diff --git a/PostFundManagement.ConsoleUI/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx b/PostFundManagement.ConsoleUI/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx
index d3458a3..35fc545 100644
--- a/PostFundManagement.ConsoleUI/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx
+++ b/PostFundManagement.ConsoleUI/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ import {
   ShieldAlert,
   Settings,
   LogOut,
-  Menu,
-  X,
   ChevronRight,
   ChevronDown,
   ShieldCheck,
@@ -19,6 +17,10 @@ import {
   Users,
   GitPullRequest,
   MapPin,
+  PanelLeftClose,
+  PanelLeftOpen,
+  ChevronsLeft,
+  ChevronsRight,
 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useAuth } from '../../auth/AuthProvider';
 import { BrandLogo } from '../ui/BrandLogo';
@@ -181,42 +183,115 @@ export const AppLayout: React.FC = () => {
       {/* Sidebar */}
       <aside
         className={`${
-          sidebarOpen ? 'w-64' : 'w-20'
-        } shrink-0 bg-[#0b101b]/95 text-slate-200 border-r border-slate-800/80 transition-all duration-300 flex flex-col z-30 shadow-2xl backdrop-blur-md`}
+          sidebarOpen ? 'w-64' : 'w-[72px]'
+        } shrink-0 bg-gradient-to-b from-[#0b101b] via-[#090d16] to-[#0b101b] text-slate-200 border-r border-slate-800/80 transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out flex flex-col z-30 shadow-2xl backdrop-blur-md relative`}
       >
         {/* Brand Header */}
-        <div className="h-16 px-4 flex items-center justify-between border-b border-slate-800/80 bg-[#0d121f]/90">
-          <Link
-            to="/"
-            id="nav-brand-home-link"
-            title="Go to Home page"
-            className="flex items-center gap-3 overflow-hidden group cursor-pointer"
-          >
-            <BrandLogo size={36} showGlow animateOnHover />
-            {sidebarOpen && (
-              <div className="flex flex-col min-w-0">
-                <span className="font-bold text-sm tracking-tight text-white truncate group-hover:text-blue-400 transition">
-                  PFM Console
-                </span>
-                <span className="text-[11px] text-blue-400 font-medium tracking-tight">Enterprise Management</span>
-              </div>
-            )}
-          </Link>
-          <button
-            onClick={() => setSidebarOpen(!sidebarOpen)}
-            className="rounded-lg p-1.5 text-slate-400 hover:text-white hover:bg-slate-800/60 transition cursor-pointer"
-            title={sidebarOpen ? 'Collapse sidebar' : 'Expand sidebar'}
-          >
-            {sidebarOpen ? <X className="w-4 h-4" /> : <Menu className="w-4 h-4" />}
-          </button>
+        <div className={`h-16 border-b border-slate-800/80 bg-[#0d121f]/90 flex items-center transition-all ${
+          sidebarOpen ? 'px-4 justify-between' : 'px-2 justify-center'
+        }`}>
+          {sidebarOpen ? (
+            <>
+              <Link
+                to="/"
+                id="nav-brand-home-link"
+                title="Go to Home page"
+                className="flex items-center gap-3 overflow-hidden group cursor-pointer"
+              >
+                <BrandLogo size={32} showGlow animateOnHover />
+                <div className="flex flex-col min-w-0">
+                  <span className="font-bold text-sm tracking-tight text-white truncate group-hover:text-blue-400 transition">
+                    PFM Console
+                  </span>
+                  <span className="text-[11px] text-blue-400 font-medium tracking-tight">Enterprise Management</span>
+                </div>
+              </Link>
+              <button
+                onClick={() => setSidebarOpen(false)}
+                className="p-1.5 rounded-lg text-slate-400 hover:text-white hover:bg-slate-800/80 border border-transparent hover:border-slate-700/60 transition cursor-pointer shadow-xs"
+                title="Collapse sidebar shelf"
+                aria-label="Collapse sidebar shelf"
+              >
+                <PanelLeftClose className="w-4 h-4" />
+              </button>
+            </>
+          ) : (
+            <div className="flex items-center justify-center">
+              <Link
+                to="/"
+                id="nav-brand-home-link-collapsed"
+                title="PFM Console • Go to Home page"
+                className="cursor-pointer transition transform hover:scale-105"
