3.1 Tools (standard users see this column)
3.1.1 Order List
The Order List shows the user all the Order currently in the system for projects that the user has rights to. It provides filtering by order status and date range. There is an Advanced Search tool to search by any field in the Order. The columns can be configured as described below in Section 3.1.3. Sorting can be done by Column and by ascending/descending order. In the screen grab below the sorting was done by Deadline in descending order (most recent deadline first).
3.1.2 Create Order
Use this form for creating a new order. This option is only available if the user has a workflow role which has Create Order permissions.
See 3.3.10 Workflows for more details.
3.1.3 List Columns
This page allows the user to select which columns to display in the Order List page and in what order. The column headings can be dragged left to right or between the Hidden and Visible columns row to select the desired view.
3.2 Reports
Usage Reports are available to Order Superusers. Click on Order > Reports > Home to open the Reports Page. The reports fall into two categories. The first is Reports and is visible to Group Level and Station Level Order Superusers. The second is Data Reports which is visible only to Group Level Superusers.
3.2.1 Reports
3.2.1.1 Project Distribution By Hour
This report shows the distribution of Order placed by time of day for a specified time period. This is a convenient way to visualize the workload on the art department during the day.
3.2.1.2 User List
List of User’s within your organization, including their contact information. This list includes users who may not be enabled to use Order.
3.2.1.3 Current Project Distribution
Show the current status of all open orders in your organization. Show which designer the order is assigned to and which state the order is currently in. This report helps balance the workload in the art department.
3.2.1.4 Usage
This report is run over a selected time period and tracks the number of Orders placed by Group/Station/Department, and the number of hours spent on these orders if it is entered in the Order sheet by the designer in the Hub Use Only tab.
3.2.2 Data Reports
This section is only visible to a Group Level Order Superuser. These reports are downloaded as CSV files instead of displaying in the webpage. The reports are generated over a time period defined in this form at the top of the list.
3.2.2.1 Media Format Usage
This report will list the number or Orders generated per Media Format during the selected time period. Media Formats and Asset Type describe what kind of Asset was ordered.
3.2.2.2 User Assigned
This report shows the number of Orders assigned to specific designers during the select time period.
3.2.2.3 Asset Type Usage
This report will list the number or Orders generated per Asset Type during the selected time period. Media Formats and Asset Type describe what kind of Asset was ordered.
3.3 Administration
The Administration column gives Order Superusers access to administrative functions of Order. Group level superusers have more functions available compared to Station level superusers as shown below. It is expected that most Order deployments will be centralizing the designer resources and managing the system at the group level rather than individually at the station level.
| Group Level Superusers | Station Level Superusers |
3.3.1 Dashboard
The Dashboard is meant to be a high level view of the organization’s Order status. It first shows a list of Designers, the orders assigned to them, and state of those orders in graph form. Much of the information on the graph is clickable for further inspection. It also shows a list of open orders. The order list is also clickable.
3.3.2 Order Queue
The Order Queue page is designed to be used as a tally board displaying the order list in the simplest way possible. This display is not clickable and is meant to be displayed on a flat screen in the art department.
3.3.3 Projects
Order projects are a special case of Projects used throughout Axis. So it is good to review the standard project properties which apply to all Axis projects and the special project properties that apply only to Order projects.
3.3.3.1 Standard Properties of Order Projects
Order Projects comply with the organizational tiering of top level orgs and suborgs. Projects can be created at any level in the organization and assigned to users at any level in the organization. Sub-org superusers can only manage projects and users at their level or below. All Order Projects must be Private Projects therefore they must be specifically assigned to users. They usually will require read and write permission. Permissions can be set up to segregate users from each other. For instance, projects can be set up so that users at the art department hub can see all orders throughout the station group, but users at a station level can only see orders at their station level.
Project management is done by the administrator user. Typically the order projects will be managed by the top level organization’s administrator. Projects are assigned to users or groups of users.
3.3.3.2 Special Properties of Order Projects
Order Projects have special properties shown in the following screen grab. In many cases the projects are news programs (shows) that air at a certain date and time. Configuring this information helps create the deadlines for the orders. If the order is not for a show, the date and time may not be important and the deadline will be manually entered into the order instead.
- Name: The name of the project or show
- Time: If the project is a news program, this is the time that the show airs
- Time Zone: Time zone that the show is broadcast in. For instance, a station group’s art department may be on the east coast while the show airs on the west coast. This corrects the deadline times.
- Days: Which days of the week that the show airs. An order for a show will automatically create a deadline for the next time the show airs,
- Default Deadline: deadlines can default to the next time the show airs or a certain number of days.
