Tips for project managers and admins

Once you understand the basics of project and jobs, it is a good idea to get familiar with the tools that will simplify your working day and boost efficiency and accuracy.

The project bar

A lot of your work as a project manager will start with the project bar. 

(Please note that most of these tools are only available to Workbench/Manager users. Client users and Resources have a more limited number of options.)

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Information

Icons

Each icon leads to a page or tool. Hovering over them will reveal a tooltip, matching the headers in the list below. 

 

Project filtering

As a project manager, you will often need to access different groups of projects. By filtering the Projects list and then storing the filter settings as named presets, you can quickly skip between lists. 

Storing a filter as a named preset

project_filters_storing_filter.png

Reusing the filter. Selecting it in the dropdown will apply it and reload the list immediately. 

project_filters_reusing_filter.png

 

Project/job reports

Detailed data about projects and jobs can be collected and exported from Plint in the following way.

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Some examples

The following examples should give you an idea of what's possible.

Simple project report

For each project, show title and delivery date, plus the number of jobs. This will result in two report rows.  

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Result

2021-07-08 13_59_03-Report -- Plint Demo.png

Report including job details

By adding fields for the individual jobs on the projects, an extra row will be added per job. Click "Merge" to show project and job data on the same row. This will duplicate the project info on each job info row.  

Please note that this can result in very big reports, since each project can contain hundreds of jobs. 

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Result

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Finding jobs across multiple projects

Sometimes you need to find jobs that have certain criteria in common in a whole range of projects. 

The result will be presented as a list of projects. Clicking on the title will take you to the project info page, and clicking on the number will take you to the joblist. (Please note that the joblist for the selected project will not be automatically filtered.)

1. Filter the projects and click Find jobs

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2. Filter the jobs

find_jobs_filter.png

3. Showing the result

find_jobs_result.png

 

 

 

The Calendar

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The Calendar provides a customisable overview of what's going on. You can specify what to see by filtering the content. By saving Calendar filters, you can build alternative views to meet different needs in your working day. There are three types of content that can be displayed:

Customising your calendar view

When the Calendar filters are combined with Project filters and Job filters, they become an even more powerful tool.  Some examples:

In the view below, a project manager has chosen to have a look at all current Proofing jobs within a certain set of target languages. This setting has also been stored as a preset  named "Scandi proofing jobs". 

calendar_loaded_filter.png

"Selected jobs?"

Since there can be many matching jobs per day, they are grouped in sections named "Selected jobs". Clicking on such a section will open a dialogue showing all the jobs. 

calendar_selected_jobs_2.png

 

The Filezone

The Filezone is where (almost) all files linked to a project can be found, by users with Workbench or Manager access. 

The exception is the JSON work files created by the online editing tools, since these belong more to the category data. These won't be found in the project Filezone. However, deliverables such as SRTs created from these files, will be found in the Filezone. 

File modes

There are four basic modes which determine how a file behaves, or how it was delivered.  

File categories

In order to organize and categorize files in additional ways, you can use File categories. The list of available categories is maintained under Tools & Data. File upload jobs can then be set to require that the uploader specifies the category of the individual files. Files can then be filtered out in the Filezone based on category. 

File visibility settings

Plint has several options to ensure that the right users have access to files. It is important to understand the following concepts:

Using the Filezone

Click the icon in the project bar to access the Filezone of a project. As a project can potentially contain thousands of files, the first section is dedicated to filtering. In the example below, filtering is done on filename. 

filezone_filters_2.png

Editing a single file

(Please note that editing in this case means editing the information about files and how they are used in Plint.)

In a good workflow, editing the details of delivered files and media is usually not necessary as this is normally handled at the point of delivery. If you do need to link a file to a certain part or language, or change its visibility settings, click the pen icon. This form also offers a file preview.  

filezone_edit.png

Editing multiple files

You can also click the "Quick edit" button (perhaps after filtering the list) to edit the properties of multiple files in a single form. This mode does not support all kinds of information, however. Make your changes and click "Submit" to store them for all the files. 

filezone_quick_edit_2.png

Batch editing in quick edit mode

If you want to apply the same setting to a large number of files, some properties can be batch edited. This functions is best understood when viewed as a help when quick editing files., This means that you first need to go into quick edit mode, which will give you access to the "Batch edit" button.

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Select the files you want to affect (click the top checkbox to select all) and select the properties to change (for example "Visible on Files tab"). Confirm by clicking "Edit selected". 

This will toggle settings for the selected files in the form. Now you can submit the form to store the settings.  

Downloading files from the Filezone

You can download single files by just clicking the download icon in the list. If you need to download multiple files, you can also use the "Batch download" button, located above the list.

filezone_batch_download_1.png

Please note that you will need to select which files to download. Click the top checkbox to select all visible files. 

