Welcome to Yandiki´s How to Guide! This practical guide will give you all the information you and your team need to enjoy all the benefits Yandiki has to offer. Yandiki selects the best creative talent internationally and make it available to our clients on-demand and transparently. In this guide you will find articles, step-by-step descriptions, video tutorials and tips to help you discover how Yandiki facilitates accessing and managing a virtual team efficiently and in real-time. The section dedicated to Clients and Administrators will center on how to select the perfect collaborator for your team, how to create and monitor projects, how to collaborate with your team in real-time and how to get the most out of the information available on the Timesheet. In the section for Talent and Contractors, you will learn how to use the timer, manage your registered time and use Yandiki for collaboration.
How Yandiki can improve your work day Yandiki is an end-to-end platform that facilitates the agile access and management of the connected creative workforce. With Yandiki, you can: ●
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Find the perfect collaborators for your project needs and invite them to work on your projects on demand, and as the need arises. Have a curated network of talented creative professionals at your fingertips. See detailed profiles with work samples and review from previous customers. Find the perfect match from our pool of curated certified talent. Create and organize your team in the cloud and centralize all information about your projects and freelancers in a single platform. Monitor the progress of each project, the performance of each professional, analyze costs and profits, all in real-time. You can reduce operating costs by contracting the professionals you need on-demand on an hourly basis and gather information for business intelligence.
Are you ready to start? We created this guide to help you get started, answer any questions you may have and help your team to work better in the cloud. If you can not find what you are looking for in the Guide, let us know.
About this Guide If you are reading this guide, you probably already had a chance to speak with one of our Client Service Directors and have some understanding of our services. This guide will allow you to read it all at your own pace or just jump to the features you are interested in. Now that you know why you should use Yandiki, we'll help you start using the platform. The first section of the guide is meant for clients and administrators. If you were invited to Yandiki as a freelancer, we recommend that you jump to the second section of the guide, which is dedicated to contractors and workers.
For Clients and Administrators How to find the perfect match for your team in Yandiki Once you enter the Yandiki platform, you will be able to access the Yandiki Talent Cloud, where you will be able to browse and filter to find the right person for the job. No matter where you are, all you need to do is click on the main Yandiki logo on the top bar to open the access the Yandiki Talent Cloud and the filter.
You will notice that the talent cards have different colors. This is because we classify talent according to their areas of expertise. Many professionals have mixed profiles and this will help you identify their main expertise.
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The pink cards are for “Graphic Design and Multimedia”, that is graphic designers, video editors, animators, photographers, web designers and anyone working with visuals. The green cards are for “Writing and Translation”, that is anyone working with words, including journalists, creative writers, copywriters, proofreaders, translators and more. The blue cards represent “Social Media and Online Marketing”, so you will find Community Managers, PR experts, publicists, media buyers, and many other professionals that will help you utilize social networking websites to help your company gain brand exposure and broaden customer reach. The orange cards are for “Web Design and Programming” so you will be able to come by computer programmers, software developers, software engineers and anyone that can help you design and develop about anything you might need.
The main filter will allow you to select the criteria you are looking for, based on the job requirements. Under “Areas of Expertise” and “Skills”, you can even select (from the dropdown or type as you go) as many options as you need. You can also type on the search box to find what you are looking for faster. The platform will start filtering immediately so you will know when to stop.
NOTE: the online version has this paragraph instead: this is a repetition of the first paragraph of this section. Please have it removed.
Once you enter the Yandiki platform, you will be able to access the Yandiki Talent Pool of talent, which you will be able to browse and filter to find the right person for the job you need done. No matter where you are, all you need to do is click on the main Yandiki logo on the top bar to open the access the Yandiki Talent Pool and the filter.
Once you are happy with the number of results, you can start looking at each profile in detail by clicking on it (anywhere really). Each profile contains information on education, past work experiences, test results and samples of work,so you can geta taste of what they can do for you.
Insider's Tip: We recommend you take a few minutes to look at each profile. We already spent a long time analyzing profiles, interviewing and testing candidates, but to get to know your candidates better, we recommend that you visit their websites and take a look at their attached portfolios (which are more juicy than the ones they probably have on Behance).
