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Introduction to the VMSX
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Welcome to the VMSX platform!
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easier to use,
more efficient for everybody
provide better reporting,
better integrated with the Hubspot HubSpot sales process; and
to more closely mirror the client’s Client Hub experience
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At this early stage of the VMSX journey, you will find the VMSX upgrade covers your video project management from project creation, through invoice management, to video delivery and approval. Every Every other aspect of the older VMS system remains — for example: contact management and the Communications Hub. You will likely get used to navigating between the new VMSX project pages and the old VMS for some time.
This VSMX training will stay focused on what you need to know for project delivery.
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What happened to the
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“orders”?
With the release of VMSX project management, we will no longer have to deal with Orders as a subset of Projects. Everyone will now be delivering projects.
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edits,
animations,
shoots, and
Storyboards.
‘Orders’ should stop being a part of your daily language. Please make sure you refer to them as ‘projects’.
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These project jobs are now clearly distinguished as separate parts of the production cycle and now match what the clients experience for themselves in the Client Hub. They will be managed into within three independent project management tabs:
We have provided three separate guideline pages that deep-dive on each of these stages in the production cycle. You can click on each of the links above to learn more.
‘Orders’ should stop being a part of your daily language. Please make sure you refer to them as ‘projects’.
Finding your projects
You can find your day-to-day VMS overviews and projects in the same way as previously, with one or two additional options from the VMSX project management pages.
VMS homepage
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The homepage provides a suite of quick links that you should find useful, alongside a summary of your near-future scheduled deliveries in the VMS production calendar.
To find the VMS homepage:
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From the old VMS — click on the Home menu, top-left of page
From the VMSX — click on home icon, top-left of page
Active Projects
This list of active projects is the go-to pile of From here, you can:
Create a new project in VMSX
Create a new credit pack in VMS
Copy the New Brief Form link — a shareable URL to where the client can submit a new project brief within the Client Hub.
Access the Team Website — leads to the VisDom Team intranet site.
Active Projects
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This list of active projects is the go-to pile of information representing all of the projects that Visual Domain currently has in production.
You can sort this list by any of the columns by clicking on the column headers, or filter the list for anything any specific text.
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Now that the VMSX has been launched, this list is on the Tech Team’s near-future target list for a VMSX upgrade. |
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*The “Projects” dropdown menu may still be “Orders” at the time of VMSX launch. If so, this will be one of the first updates post-launch |
VMS Communication Hub
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We have published a separate deep-dive guideline page for the Communication Hub, which also provides one or two handy ways to access your projects. You can follow this link to learn more.
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To find the Communication Hub:
From the old VMS: click on the big orange button at the top of the page
From the VMSX: a little more subtle — you’re looking for the hollow blue button in the top-right corner.
Starting projects
As before, new New VMSX projects can come from three different directions:
you can create new projects project in VMSX from scratch;
you can pick up a draft project from the Sales Team via a closed deal in HubSpot; or
A you can pick up a project request from one of your clients via the Client Hub.
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A feature under development for release in the near future will allow us to duplicate established projects, creating a new project that is pre-populated with details from the current project. There is a little “re-book” icon in the top-right corner of the project window. This icon is currently inactive. However, clients can already rebook any of their projects right now via the Client Hub. |
Put basically, both each of these paths lead to a new project with a “draft” status — a . A draft project requires some set-up before it can be confirmed with the client and activated.
This is a key new feature of the VMSX: you cannot deliver your project’s pre-production or video jobs, if you have not confirmed the project (and the budget) with the client.
The next section walks you all the way through to getting your project confirmed and activated.
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The act of sending the confirmation email not only serves to activate the project, but it's Visual Domain's legally binding contract with the client. |
This next section walks you all the way through to getting your project confirmed and activated.
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Before you get started, have a good look at the Production Team’s Project Confirmation checklist. Are you ready to create a new project? |
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Pick a contact, any contact
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Start typing anything, and the search bar will present its best results from among all of our registered clients. Returning:
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If the primary contact that you are looking for is not therehere, you can add a new contact to the VMS database by accessing the Contacts page in the old VMS via the Clients Menu. |
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The next page asks you for four more primary points of data before the VMSX can create a new draft project for you.
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Project name — Give your project a good, unique name that will allow you and your client to clearly identify it among a list of other projects.
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The lists of potential RMs and PMs are informed by the roles assigned to each registered VisDom user of the VMSX. If you cannot find a name that you expect to be available, you can approach your Production Manager or the Business Intelligence Manager, who can edit these roles.
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After you have completed these four fields, a blue “Save project” button will reveal itself. Hit that save button to initiate your new project.
Product types
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Here is the extensive list of every product type available when initiating a new project.
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In many cases you might have a project that fits into more than one category (for example, a personalised animation). Please choose the most relevant one and give the project a name that makes it clear what sort of video it is, so that we can find it later (eg: “Membership Renewal Personalised Animation”).
Completing the Project Summary
Congratulations! Your project now exists in the VMSX database. In addition to the data that you have already provided, your new project now has a project number and its status is set to “Draft”.
