Introduction

This document takes you through some important features and uses for AwardPro that is critical to running and managing your Art Department smoothly and effectively.
The Art Department should be the pulse of your business, this is where your jobs are born and kept on track.
 

Job Schedule
The most important area in AwardPro for the Art Department is the ‘Job Schedule’ screen. The button to access this can be found in the bottom quick links on the command centre.

This screen should really be open in the Art Department 90% of the time. It makes very clear the status and time frame for jobs in the system, not only in the Art Department – but in the rest of the factory as well.

In the top right area of this ‘Job Schedule’ screen you will find a drop down menu.  This allows you to isolate each department to see the current workload for that department. Most of the time the Art Department will only be concerned with the Art Department’s schedule, so this can be selected in the drop down menu. To re-select all departments in the schedule simply tick the ‘View All’ box.

Once the Art Department schedule is selected and isolated, you then have the option to ‘Include Completed Jobs’. This will allow you to see jobs that may be still in the system but have moved on from the Art Department. For example all art is approved and materials have been output but the job is still in another department such as Production or Sandblasting. 

Job Status
Probably the most important function of the Job Schedule is keeping a record of the progress or status that a particular job is at. This is achieved and monitored by the tick box system. It is also a good way for other departments to check on the progress of a job without interrupting the Art Department.

Each department has certain tick boxes that are relevant to the department in the Job Status screen.
For the Art Department the relevant tick boxes can be found directly to the left of the ‘Job Reference’ column (when Art Department view is selected).
They are ‘Artwork Sent’, ‘Artwork Approved’, ‘Artwork Output’ and ‘Art Department’.

Artwork Sent - This is ticked once the artwork has been produced and sent to the customer for their final approval as an artproof.

Artwork Approved - This is ticked once the artwork/artproof has been signed off and approved by the customer. The job is ready to be produced at this stage.

Artwork Output - This is ticked once all the components that the Art Department is responsible for are completed.  For example sandblasting vellums printed, laser engraving completed, or vinyl cut and weeded ready for application.

Art Department - This is ticked once all 3 other boxes are ticked (‘Artwork Sent’, ‘Artwork Approved’, ‘Artwork Output’ and ‘Art Department’). This basically removes the job from the Art Departments schedule – It must only be ticked once all Art Department responsibilities have been completed.

Using the Job Status tick box system in the Job Schedule screen correctly will give you vital information about when artwork has been done, approved or output. All personnel, dates and times are recorded giving you easy access to this information when you’re talking to the customer over the phone.


Internal Job Notes
One of the other important areas to use in the Art Department is the Internal Job notes. This is where new information from the customer regarding a job can be recorded for all staff to view easily.

The best was for the Art Department to access this area is by clicking the ‘Notes’ button at the top left of the Job Schedule screen. By recording any contact or with the customer here you are informing anyone else who has to deal with this order. You can keep your notes in whatever manner suits you best – but a good example of how to enter a new note is simply:

LP 23/11 - all etching has been done except for replacements being sent from bohe- approx10 glasses

This gives all staff instant access to any new information regarding a job. The date and staff initials is also a good idea for your records.
 

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