When you like a person's profile, you can “Select” them for a project. You can also use the heart on the top right corner to “Add them to your Favorite Cloud” so you can find them easily for the next time around.
You will be able to see your list of selected and favorite talents with the icons on the top bar.
How to send a hiring request Once you are certain you want a person in your team, you can send us a hiring request. We will contact the contractor for you and make sure they are available to start working right away. You can also use the X to delete any candidate you don't want anymore.
The button to request talents will prompt a series of pop ups that will help us pitch your project to our talent. Please fill it with as much detail as you see fit.
Your Private Talent Cloud in Yandiki At Yandiki you can find talent and much more. Yandiki will help you create your virtual office, right in the Cloud. You can invite your colleagues to join Yandiki to find talent or jointly supervise work with you. You can also invite your favorite freelancers and remote workers to have them always at your reach and keep an accurate record of the projects they accomplish complete for you. To get them onboard, all you need to do is send an invitation via the platform. So, go to the Team Room, click on the envelope and enter their emails.
Make sure your colleagues register through the invitation they received by by email, so that their accounts will be created right into your company's domain in Yandiki.
All those that have been invited to your account and have not accepted your invitation or have not been approved by our Yandiki Admin, will appear with a yellow clock and a dim profile. Because you are the boss, your talent card will be slate grey. NOTE: The image below does not look aligned with the text, the image of the online version is perfect..
In case you have too many collaborators in your Team Room, we have added a filter to help you find the person you are looking for based not only on his/her expertise and skills, but also according to the projects worked on.
You can then change the role a person has within your Private Talent Cloud to ensure each of them has access to the information they need. A Yandiki user can have one of these three roles: ●
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Contractor: A worker in the classical sense. They can be assigned tasks within a project, but have no control over the management of the projects. They can see, reassign and delete their own screenshots. Manager: A manager has permission to create, edit and delete projects. They can also see other people's work. This is a good role for a Project Manager. Administrator: Has full control over the account and therefore can create, edit and delete projects. As an administrator, you can also see the screenshots of all people who register their work under the account. You will also receive invoices and will have access to the account funds.
To see a person´s role, enter the Team room and look at their card.
To change a person's role, simply use the dropdown and select “Change role”
Note that in the same dropdown button, you will find other useful functions, such as adding them to your Favorite Cloud and deleting a user. Just be careful when you delete a person because all their information, including the hours they worked and their screenshots will disappear too. But don't worry, because if you ever change your mind, you can bring them back. You can also still see the hours they registered in the Timesheet by selecting the “Show deleted” option.
Discover your virtual office: The Workroom In the Workroom, you will create and manage your projects. The Workroom enables you to organize work better and makes it easier to coordinate a team. You can create projects for anything, from major one-time initiatives such as launches, campaigns and publications to tasks that are ongoing and will repeat over time like translations, reports, administrative tasks, meetings, database management, recruitment, etc.
Insider's Tip: For those companies that provide services to others, Yandiki allows you to link each project to a client. This is particularly interesting if you also create an internal client with the name of your company. This will help you analyze how much time your team spends to resolve internal processes vs. working directly with your customers. When you identify the inner most time-consuming tasks, you can make decisions to simplify them and make your team spend more of their time in revenue-generating tasks. There are two ways of looking at projects, the card and the table view. The project cards help you find a project via the cover and, let's face it, looks super pretty. The table view it's more handy when you need to filter and organize results. To shift the view, click on the icon.
And now, let’s create a project. In the Workroom, click on “Add Project”.
A pop up window containing a form will appear. You only need to give your project a name, as all the other fields are optional. However, the more info you can include, the better it will be.
Insider's Tip: If you want to quickly change the month or the year, click on the center of the pink bar on top of the calendar and select the month. If you click on the center of the top bar again, you can select a different year. All the calendars in the platform work the same way.
Let´s finish creating that first project. Once you've completed and saved the initial pop up, you'll be taken to the project page, where you can add a cover, create tasks, assign them to users with an hour cap, add files, descriptions and much more.
You will be able to edit and make changes to your project as many times as you need. Just stand on the text you want to change and start typing. All changes will be saved automatically.