It is worth understanding that while the project is a draft your project is already visible to your client on the Client Hub, but it has not been confirmed. You can start chatting with them using the built-in project chat. The only people who have access to this chat are your project Contacts, the Relationship Manager, and the Project Manager.
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We have deep-dive guidelines on the built-in VMSX project chat and the Communication Hub. Check it out to learn more. |
You now have the opportunity to define a lot more information for your project, your team, and your client.
The core project data
The core data fields on the left-hand side are compulsory. You already provided these when creating the project. However, most of these are not set in stone. You can edit them by floating your cursor to the right of the field and clicking on the edit pencil.
The Product Type is locked in. This cannot be edited once the project has been created.
Project Contacts
Underneath the left-hand core data fields is the list of client contacts for this project. You can add any number of registered contacts to this list, provided they belong to the same Office that is associated with the project.
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Reminder: To add a new contact to the VMS database, access the Contacts page via the Clients Menu in the old VMS. |
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Warning — added 4pm Friday 12 Nov. When you create a new project, you should ensure that you add a production price or at least one production job (video, shoot, pre-production) before navigating elsewhere in the VMS — eg, to check your calendar appointments. This will ensure that the project is not immediately considered abandoned by the system. Not to worry if you do, though. You will be able to discover your “abandoned” project in the VMS Archived Projects list. This is a recently discovered quirk of the VMSX release version that will hopefully be resolved fairly quickly. —Matt |
Completing the Project Summary
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Congratulations! Your project now exists in the VMSX database. In addition to the data that you have already provided, your new project now has a project number and its status is set to “Draft”.
It is worth understanding that now that the project is a draft, it is already visible to your client on the Client Hub, but it has not yet been confirmed. You can start chatting with your client using the built-in project chat. The only people who have access to this chat are your project Contacts, the Relationship Manager, and the Project Manager.
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We have deep-dive guidelines on the built-in VMSX project chat and the Communication Hub. Check it out to learn more. |
You now have the opportunity to define a lot more information for your project, your team, and your client.
The core project data
The core data fields on the left-hand side are compulsory. You already provided these when creating the project. However, most of these are not set in stone. You can edit them by floating your cursor to the right of the field and clicking on the edit pencil.
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The Product Type is locked in. This cannot be edited once the project has been created.
Project Contacts
Underneath the left-hand core data fields is the list of client contacts for this project. You can add any number of registered contacts to this list, provided they belong to the same Office that is associated with the project.
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These contacts can also be removed — unless there is only one. There must always be at least one project contact.
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The project contacts on this list can see, access, and interact with all of the project details on Client Hub. They can:
participate in the project chat,
order shoots,
review pre-production information,
upload files and assets,
review and approve the videos
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Reminder: To add a new contact to the VMS database, access the Contacts page via the Clients Menu in the old VMS. |
Your clients can also add and remove their own contacts via a similar method using the Client Hub.
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To start editing them, click on any of the pencil edit icons.
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All of this data also plays a significant role in the VMSX system providing valuable production analysis.
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When a Relationship Manager (or sales person) closes their deal on HubSpot, they will provide a handful of project data that will correspond to the VMSX Project Summary information that we have looked at above.
The closed deal will also assign a Project Manager and Relationship Manager to carry this project forward with the client.
Both of these production contacts will receive an emailed “NEW ORDER” notification. This email will include two primary buttons:
View HubSpot Deal — Takes the Project Manager back to HubSpot to assess all of the information provided by the salesperson. This is includes additional information like previous email conversations, file attachments, and in-depth company details.
Create Project — Takes the Project Manager straight into the VMSX to start completing the draft project set-up. The draft project will automatically include most of the information provided by the closed HubSpot deal.
Creating the draft project from a HubSpot deal
When you first create these projects from a closed dealSummary. The data the Relationship Manager can provide is the following.
Contact / Email*
Company*
Product Type*
Price*
Project Manager*
Project Start Date*
Delivery Deadline*
Credit Amount
Allocated Hours
Disbursements
Invoice Terms
Accounting Contact Email
Goals/Aim of the project
Deliverables
Additional thoughts
Video Examples
Key Details for the shoot
Proposed shoot date
Shoot Location
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*Mandatory data |
The closed deal will also assign a Project Manager and Relationship Manager to carry this project forward with the client.
Both of these production contacts will receive an emailed “NEW ORDER” notification. This email will include two primary buttons:
View HubSpot Deal — Takes the Project Manager back to HubSpot to assess all of the information provided by the salesperson. This is includes additional information like previous email conversations, file attachments, and in-depth company details.
Create Project — Takes the Project Manager straight into the VMSX to start completing the draft project set-up. The draft project will automatically include most of the information provided by the closed HubSpot deal.
Creating the draft project from a HubSpot deal
The VMS will do everything it can to automate this process of beginning a project, but sometimes one extra step may be required from the designated Project Manager before you can build out the project and that's to confirm the Office that the Project and the Contacts belong to.
Sometimes Contacts can belong to multiple Offices within the Company, so we need the Project Manager to confirm exactly which to go with. This question will only be asked when the Office is unclear and it will appear like the image below, upon opening up the Project.
