Building Startwork in TiM (a condensed guide)

"Building" Startwork in TiM refers to the process of creating Templates that are able to pre-populate required information because they contain TiM Smart Fields, Markups, and Signature Fields. 

There are two types of Templates in TiM: Form Templates, and Packet Templates. 

Form Templates contain one type of document. In TIM, you can upload and customize your own Company Forms, or pull from dozens of pre-built TiM Templates. For example, you could create a Template for your Crew Deal Memo. Or, you might use the pre-built TiM Template for the W-4.

Packet Templates are a collection of Form Templates. Once Form Templates are built, it's easy to assemble them within your Packet Templates. For example, you might build a Union Packet that contains all the government forms, payroll forms, and union forms necessary to hire a Union individual employee.

How to build Startwork in TIM (the proper way!): 

Step 1. Build your Company Forms within your Company Library.

Step 2. Build your Company Packets.

Step 3. Insert your Company Packets into your Project-level Startwork Templates.

Step 1. Build your Company Forms within your Company Library:

Click here for more detailed instructions on how to build Company Forms.

It is best practice in TiM to build Startwork at the Company level. Every Form and Packet Template published at the Company level is stored in your Company Library, and is available for use at the Project level.

TiM recommends building Startwork at the Company level, because Templates built or modified at the Project level will only be available for that Project. Project-level Templates cannot be shared between Projects, and cannot be sent up to the Company level. 

• From your Company dashboard, select "Company Library."
• Select "Company Forms."
• Select "Upload & Customize a Form." This will open the Builder.
• Under “Packet Name," enter a name for your Company Form.
  • The name of your Form should be something like "NDA" or "Talent Release," so the Template can be easily identified and widely used between multiple Projects.

• Under "Insert Form(s)," select "Choose File."
• A pop-up window will appear. Choose the PDF of the form you want to build as a TiM Template.
• Click "Insert." You will see the page(s) of your Form populate as thumbnails.

• Under "Add Page Titles," title each thumbnail. 
• Under "Add Tags," set Tags.
• Under "Add Viewing Permissions," add Viewing Permissions. 
• Under "Customize your form...," add Smart Fields, Markups, and Signature Fields.

Pro Tip: You can select multiple consecutive pages at once by selecting the leftmost page + hold down shift + select the rightmost page. You can select non-consecutive pages with + ctrl. You can apply Titles, Tags, and Viewing Permissions to multiple selected pages at once, or delete multiple pages at once.

• Click "Save and Test" to check out how you've prepped your Form Template.
• Click "Save and Exit" to save your work and return to Company Forms.
• Once you feel confident your Form Template is completely built, click "Publish" to finalize the Template and make it available for use. 

Step 2. Build your Company Packets

In TiM, there are two types of packets: Standard Packets and Special Packets.

Standard Packets contain the forms that most employees hired to work for your company will need to receive. Special Packets are Templates that include a unique set of forms, or a set of forms different than those included in your Standard Packets. 

• Select "Standard Company Packets."
• Select "Create" next to the type of Standard Packet you want to build (ie: Union, Non-Union, Union Loan-Out, Non-Union Loan-Out). 
  • To build a Special Company Packet, select "Special Company Packets," then "+Build Special Packet." 
• This will open the Builder. 
• Under "Insert Form(s)," select the category of forms you would like to insert into this packet. A second drop down will appear.

• From the second drop down, select the Form to insert. 
• Click "Insert." You will see the pages of the Form populate as thumbnails.
• Repeat the above three steps to insert all the Form Templates necessary to include in this Packet Template. 

NOTE: If you do not see the Company Form you need listed in the drop down, make sure the Form Template has been Published. 

• Click “Save and Test” at the top right of the screen to save and preview your packet. Check to make sure all settings, Markups, Smart Fields, and Signature Fields are as you'd like them. Add more or edit as you'd like. 
• Click “Save and Exit” to return to the Company Library.
• Once you feel confident that your Packet is completely built, click  "Publish" to finalize the Packet Template and make it available for use. 

Step 3. Insert your Company Packets into your Project-level Startwork Templates

This step is easy-peasy once your packets have been built within your Company Library! All you'll need to do here is pull your Company Packets into your Project-level Startwork Templates!

For more detailed instructions, see: How to set up a new Project after it's been created

• From your Company dashboard, click into the Project.
• From the Project dashboard, select "Startwork Templates."
• Locate the packet type you want to build and select "Create" to open the Builder.
• At the top left of the Builder, under “Packet Name," you will see that your Packet has already been named. You cannot apply a custom name to a Project-level Standard Packet.
• Under "Insert Form(s)," select the category "[Your Company] Packets."
• From the second dropdown menu, choose the type of packet that you'd like to insert.

• Click "Insert."
• You will see the pages of the Company Packet populate in the Builder, with all Smart Fields, Tags, and Viewing Permissions that were pre-set at the Company level.
• If necessary, you can insert additional forms from other categories. 

NOTE: If you choose to modify this packet at this point, understand that any changes made at the Project level will only be reflected within this Project, and will not sync with Company-level Templates. Project-level Startwork cannot be shared between Projects, and cannot be sent up to the Company level. Startwork built at the Project level will only be available to that Project. 

• Double check that all necessary forms, Tags, Viewing Permissions, Smart Fields, and Signature Fields are correct and accounted for in this packet before you finalize this packet.
• Click “Save and Test” at the top right of the screen to save and preview your packet and its logic (Viewing Permissions, required/optional Fields, etc.).
  • Or, click “Save and Exit” at the top right of the screen to save your packet and return to Startwork Templates.
• Once back at Startwork Templates, click "Distribute" next to your Standard Packet (or "Publish" next to your Special Packet) to finalize this Packet Template and make it available to be auto-matched to employees.

You will know your packet is finalized because the Packet will be highlighted in blue instead of orange.

NOTE: Packets that are not finalized will not be available to auto-match to employees. If an employee is invited, but their Packet type is not finalized yet, they will see a note in their TiM Account that reads “Your Startwork packet type has not been built or published yet”, and in Crew Management you will see "No Packet Assigned!" Once the packet is finalized, employees will receive an email notification that says “Your Startwork is now ready to be completed!” and you will see the name of the packet appear in Crew Management.

Read Next:

How to Invite Employees to complete Startwork in TiM

How to share a Special Packet instead of a Standard Packet