How to create tasks Projects are a group of tasks. Tasks are the basic unit of work in Yandiki, and may be things you have to do, want to remember, or need someone to complete. In the project page, you can create and add all the tasks you need to complete a project. To add a task, put your cursor on the bar that says "Add new task". Write the name of the task and hit the enter key on your keyboard. You will then be able to assign the task to users, set start and due date, assign an amount of hours to complete the task and a lot more.
The columns will guide you to the information you need to include to help you organize tasks in the best way. For example, you can choose a start date and an end date for each task, so that everyone is clear about the work schedule. Also, you can determine the level of priority, to help your team prioritize during busy times.
NOTE: this sinder tip is not included on the online version. Insider's Tip: Always assign a maximum amount of hours that can be used to complete a task. This allows you to adjust the effort your team is making. It is especially important if your hourly workers have contracts or if you charge your own customers based on hours worked.
How to assign a task Tasks can be assigned to oneself, a collaborator or a Yandiki talent. There is no limit on the number of people who can be assigned to a task. In the task bar, you should select the blue cross. You will see a list of the names of all the people in your Team Room. As you type the name of the person you want to assign, this will limit the options. When you find the candidate you are looking for, click on his/her name.
NOTE: this paragraph and the image below are not included on the online version. As soon as you assign a person to a task, they will receive an email notification. Administrators and managers will also receive a notification so that everyone is informed.
When you want to see everyone who has been assigned to a task, click on the table icon in the task. You will be able to quickly add or delete users by clicking on the top right icon on each card.
You can also add the same user to multiple tasks. Simply, select all the task you want this person to work on, click on the add person icon. Select the person and click on “Assign�.
It is important to remember that when you delete a user from a task, he or she will not be able to continue charging hours on this task because it will no longer appear on their timer. However, the hours worked and already recorded will not disappear, unless you ask the user to erase them from the history of the project.
How to add a subtask Subtasks are smaller divisions of a task. When tasks are complex or involve a lot of people, it is useful to be break them down into subtasks. For example, "Creating promotional materials" may have the subtasks "Content Creation" and "Graphic Design". There are two ways to create a subtask. You can put your cursor on the dotted line on the left side of the bar, until you see a cursor arrow appears. Click on the task, drag it and bump it against the task you want to become the parent task.
Another option is to display the edit page of the task you want to set as a subtask. Select the task that must be "parent task" from the drop-down list.
NOTE: the paragraph below is not included in the online version​. Insider's Tip: If at any time one of your tasks has more than 5 subtasks, then it is possible that given its complexity, it is advisablethat this task becomes a separate project.
How to delete a task If you want to delete a single task, simply click on the dustbin.
You can delete several tasks at the same time by selecting several tasks. The mass-action buttons will light up. Click on the dustbin.
Remember that once you've deleted a task, you won't be able to get the task and the information attached to it back.
How to review progress - Gantt charts Each project will automatically generate a Gantt chart that will show the team’s progress for different tasks. To access the Gantt, enter the Workroom, select the project that you want to see and click the “Gantt Chart” tab. NOTE: the image on the online version does not show the Gantt chart.
It is very easy to read a Gantt chart. All you need to know is what the colors mean: A line in grey shows the days you are planning to use to work on a task and that nobody has registered time yet. If you are past the day that task should have started and it's still in light grey, then check with your team why they have not been able to start working to avoid rushing at the last minute. A line in light green means your team has started working on that task and they are going well. They are still working within budget and within the set deadline. (NOTE: on the online version, the paragraph needs to be replaced, it contains info about the Project manager).
When the task turns aqua, then you need to start paying attention. This means your team has continued working past the deadline but are still working within budget. A yellow task means your team has used up all their assigned hours but still have days left to continue working. Now, when you see your task in bright orange, then you are in serious trouble. This mean you have gone past the deadline and over budget. Ouch! However, there are ways to fix this. You can either increase the assigned hours and change the deadline or you can ask your team members to reassign their worked hours. We'll teach you how to do this here.
