How to create & set up a new Project

How to create a new Project:

1. Visit your Company Library.

2. Create Production.

3. Decide what types of Startwork you need.

4. Build your Project-level Startwork Templates.

5. Finalize your Templates.

6. Set up the Rate Guide (optional)

7. Invite employees!

See detailed instructions below.

Step 1: Visit your Company Library. 

When you're getting ready to start a new Project in TiM, it's always a good idea to visit your Company Library to confirm that the Templates you need for this Project are ready to go! This makes your next step much easier!

• To access your Company Library, select "Company Account" from the header, then select the Company Account you're working with.
• From your Company dashboard, select "Company Library."

Check that your existing Company forms and packets are still up-to-date.

Company policies and hiring laws can change, which might affect the contents of your Startwork packets. It's a good idea to check your TiM Company Forms and Packets regularly to ensure that you are distributing the proper hiring paperwork.

• From Company Library, select "view" to preview a Template.

Build any new forms you will need for this upcoming Project.

If your new Project has unique forms, such as a Deal Memo with language particular to the production, your first step will be to build those forms within your Company Library.

• Select "Upload & Customize a PDF" to build a new Company Form.

  • For detailed instructions, see: How to upload & build Company Forms

NOTE: It is best practice in TiM to build all forms within your Company Library, so you can easily pull them for use at the Project level. Only Templates that are built within Company Library can be shared with multiple Projects; Project-level Templates cannot be shared between Projects. 

Update any existing forms as necessary. 

Your existing forms might need minor updates.

• Select "Create new version" to edit an existing form.

Step 2: Create Production

Once you've confirmed that your Company Library is up-to-date, the next step is to create your Project.

• From your Company dashboard, select "Create Production." This will take you to New Production Info.

• Complete the information as prompted. Required information is marked with red asterisks. 

  • For more detailed instructions on how to complete Production Info, see: How to create a new Project

Step 3. Decide what types of Startwork you will need

Once your Project is created, your next step is to pull the Company-level Templates (polished in Step 1) down to the Project level.

• From your Project dashboard, select "Startwork Templates."

• Within Startwork Templates, there are two tabs: Standard Packets and Special Packets. 

Standard Packets are Packets that are automatically matched ("auto-distro'ed") to employees.

The type of Standard Packet each employee is auto-matched to is based on the selections made by production within the "Crewmember/Startwork Type" area of their Invite. 

There are five types of Standard Packets:

• Union Packet

  • Will be auto-matched to Union, individual hires.

• Non-Union Packet

  • Will be auto-matched to Non-Union, individual hires.

• Union Loan-Out Packet

  • Will be auto-matched to Union, Loan-Out hires.

• Non-Union Loan-Out Packet

  • Will be auto-matched to Non-Union, Loan-Out hires. 

• Job Change Packet

  • It is necessary for every Project to build their Standard Job Change Packet, because this packet  will be auto-matched to any employee whose Employment Details change after their Primary Packet is Fully Approved (in TiM this is called a "Job Change"). For more information, see: How to build a Default Job Change Packet.

Special Packets are Templates that include a unique set of forms, or a set of forms different than those included in your Standard Packets. 

Special Packets are not auto-matched to employees. Instead, they can be manually shared with employees on an as-needed basis. 

• For more information about Special Packets, see:

  • How to build & share a Special Packet 

  • How to share a Special Packet instead of a Standard Packet

Step 4. Build your Project-level Startwork Templates

Building a packet means compiling all forms that a type of employee needs to receive when they are Invited to a Project.

This step is easy-peasy if your packets have already been built within your Company Library (see Step 1), because that means your Templates have already been compiled! All you'll need to do here is pull your Company Packets into your Project-level Startwork Templates!*

• From 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 here.*

  • Remember: TiM will automatically distribute this packet to the corresponding type of employees. The forms inserted into this type of packet should be forms particular to the intended type of hire. 

    • For example, a Non-Union Packet should only contain forms that a Non-Union individual hire needs to receive; a Union Loan-Out Packet should only contain forms that a Union Loan-Out hire needs to receive; etc.

*If you do not see the Company packets you need listed, TiM highly recommends that you go to your Company Library and build this packet there first! It is best practice in TiM to build packets within Company Library, because it saves a lot of time during Project set up. 

• Click "Insert."

• You will see the pages of the Company Packet populate in the Builder, with all Tags and Viewing Permissions that were pre-set at the Company level.

• If necessary, you can insert additional forms from other categories. 

TiM does not recommend uploading and building forms at the Project level. It is best practice to build Company Forms within your Company Library. 

If you want to proceed with building a form at the Project level, be certain you will only need to use the form for this Project only, because when you build forms at the Project level, they cannot be shared with other Projects and cannot be pulled up to the Company level.

• Double check that all necessary forms, Tags, Viewing Permissions, Smart Fields, and Signature Fields are correct and accounted for in this packet before you Distribute it / make it available to employees.

• 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.

Step 5. Finalize your Templates

• Once back at Startwork Templates, click "Distribute" next to your Standard Packets, or "Publish" next to your Special Packets, to finalize this Packet and make the Packet available to be 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.

Step 6. Set up the Rate Guide (optional)

• From your Project dashboard, select "Rate Guide."

  • You can set up a Rate Guide at the Company level by clicking "Company Settings"> "Company Rate Guide".

• Enter rate/employment information for each job description you will hire.

If a Rate Guide is set up, as soon as a department and position is selected on the Employee Invite, a default rate and hire type will pre-fill. This is helpful if you would like to delegate the task of inviting employees to other people like Department Heads, for example, or just to streamline your process as you send out Invites.

For more information, see: How to use the Rate Guide in TiM

Step 5. Invite employees!  

• From your Project dashboard, select "Crew Management."

• At the top of the screen, click "Invite Crewmember." This will take you to the Employee Invite.

  • If you'd like to connect a team member without prompting them to complete Startwork, select "No Startwork Invite."

• Select or enter all the Employment Details for this employee.

For more detailed instructions on how to complete an Employee Invite, see: How to invite employees to complete Startwork

• Click "Send Invite."

The employee will receive an email notification letting them know they have been invited to a production and their Startwork is ready for them to complete!

To see exactly the steps an employee takes to submit Startwork in TiM, see: What is it like to complete & submit Startwork in TiM?

Pro Tips:

• You can track the status of Employee Invites and Startwork from Crew Management.

• You can approve Startwork and send Startwork to payroll from the Approval Pipeline.

Read Next: How to Invite Employees to complete Startwork in TiM