- Allow Deadline Edit: Checking this box allows users to change the auto generated deadline for an order
- Project Colors: Changes the background and font colors used to display orders on the order list.
- Asset Types: Selects which Asset Types can be used in this project. Asset Types are usually either still or clip and may be configured for delivery to CAMIO.
3.3.4 Designers
This page assigns users as Designers. Designers is the list of users which appear on the ‘Assign To’ drop down in the order page. Only designers can be assigned to fulfill orders. Designers must also be assigned to the Artist role so that they can process an order that is ‘in fulfillment’ stage.
There is a special user type in Order called ‘limited user’. This is typically used for contract workers as opposed to full time employees. When a limited user looks at the Order List, they will only see orders which are already assigned to them.
3.3.5 Manage Hub Users
Hub Users is a special group in Order that has access to the Hub Use Only tab in the Order Form. Hub Users are first placed in a User Group (see §2.2.3) and the Group is added to the Hub Users list. Users cannot be individually added to the Hub Users list.
Hub Users are generally users in a centralized art department of a station group. They have access to the Hub User Only tab in the Order Form. This allows them to make internal notes and work estimates that are not visible to users outside of the group.
Hub Use Only activity and notes are not documented in the History tab.
3.3.6 Asset Types
Asset Types and Media Formats are used together to define the graphics which are being ordered. Asset Types is the more important heading in that they define the filename that will be used and the delivery location.
3.3.7 Media Formats
Media Formats are subclassifications of Asset Types which are arbitrary and up to the organization to define. For instance, an Asset Type of LUCI Still can have Media Formats such as ‘16:9’ or ‘PNG’ or ‘Head Shot’ as desired.
When creating a new Media Format it is possible to upload a thumbnail image to represent that format.
3.3.8 Deadline Settings
This page configures the colors displayed on the order list and order queue for orders which are approaching or past their deadlines. There are three categories; Getting Close, Almost and Passed. The time limits in hours for Getting Close and Almost are also selected here.
3.3.9 Manager Order Queue
This page configures the Order Queue display. It defines the Priority names and the order of those priorities. It defines which columns will be displayed in the order queue. And it defines how many orders will be displayed per page on the Order Queue.
3.3.10 Workflows
Workflows are the heart of the Order system. Each top level organization (e.g. station group) has its own Media Workflow and can only have a single workflow across the entire organization. Click on the workflow name to enter the Edit Workflow page.
This is an example of a workflow with 6 states. Each bubble in the flowchart represents a workflow state. An order is submitted by a producer, assigned to an artist by the art director, fulfilled by the artist with possible questions for the submitter, and finally reviewed and approved by art director or submitter.
This second workflow example has 10 states with more complex review and approval processes. Order is very flexible and can accommodate a wide range of workflows.
3.3.10.1 Edit Workflow
The Workflow is composed of two main components, Roles and States. Users are assigned to Roles. Roles define what permissions a user has at each State in the workflow. For instance, an Artist may or may not have permission to create an Order but definitely needs permission to work on an Order when it is In the Fulfillment state.
There is a predefined list of Workflow states that can be used to create the desired workflow. It is not possible to create a new workflow state but the states can be added and dropped and interconnected in many ways.
3.3.10.2 Edit Workflow Role
There is a basic list of role names that can be used and each organization can define their own role names as required.
Click on the Role name to enter the Edit Workflow Role page. From this page Users and User Groups can be assigned to this role.
Click on the appropriate boxes in “Workflow States this Role can Access” to assign the role to a state.
3.3.10.2 Edit Workflow States
This form will edit the properties of a workflow state. Different workflow states may have different properties. In this example, the properties are:
- Stay on Order after Transition Checkbox - option to stay on the order after transition or to return to the Order List page.
- Workflow Roles Assigned to this State - self explanatory
- System Roles Assigned to the State - System Roles are specific users which have a special relationship with this Order.
- Originator - the user that needed the order product but had someone else submit the order for them. This is not used often.
- Submitter - the user that created the order.
- AssignedTo - the user that is assigned as the designer/artist on the order.
- Transition States - one or more states to which the workflow will transition to on completion of this state. In this particular state there are two transitions depending on whether the order is approved or not.
3.3.11 Organization Settings
Organizations may desire to have users check a box to acknowledge they have permission to upload an asset or otherwise are authorized to perform a step in the workflow.
3.3.12 Edit Order Fields
The Group or Station level superuser can select which fields are displayed in the Order UI and in which order. Some fields are required and cannot be hidden.