Creating your first Project Group is pretty easy if you know what you are doing.
So this article will teach you to be the master of knowing what you are doing.
First of all, there are some prerequisites, you have to have some basic options created in the system. These are:
- Units
- Fields
- InputGroups
- Languages (active)
- Workflows
Lucky for you, these are already pre-defined (to a certain point), so you don't have to create new one (unless you want something special).
And now is maybe the best time to tell you that in miniTPMS we have a (top) Level before "Projects" and that Top Level is called Project Groups.
So hierarchically it looks like this:
--> Project Groups
--> Projects
--> Language Pairs (at least one)
--> Task(s) (at least one)
--> Vendor(s) (at least one, even if it is just you :) )
In order to create a Project (the actual "object of your own desire" for translation), you will need to create a Project Group.
This is how you do it:
1) Click on the + menu button on the top menu bar, and chose the "Create New Project Group" option:
or...
2) if you like things more complicated, click on "Menu - Project Groups - New Project Group"
A new window of opportunity will arise... where you need to set up the basic foundation of your Project Group:
A little explanation:
Direct Client - is the client who is paying you, for example, Acme GmbH, or Big Blue Whale LSP - so basically the company (or company Group, actually) that you will be charging.
Direct Client doesn't exist? Oh, well... click on the Green + icon, and quickly add one (with only a short name, and later you can edit it and make all the necessary information about it on the proper Client Edit page)
End Client - if you are working with LSPs or Agencies, it might be useful to know who the real end client is, especially if you want to keep your Style Guides, client-specific Memories, Terminology, etc at one place, I suggest you strongly utilize this option.
End Client doesn't exist? Read what to do a couple rows above. Hint: click the Green + icon :)
Of course, if your Direct Client (DC) is also your end client (EC), then just tick the small checkbox that says so, and the extra End Client option will disappear
Project Group Name - is a name for this group, free text, anything goes, use your imagination:
- if you are working on a bigger, long term project, you might want to put some descriptive name here
- or you can put a numbered code so you know this represents this group
- or you can put just TR for example, to represent TRanslation jobs and then INT for Interpretation, or similar
The only important thing to remember is that when you create a project group, you should put ALL projects that fall into this group, well, into this group :)
All the rest of the fields are optional to fill in:
Client Contact - the main PM or the person who sent you the request for this Project Group
In-house PMs - your own colleagues, if there is nobody, it's you and you alone
Industry - think "Automotive" or "Construction" or "Information Technology - Software" or "Medical - Cardiovascular Diseases" etc.
Special Instructions - anything goes, especially if you need to remember something really important for this Project Group
No Client Return (checkbox) - most of the times, you will have to return your product (translation, DTP, whatever) to your customer, but... and there is always a but, sometimes there are projects that don't need return. For example if the client says: "please create terminology for me and keep it at your place", or if you work for an Agency and your task is to translate something in Online CAT tool - then it is enough if you click "deliver" in that CAT tool, no need to clickidy-click even more in "mini".
Then there are: Default Settings
Workflow - chose the default workflow for this Project Group. It could be T-only, or TEP or whichever WF you want.
Input Group - again, if some projects are always calculated/billed by hours, you don't want the Default Input Group to be Weighted Words, but rather Hours. So the system will know.
Cat Tool - if you are using a plethora of CAT tools like some companies, this will come in handy especially when after three years you are looking at
Currency - every Client has it's own base currency, but some clients like to make life complicated. Sometimes they want to pay you in USD sometimes in EUR or Czech Krowns etc. This option gives you ability to pick a different currency from the base one if needed. And it will be default just for this one group.
Click SAVE and you are DONE with the Project Group.
Next step: Create your first Project