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When you click "Download selected" the system will package all the files in a simple ZIP file and send it to the browser for download. 



Sharing files across projects

If multiple projects require access same files, especially video/media, consider setting up a Parent project. The logic is simple, but the implementations can be varied. 

Any file can have the setting "Visible to child projects", but the behaviour depends on the File mode. For files set to "Media" this allows video to be loaded into the online editors in all child projects. This can save lots of storage and processing time as media files require being converted and prepared for editor use. Instead of running this process for duplicate files across multiple projects, you can do it once in the parent project. 

If the File mode is "Standard" or "Copy for delivery", they will be made available for download. Other file settings will also be taken into account. For example, if you want to provide access to dialogue lists to users on all child projects, you would need to turn on both "Visible to child projects" and "Visible on Files Tab". 

You should also note that the usual logic applies when it comes to nodes (parts and languages). The below file would for example be visible on the Files tab on jobs linked to part 1 on all child projects. 

image-1595591800087.png

More on media logic here.

 

 

 

Extended functions for Clients and Resources

There are cases where you need to enable a certain guest user to do more. 

Project defaults

Often, a client will place orders with the same target languages. There are several ways of avoiding having to type in the same or similar data every time you create a new project. One way is to simply clone a previous project, but this will require you to make sure that no old data is relevant. Using Project defaults, you can start from scratch but still fill in the target languages quickly. 

Storing project defaults

Under Tools & Data / Project defaults, you can create and edit defaults. A default is linked to either a Client keyword (sometimes called a "Brand") or a Production (typically a TV series). In this case, we are editing the defaults for a Sample Corporation. Please note that aside from the target language itself, additional data can be stored – such as tags.  

project_defaults_storing.png

Applying project defaults

  1. Use the Simple project form to create or edit a project.
  2. Make sure it has either a Client keyword or a Production. 
  3. Select "Load defaults"

project_defaults_keyword.png

The values to be inserted will be shown in a preview. Click "Load defaults" to confirm. 

project_defaults_applying.png

The stored values have now been inserted in the Target section at the bottom of the form (replacing any previously selected values). 

project_defaults_applied.png

Notifications about system events

When editing user data, you can specify which events in the system should result in a notification email to this user. They are mainly relevant for Workbench and Manager users, but can also be applied to client contacts. 

Please note that certain other events always result in email notifications. 

Job deadlines

This is the only setting which can be specified for any user, by themselves. The same option is available under the Account menu / Profile & settings.

notif_job_deadlines.png

To set the other notifications, you need access to the Advanced edit form for People. Such as:

Completed jobs

Selecting one or more job types that represent significant steps in a project, for any language or all, can be valuable for a project manager and help them keep tabs of a project without being inundated with notifications for each event. You can also limit the projects for which the user is notified. 

notif_completed_jobs.png

New orders / projects

Be the first to know when a new order arrives, either by a Client user representing a company or by a project manager creating a new project. For a client contact tasked with keeping track of all activity for their company, the same setting but with the "Linked company" option can notify them when a colleague places an order. 

notif_orders.png

 

System timezone

system_timezone_dashboard.pngThe time for system events like messages and support questions is always stored as UTC. Setting a System timezone under Tools & Data can affect how times are shown in the system. 

Job info page. Deadline is shown with system timezone set to CET. 

system_timezone_job_info.png

 

Finding People by what they've worked on

Besides data directly linked to People/users (target languages, job types, tags, etc ...), Plint can also search on previous or current work. This is done by specifying projects (with the option "Working on") and, optionally, job types on those projects ("With what"). Se example below. 

2020-08-27-15_14_26-People-–-Plint-Demo.png

Storing and reusing People filters

A combo like this can be stored as a filter. If it's a global filter, it can be even be used as criteria for assigning new work.  

Storing a "Global" filter (for everyone)

2020-08-27-15_17_11-People-–-Plint-Demo.png

Using the filter as a job criteria

2020-08-27-15_18_44-Job-–-Plint-Demo.png

 

Downloading converted subtitles as a batch

Once a subtitling job has been started, there is a work file in Plint (JSON) which is used throughout the process. This file can be exported into a number of formats, for example within the editor or as an automated job. It can also be used "ad hoc". 

In order to download multiple subtitles from the same project, at any point in time, just go to the Download subtitles page for the project. At the top of the page, first select a format, such as SRT or TTML. This will cause all downloaded files to first be converted into that format and packaged in a zip file. 

You can then select to download just a single file (click on the corresponding cell), all files within a part or language, or all files on the project. As a final step you will get the option to only download files where one or more jobs are done.  

download_subtitles_converted.png

Additional security

Plint Subtitler

Visible watermark

To discourage screen capture and similar activity, a visible watermark can be superimposed on the Plint Subtitler monitor. This is activated on the Editor settings tab when editing Job properties. The watermark includes user name and IP number. 