+              >
+                <BrandLogo size={32} showGlow animateOnHover />
+              </Link>
+            </div>
+          )}
         </div>
 
+        {/* Collapsed Shelf Expand Button */}
+        {!sidebarOpen && (
+          <div className="pt-2 pb-1 px-2 flex justify-center border-b border-slate-800/40">
+            <button
+              onClick={() => setSidebarOpen(true)}
+              className="w-10 h-8 flex items-center justify-center rounded-lg text-slate-400 hover:text-blue-400 hover:bg-blue-600/10 border border-slate-800 hover:border-blue-500/30 transition cursor-pointer shadow-xs group relative"
+              title="Expand sidebar shelf"
+              aria-label="Expand sidebar shelf"
+            >
+              <PanelLeftOpen className="w-4 h-4 transition-transform group-hover:scale-110" />
+              <div className="absolute left-full ml-3 px-2.5 py-1 bg-slate-900 text-white text-xs font-semibold rounded-lg shadow-2xl border border-slate-700 whitespace-nowrap z-50 pointer-events-none opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-all duration-150">
+                Expand Navigation Shelf
+              </div>
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
         {/* Navigation Items */}
-        <nav className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto px-3 py-4 space-y-1.5">
+        <nav className={`flex-1 overflow-y-auto space-y-1.5 ${sidebarOpen ? 'px-3 py-4' : 'px-2 py-3'}`}>
           {visibleNavItems.map((item) => {
             const Icon = item.icon;
             const hasSub = item.subItems && item.subItems.length > 0;
 
+            if (!sidebarOpen) {
+              return (
+                <div key={item.path} className="flex justify-center">
+                  <NavLink
+                    to={item.path}
+                    end={hasSub}
+                    className={({ isActive }) =>
+                      `group relative flex items-center justify-center w-11 h-11 rounded-xl transition-all ${
+                        isActive
+                          ? 'bg-gradient-to-r from-blue-600 to-indigo-600 text-white shadow-lg shadow-blue-600/30 font-semibold ring-1 ring-blue-400/50'
+                          : 'text-slate-400 hover:text-white hover:bg-slate-800/70 border border-transparent hover:border-slate-700/60'
+                      }`
+                    }
+                    title={item.name}
+                  >
+                    <Icon className="w-5 h-5 shrink-0" />
+                    {/* Hover Floating Tooltip Shelf */}
+                    <div className="absolute left-full ml-3 px-3 py-2 bg-[#0d1322] text-slate-100 rounded-xl shadow-2xl border border-slate-700/90 whitespace-nowrap z-50 pointer-events-none opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-all duration-150 translate-x-1 group-hover:translate-x-0 min-w-[160px]">
+                      <div className="text-xs font-bold text-white flex items-center gap-1.5">
+                        <Icon className="w-3.5 h-3.5 text-blue-400" />
+                        <span>{item.name}</span>
+                      </div>
+                      <div className="text-[10px] text-slate-400 font-normal mt-0.5 max-w-[200px] line-clamp-2">
+                        {item.help}
+                      </div>
+                      {hasSub && (
+                        <div className="mt-1.5 pt-1.5 border-t border-slate-800 flex flex-col gap-1 text-[10px] text-blue-300">
+                          {item.subItems?.map((s) => (
+                            <span key={s.path} className="flex items-center gap-1 text-slate-300">
+                              • {s.name}
+                            </span>
+                          ))}
+                        </div>
+                      )}
+                    </div>
+                  </NavLink>
+                </div>
+              );
+            }
+
             return (
               <div key={item.path} className="space-y-1">
                 <NavLink
@@ -231,12 +306,12 @@ export const AppLayout: React.FC = () => {
                   }
                   title={item.name}
                 >
-                  <Icon className="w-4 h-4 shrink-0" />
-                  {sidebarOpen && <span className="truncate flex-1">{item.name}</span>}
+                  <Icon className="w-4.5 h-4.5 shrink-0" />
+                  <span className="truncate flex-1">{item.name}</span>