Reviewing progress: The activity stream The platform offers several reports to see how your projects are advancing. The activity stream is like the biography of a project. This report will show you all the milestones in the life of your project: when it was created, when a task was assigned, when a file was uploaded, when a task was completed. Each project has an activity stream that will be created automatically. Just enter the Workroom, select the project you want to look at and select the tab called “Activity Stream�.
Accessing files You can store all your project-related files in Yandiki. This is helpful as all project data: briefs and instructions, deliverables and reports, can all be uploaded and accessed in one location where it will be stored safely for as long as you want. To access your files, simply click on the “Files” tab under each project. You will be able to see who uploaded the file, what type of file it is and when it was uploaded.
Images will be displayed in a preview. Click on the file and enlarge the image by clicking on the magnifying glass. You can also click on the “x” to delete the file or the arrow to download the file.
Be aware than if you delete a file you won’t be able to get it back.
The Timesheet and how to use it
The Timesheet is a report that will display all accumulated hours registered by each and every one of your team members. Each day will show you the total amount of hours worked, added with the timer automatically or manually logged. The report allows you to see the total amount of hours registered by all your collaborators for all projects or a for just a single one and on a determined time period. Knowing this will help you manage your budget and forecast your cost more easily. The set of filters on the top will help you play around with the information available.
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See the hours logged automatically with the timer, by selecting “Tracked time”. See the hours logged manually, by selecting “Manual time”. See only the hours accumulated by workers working on a particular project or those labelled with a particular tag. See the equivalent in USD of the hourly rates of your collaborators.. Select the start and end date of the period of time you want to see.
You can also download the file in CSV format, which can then be imported into Excel.
The work diaries and the screenshots Yandiki´s platform works together with a desktop application that is downloaded to the computer of each talent or contractor. This timer app takes screenshots of the talent´s computer every three minutes, amounting to 20 screenshots in an hour. The accumulated screenshots can be accessed through the “Work diary” of each person on the Timesheet report. Everyone with the role of an Administrator o a Manager (clients are always registered as Administrators) will be able to see the screenshots registered by every user in the account. Contractors (like most collaborators) will only see their own screenshots. To access the Work diary, tap on the block of hours of the user you are interested in. And access the Work diary for that day:
The Work diary will also allow you to filter by project, so that you can find the screenshots you are looking for more easily.
To see the screenshots in detail, click on each of them and it will enlarge. The screenshots also show productivity metrics such as keyboard and mouse movements per minute.
Insider's Tip: The screenshots are ideal to follow the work progress in real time. When your team is working with heavy files, instead of having to wait for the files to be sent to you, you can check what your team has developed via the work diary. You can also discuss project plans and provide further direction via the screenshots. Select the one you want to talk about and click on the pink “Comment� button, which will take you to the collaboration section.
Collaborate with all your team
Yandiki has an in-built messaging system that will help you communicate with all your team. You won't need to know anybody´s emails, nor be at the platform to read a message. Having all your project related communications in one place is very useful. You can refer back to an instruction you gave or see what you had agreed with your contractor. This is how it works. Go to the Collaboration tab in your account. On the side, you will see all the channels you can use to send messages: ● ● ●
There is a general one to talk to everyone on your Team Room The private channels are created automatically for each of your projects. Messages will be sent to anyone assigned to that particular project. The direct channels are for one to one communication. The messages you send through the direct channel will only be visible to the person you write to.
If you want to send a file, click on the clip and select from your computer, Drive or Dropbox. Yandiki has a seamless integration with these two popular softwares.
You can edit a message you just sent.
You can also make sure a person receives a copy of the message in their email account by using the “@� sign. You can use the @ sign when writing in the general channel or in a project channel.
If you need to delete a message, browse over a message and click on the “x” sign.
If you want to refer back to something you or a team member said a long time ago, click on the “Reply” button under the message.
Give feedback and rate a talent Once a collaborator has completed a project deliverable, you will be able to provide your feedback and rate the freelancer according to how satisfied you are with his or her work. Feedback is important because your experience will help other clients make a more informed decision when selecting a talent. To provide feedback, enter the Yandiki platform with your client login. Then, go to the Team room and tap on the stars in the talent card of the professional you want to provide feedback about.
