I would like to use basecamp to help workflow with one of my main clients, a publisher.

We design and produce their fiction and non fiction book covers and there is a fairly constant process, but keeping track of all the ongoing cover designs, amends and schedules is not too well tracked at the mo. One book may be priority one day and then another takes over according to their schedule. Best case scenario is that they can somehow order each cover design by priority.

From design to finish and print is about 6 months, here is how we currently do it…

New cover brief comes in via email, I create a folder something like this: Authorname_Booktitle.

This folder goes in to a bigger folder (In progress).

That’s the first part.

There are four main processes with appropriate folders. As the cover progresses I move it into the next folder:

These are the folders:

In Progress
Initial Design Approved (front cover)

They then sit around for 6 months whilst being publicised. Then the next folder:

Covers going to print (whole cover)
Printed
Archived

Some of the issues I would like Basecamp to address is that we are juggling 30-40 covers at any one time. All at different stages, all have different priorities within each stage. On top of that we need to track changes and amends from the client and upload versions for feedback and approval.

So over to you guys. Any suggestions? Look forward to your help. Ben in the UK.

I think you will need to change your work flow methodology. It looks like your current work flow method is based on a filing system. With BC you setup projects (sort of like folders) which keep all of your files separated. So there is no need to file your covers in separate file folders – store each set of covers in separate as separate projects on BC instead. To keep track of the various phases of your project. I suggest you set up milestones and ToDo task templates.
Chris in Canada

I saw a home sales contract lawyer do this well. He had a paper file for each contract and layed them out on a long shelf in chronological order of next task On the bit you could see at the top, he wrote the name, and next task. When he needed a file he pulled it out and placed it back in the chronological position which was obvious as there was a hole in the long line. He only had one file out at a time. He had about 40 jobs going at once. He naturally just worked on the one at the front of the pile most of the time.

In basecamp, the task templates and milestones as Chris Suggested is the way to go.

Note: I have written a workflow system as above for a major airline that creates folders and files from word and excel templates, I can write that for you in Microsoft Access but it will take cost you $5k or more, I think the long line of paper files system is better for this number of projects.

Garry Robinson
Access MVP
www.gr-fx.com