                 </NavLink>
 
                 {/* Sub-items under parent item */}
-                {hasSub && sidebarOpen && (
+                {hasSub && (
                   <div className="pl-6 pr-1 py-1 space-y-1 border-l border-slate-800/80 ml-5">
                     {item.subItems?.map((subItem) => {
                       const SubIcon = subItem.icon;
@@ -266,12 +341,13 @@ export const AppLayout: React.FC = () => {
         </nav>
 
         {/* User Card */}
-        <div className="p-3 border-t border-slate-800/80 bg-[#0d121f]/90">
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
-            <div className="h-9 w-9 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-blue-600/20 border border-blue-500/40 flex items-center justify-center font-bold text-xs text-blue-400">
-              {tokenUserName ? tokenUserName.slice(0, 2).toUpperCase() : 'AU'}
-            </div>
-            {sidebarOpen && (
+        <div className={`border-t border-slate-800/80 bg-[#0d121f]/90 ${sidebarOpen ? 'p-3' : 'p-2'}`}>
+          {sidebarOpen ? (
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+              <div className="h-9 w-9 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-blue-600/20 border border-blue-500/40 flex items-center justify-center font-bold text-xs text-blue-400 relative shadow-xs">
+                {tokenUserName ? tokenUserName.slice(0, 2).toUpperCase() : 'AU'}
+                <span className="absolute bottom-0 right-0 w-2.5 h-2.5 rounded-full bg-emerald-500 border-2 border-[#0d121f]" title="Active Online Session" />
+              </div>
               <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
                 <p className="text-xs font-semibold text-white truncate" title={tokenUserName}>
                   {tokenUserName}
@@ -280,16 +356,38 @@ export const AppLayout: React.FC = () => {
                   {tokenUserEmail || 'Authenticated User'}
                 </p>
               </div>
-            )}
-            <button
-              onClick={handleLogout}
-              id="sidebar-logout-btn"
-              className="rounded-lg p-1.5 text-slate-400 hover:text-rose-400 hover:bg-rose-950/30 transition cursor-pointer"
-              title="Sign Out of Session"
-            >
-              <LogOut className="w-4 h-4" />
-            </button>
-          </div>
+              <button
+                onClick={handleLogout}
+                id="sidebar-logout-btn"
+                className="rounded-lg p-1.5 text-slate-400 hover:text-rose-400 hover:bg-rose-950/30 transition cursor-pointer"
+                title="Sign Out of Session"
+              >
+                <LogOut className="w-4 h-4" />
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          ) : (
+            <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-2">
+              <div
+                className="h-10 w-10 shrink-0 rounded-xl bg-blue-600/20 border border-blue-500/40 flex items-center justify-center font-bold text-xs text-blue-400 relative group cursor-pointer shadow-xs"
+                title={`${tokenUserName} (${tokenUserEmail})`}
+              >
+                {tokenUserName ? tokenUserName.slice(0, 2).toUpperCase() : 'AU'}
+                <span className="absolute -bottom-0.5 -right-0.5 w-3 h-3 rounded-full bg-emerald-500 border-2 border-[#0d121f]" />
+                <div className="absolute left-full ml-3 px-3 py-2 bg-[#0d1322] text-white text-xs font-medium rounded-xl shadow-2xl border border-slate-700 whitespace-nowrap z-50 pointer-events-none opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-all duration-150">
+                  <div className="font-semibold">{tokenUserName}</div>
+                  <div className="text-[10px] text-slate-400 font-mono mt-0.5">{tokenUserEmail}</div>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+              <button
+                onClick={handleLogout}
+                id="sidebar-logout-btn-collapsed"
+                className="w-10 h-9 rounded-xl flex items-center justify-center text-slate-400 hover:text-rose-400 hover:bg-rose-950/30 border border-transparent hover:border-rose-900/40 transition cursor-pointer"
+                title="Sign Out of Session"
+              >
+                <LogOut className="w-4 h-4" />
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          )}
         </div>
       </aside>