videos.
Gyazo is a very good software to take short gifs from the game (not only of course). But you are limited to 7 seconds by the free version.
For all the pictures or videos capture, I'm using shortcuts. For example, gif capture is CTRL+SHIFT+A. Try to put your fingers to these keys, it's nice they are close to each other. Both these programs offer the option to set your own shortcuts.
Lightshot has, for example, a great option to "Instant upload of the fullscreen" to the library. If you play FM in full mode, you can have the screen in several seconds.
I like to share longer videos on Twitter to show the full build-up before the goal for example. It's taken by GeForce Experience/in-game overlay when you are able to choose your own short key to record video.
And you just hit this hotkey during playing the game and it will record what you want.