You will go to the Feedback and Rating page. Click on the “Rate Talent� button.
Complete the form and submit.
For Talent and Contractors
Download the Timer The Yandiki Timer is a desktop application that you need to download to your computer. You will use the timer to register your worked time. We have versions available for MAC and Windows. The timer will take screenshots of your desktop every three minutes. The screenshots will create a time registry that Yandiki will use to pay you. To download the timer, open the menu next to your profile picture.
You will then go to the download page where you can select the version of the timer that is compatible with your computer's operating system. You can download the timer in as many computers as you like.
The download wizard will help you. Just follow the steps. Once it's done, the Yandiki icon will appear on your desktop. When you need to register your worked time, look for the icon, click on it and launch the Yandiki timer.
Introduce your email and the password you used when you created your profile.
You will see all the clients and tasks that have been assigned to you. Use the dropdown menu to select the correct client. Make sure you select a task correctly. You need to see the task highlighted in blue and a black check mark on the task´s box.
Once you are happy with your selection. Click “Start”. You will see the white light turn green. Also the timer icon in the lower bar of your desktop will turn green.
Insider's Tip: Use the Timer to work in blocks, concentrating on a task at a time. This technique will assist you in avoiding working “half way” or jumping from a task to another, lowering your concentration and efficiency.
Changing tasks When you need to work on another task, open the Yandiki icon on your lower task bar. Find the task you want to work on and tap on its box until you see the black check mark appear.
When you need to stop the timer, click on the “Stop” button. You will see the light turn white.
How to enter the Yandiki platform and the client account To enter Yandiki, you must go to www.yandiki.com and click on the “Become a talent” button. Then, enter your email and password to sign in. If you cannot access this site, make sure to clean your cache first.
This will take you to your “Home Screen account” where you will see all your registered information.
To go to a client's account, tap on the grid next to your profile picture and select the client you are looking for from the dropdown menu.
Once you are in the client's account, you will see your title change.
How to reassign screenshots Sometimes we may forget to turn off the timer or we select the wrong task. This means our screenshots will be stored under the wrong account or labelled under the wrong task. Yandiki only allows each user to reassign and delete their own screenshots. Even the Administrators don't have the ability to modify the screenshot registry of a user. To modify your screenshot registry, you must enter the Yandiki platform via the Talent login access and enter your Home Screen account. Then, go to the Timesheet and select the day and client account that you need to modify.
Once you've entered the Work Diary, select the screenshots you want to reassign. Click the pink “Reassign� button and then select the client and task where the screenshot should be stored.
Confirm your selection and voilá! your screenshots will be reorganized.
Delete your screenshots You can delete a screenshot permanently. Once you do, nobody will be able to see it. Just remember that when you delete a screenshot, the time associated with that screen (up to 3 minutes) will disappear too. Simply, follow the same process for reassigning a task. Enter the Yandiki platform, go to your Home Screen account and then to the Timesheet. Once there, find the day and the client in which the screenshot you want to delete is located.
Once in the Work Diary, select the screenshot you need to delete and then click the “Remove” button. Before you delete, you will need to confirm your decision.
Deleting a screenshot is permanent and will also decrease your total registered time.
See your total registered time To see all the time you have worked so far, ​enter the Yandiki platform, go to your Home Screen account and then to the Timesheet.
Make sure you are looking at the right time period. For this, click on the “Date from” and “to” in the top bar and select the correct dates. Remember, Yandiki will calculate your pay from the 1st of each month to the end of the month.
Your total worked time for each client will be shown in the last column and the total for the month right at the bottom of the table.
How to add a file Clients will ask you to add your deliverables to the platform, so that all the project information can be stored and found in one place. To upload your files, enter the Yandiki platform and go to the client´s account. Once there, go to the Workroom and select the project you were working on.
Select the project and then find the task your file is related to. Then click on the clip icon.
NOTE: the online version has a repeated paragraph that needs to be removed.
Your total worked time for each client will be shown in the last column and the total for the month right at the bottom of the table.
You can upload a file from your computer, Drive or Dropbox. When you click on the file tab in the project page, you will be able to see all uploaded files.