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Until an office has been selected, you cannot proceed with the Project. If you are unsure, ask your Relationship Manager! |
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Once the system is happy with the Office that's been selected, you will be taken straight to the Project Summary page and asked to confirm the left-hand column core data fields. All of these will have been pre-populated from the deal, including the Product Type. It is important that you confirm the Product Type is correct before you continue building out your project.
The rest of the project set-up will behave in the same manner as if you had set up the project from scratch — with the following important exception:
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The total project price of a closed deal
You will find the total project price (as sold to the client) already populating the project’s Invoices tab. This will be one single price value, with possibly one additional disbursements value.
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Similar to the notification process from the HubSpot deals, when a client utilises this service, an email notification will be sent to:
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The client’s assigned Relationship Manager
The client’s assigned Producer (if they have one).
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Each of these production tabs are covered in great detail within their respective deep-dive pages, linked here:
Pre-Production — can be set-up later, but might be helpful when confirming project scope and price. If you intend to provide a storyboard and script in pre-production, it would be pertinent to set these up at first, as these will be represented in the Project Confirmation email.
Filming Details — can be set-up later, but might be helpful when considering project scope and price.
Deliveries — The client sees the number of video deliveries in the Project Confirmation email and in the draft presentation of the project on Client Hub. It is recommended that you attempt to establish the basic details for all of your video deliveries prior to project confirmation.
Uploaded Files — You and the client can upload and share files and assets for the project here. You can also access any stored VMSX Brand Hub assets specific to this client.
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No files can be delivered directly from HubSpot into the VMSX. If your sales team or RMs received any files during their HubSpot communications, you will need to source it directly from the Hubspot HubSpot Deal via the link provided in the email sent upon the deal being successfully won. them and upload to the VSMX project yourself. |
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notification that you received when the deal was “closed”. |
Reminder: you cannot deliver any of your production jobs to the client without first confirming and activating this project.
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Don’t forget: until Until you have confirmed and activated your project, it is considered a “draft” project. If you leave the completion of your project set-up for later, you will need be able to look - up the the Project via the Projects page.VMS “Draft Orders’ list to re-discover your projectproject on the Active Projects list. |
Project confirmation and activation
After creating your project and setting up some details, you will need to send and activate your project before you can start delivering any pre-production or videos. This ensures that we have formally confirmed the client’s budget and scope before commencing work on the project.
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The first time you access this Invoices tab for a project, at the top you will see the yellow alert bar with the “Send & Activate” button. This will remain visible until you have activated the project.
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We cover all of the Invoice tab elements and options within the Invoices deep-dive guidelines. It is recommended that you go through those guidelines before confirming and activating a project. |
You cannot activate your project if:
You have not assigned any production or disbursement costs
You have not assigned any production jobs — this can be either pre-production, a a shoot or a video delivery.
There is a lot of project information that is included in the confirmation email. Producers are advised to spend some time setting up their projects as best as they can before confirming. Time spent on setting up a quality project saves time down the line, and ensures that nothing is missed - — leading to a much better an improved experience for both the client and our team.
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Who receives the confirmation email?
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The confirmation email will automatically choose all of the project contacts Contacts to receive the confirmation email. You can deselect any of these, though you must keep at least one of them. You will also be able to add any additional emails to the Cc and/or Bcc fields.
Additionally, the project’s producer and relationship manager will be automatically included, alongside an administrative email address that exists to catch and keep a record of all confirmation emails sent.
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What else can I change in the confirmation email?
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What information does the confirmation email share?
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The confirmation email presents a significant compilation of details that have been prepared across the project.
The project’s Relationship Manager
The Project Manager
The total number of videos deliveries (if there are any)
plus the allowance of change requests
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The change request allowance presented here is taken from the first scheduled video delivery. |
The total number of shoots (if there are any)
The totals of some of the pre-production deliverables (if included)
Script
Storyboard
A summary of the total project price, including:
How much of their production credit has been used
GST
The total amount that will be invoiced
Invoice conditions:
When the invoice will be sent
The length of the payment terms
Who will receive the invoice
A link to the project on Client Hub — takes them directly to their project on the Client Hub
A link to pay the invoice immediately — takes them directly to the invoice tab within the project on Client Hub. This will only work if the user is an Admin or Accounts contact for the client.
How to handle
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credit packs in the VMSX
Don’t!
All pre-paid production credit packs are sold and managed in HubSpot. Once sold, they are automatically confirmed in sent to the assigned Producer for confirmation within the old VMS and the credit pack made available to your projects via the Invoices tab, when appropriate.
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All projects now have a status that indicates their progress through the production cycle. Given the wide variety of video projects that we handle, these exist only for “broad brushstroke” indications. Nonetheless, they should be very useful for producers and production managers to understand at a glance the progress of all projects.
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Currently, you will only see your project status displayed next to the project’s name after you open the project. The status will eventually be added to VMS Projects lists, as well as being useful for production reports.
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Clients will |
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see these same statuses on the Client Hub. |
The following list introduces you to all of the project statuses you will encounter. Note that some of these statuses have not yet been released.
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