When searching for a workflow management system, be it web-based or hosted, two objectives should be considered — It should accommodate and foster growth within your agency, and make information available, in real-time, to everyone on your team.
The checklist below outlines features I believe make it possible to obtain these objectives. I’ve also included important items related to overall program cost. I encourage you to refer to this list when reviewing each system. You may even want to add your own, agency-specific requirements to the list.
It’s important to know, before even picking up the phone to make an initial inquiry, what your objectives are for a new workflow management system . Otherwise, you may find yourself captivated by the pretty charts and smooth-talking sales associate, only to later find there’s no way to pull a report for something as simple as hours by client!
| TYPE | ||
| Web-based, Cloud-hosted | ||
| Cross-platform, cross-browser | ||
| Responsive design | ||
| Available customer, technical support | ||
| Available upgrades, modifications | ||
| TIME & EXPENSE TRACKING | ||
| Time by Client, Job, Work Code, Employee, Date | ||
| Overdue Time Sheet “lockout” feature | ||
| Expense reports by Employee, Client, Job, Agency | ||
| Markup rates by Client, Purchase Order (P.O.) | ||
| Job costs in hours, fixed, both | ||
| Real-time Budget vs. actual details | ||
| Customized print, production estimating |
| JOB MANAGEMENT | ||
| Single point of access for all job-related items | ||
| Active, archived Client, Job folders | ||
| Workback Schedule Templates | ||
| Task time, priority levels | ||
| Employee Tasks in Calendar format | ||
| Individual Client, Job Calendars | ||
| Working Tasks by Client, Date, Type, Keyword | ||
| Assigned Task List by Employee, Date | ||
| Completed Tasks by Client, Employee, Date | ||
| Customized Document Templates | ||
| Default, Client-specific Notifications | ||
| Outside e-mail Message forwarding |
| ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT | ||
| Easily track Client activity | ||
| Billing rates, Markup by Client | ||
| Detailed Client profiles (Spec Sheets) | ||
| Client Contact Reports (Creative Brief) | ||
| External Feedback routed, filed automatically | ||
| Monitor Budgets, billing by Client, Job, Date | ||
| Client Address Book |
| FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT | ||
| Detailed reports by Client, Job, Type, Date | ||
| Work In Progress reporting | ||
| P.O. viewing, management | ||
| Insertion Order viewing, management | ||
| Time by Client, Job, Work Code, Employee, Date | ||
| Markup rates by Client, P.O. | ||
| Default, Vendor-specific tax rates | ||
| Budget monitoring by Client, Job Type, Date | ||
| Gross Income reporting | ||
| ASSET MANAGEMENT | ||
| Individual Client, Job Folders | ||
| Active, archived Client, Job folders | ||
| Attachments, Documents Folders by job | ||
| Client, Vendor access to posted materials | ||
| Creative file storage allotment | ||
| No file type limitations (.jpg, .xls, .pdf, et. al) | ||
| Client, Vendor Feedback capability | ||
| Feedback Notification by Client, Employee | ||
| PERMISSIONS & SECURITY | ||
| User-specific Permissions, Notifications | ||
| Customizable user dashboard | ||
| Secure User Names, Passwords | ||
| Guaranteed 99% up time | ||
| Perform nightly backups |