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Login / authentication

Duo

Two-factor authentication using Duo is supported, but needs to enabled for the site. If this is set, this requirement can be set on user level when editing People data with the Advanced form. 

mfa.png

Azure AD

Azure AD can be implemented for SSO across the entire site. In this case, the Plint login screen will be replaced with a Microsoft login screen.  


Sharing files with external users

The "Share page" is a simple way of making files in Plint available to users who don't have a Plint account. All that's required is that the files are available in the project Filezone, regardless of if they have been generated in Plint or simply uploaded there. 

Each project has a Share page, which can be used if needed. You can get the link to it by going to the Filezone and clicking "Get link to share page". This link contains the address/URL to the page and a unique token which works as the password. Send this link to anyone who needs access to the files. 

2022-04-27 10_53_21-The File Sharing Project – Plint.png

Which files are available on this page?

All files with the setting "Visible on file share page". The easiest way to select files is to click "Quick edit" in the Filezone. To simplify this, you can filter the Filezone first, for example only showing files with a certain extension or file mode. 

2022-04-27 10_53_52-The File Sharing Project – Plint.png

What does the page look like?

For a user accessing the page, this is how it looks. Clicking on a file link starts a regular browser download. Right-clicking on a file link allows you to select the destination before downloading. 

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For how long is the link valid?

When the "Get link" button is first clicked, the token is created, with a seven day lifespan. If the link expires while still needed, you can extend the lifespan by seven more days by simply going to the Filezone for the project in question and clicking this button again. 

What if I share the wrong file?

There is a risk of sharing a file which shouldn't be shared, as with any file sharing tool, but mistakes can be fixed easily. The solution is to uncheck the option "Visible on file share page" for the file. The next time the page is loaded by any user, the erring file will no longer be visible there.

Take care when sharing the link to the page, and inform users and clients that whomever they share it with will get equal access. 






Handling changes in a subtitling template in mid-workflow (Reset job + Load translations)

It's a familiar problem: after translation has begun, a new version of the media is delivered. Perhaps a recut, perhaps some major errors in the template were discovered. Updating the template is one thing, but what if five or twenty languages already have half-finished, or even complete, translations? Here is one way of handling this, aimed at minimising the need to retranslate text. 

It is assumed that translations are done using Plint Subtitler based on a template. This method will also work much better if a minimum of splitting and merging have been done in the individual target languages.  

1. Update the template first

Leave it to a single person to incorporate the timing changes, add new blocks where needed and move blocks around where necessary. The simplest way of doing this is to use the same job as the one where the original template was created, but you can create separate jobs for this – as long as they are in the same part and language node. 

2. Notify translators to "Reset and Reload"

The idea is to store away your current work where the system can easily find it and then load the new template. This is exactly what the "Reset job" button on the "Job details" tab in Plint Subtitler does. 

Screenshot 2023-08-08 at 14.22.48.png

When the job is reset, the latest template version will be loaded. Perfect, except all the translations are gone. Now it's time to click "Load translations". 

This will open a dialogue with some options. Usually, you only need to select a "File to load", typically the top one. This is a snapshot automatically created when the job was reset. The snapshot is a complete backup containing both the reference text and the translations. Click "Confirm" to load these translations.

Screenshot 2023-08-08 at 14.25.45.png

The system will now compare all text in the new template against the reference text in the snapshot. For all exact matches, the translation will be automatically inserted in the text field. Now, you only have to fill in the blanks, for example new blocks or blocks where the reference text has for some reason been changed. 

Notes

Reusing translations within the same project (Load translations)

The functionality which enables updating a template in mid-project can also be used to import translations from other jobs on the same project. It might be described as a simple, built-in translation memory.

Use cases include (but are not limited to):
Requirements
An example

1

Screenshot 2023-11-03 at 15.31.52.png

2

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Pro tip: With the setting below, you can make any job the "completion job" by adding any tag to it. The translation in this part/language will be considered ready for import and reuse when a tagged job within that node is Done.  

Screenshot 2023-11-29 at 08.08.23.png

3

Screenshot 2023-11-03 at 15.34.42.png

4

Screenshot 2023-11-03 at 15.34.54.png

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Removing jobs in the middle of a workflow

New function Dec 2023

Adding jobs to a workflow has always been easy in Plint Core, removing them without breaking the sequence of jobs less so. The inconspicuous option "Reparent" in the batch edit form solves this problem. 

A workflow where the project manager wants to remove all "Spot QC" jobs. Without having to manually fix the parenting. 

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Go into Batch edit mode and select which jobs to remove. Select "Delete jobs" and check the "Reparent" option. 

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Submit and confirm

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Check the result

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