Quick-start guide: First steps in Polimake Studio

This guide will walk you step by step through your first moments in Polimake Studio. In under 10 minutes you'll have your account set up, your first project created, and you'll be ready to start managing content.

If this is your first time using a content management platform, don't worry. This guide is designed to be clear and straightforward, even if you have no prior experience.

Create an account / Log in

Polimake Studio uses Auth0 for authentication, which means you can log in securely using different methods.

Create a new account

1. Visit the Polimake Studio home page "
2. Click "Log in" or "Sign up"
3. Select your preferred authentication method:
   • Email and password
   • Google account
   • Other available providers (depending on configuration)
4. Complete the sign-up process by following the on-screen instructions
5. Verify your email if required (depending on the configuration)

Once sign-up is complete, you'll be redirected to the platform automatically.

Log in to an existing account

1. Visit the Polimake Studio home page
2. Click "Log in"
3. Enter your credentials or select the authentication method you used when you signed up
4. You'll be redirected to your main dashboard

Note: If you forgot your password, you can use the "Forgot your password?" option on the login page.

Access via invitation

If someone has invited you to a project:

1. Click the invitation link you received by email
2. If you don't have an account, you'll be prompted to create one during the process
3. If you already have an account, simply log in and you'll be added to the project automatically

Create your first project

A project in Polimake Studio is like a container that groups all related content together. You can have multiple projects (for example, one per client, one per campaign, etc.).

Steps to create a project

1. Once inside the platform, look for the projects menu in the sidebar
2. Click "New project" or the corresponding "+" button
3. Fill out the form:
   • Project name: Choose a descriptive name (e.g., "Summer 2024 Campaign," "Client XYZ")
   • Description (optional): Add a brief description of the project
   • Thumbnail (optional): Upload an image that represents the project
4. Click "Create project"

Configure workflows (optional)

When you create a project, you can set up custom workflows or use the default ones:

• Approval workflow: Defines the statuses for reviewing content (default: Draft → In Review → Approved)
• Execution workflow: Defines the statuses for publishing (default: To upload → Uploaded)

You can configure this later if you prefer to start with the default values. For more information, see our workflows and statuses guide.

Practical example

Imagine you're the community manager for a coffee brand. You could create a project called "Instagram Café XYZ" where you:

• Group all of that brand's Instagram content
• Invite the designers and copywriters on the team
• Set up a workflow where content goes through: Draft → Copy Review → Design Review → Approved → Scheduled

Create your first content

Now that you have a project, it's time to create your first piece of content.

From the content page

1. Navigate to "Content" in the sidebar
2. Click "New content" or the "+" button
3. Select the content type:
   • Story: For Instagram stories (9:16 format)
   • Reel: For Instagram reels (9:16 format)
   • Video 16:9: For videos in horizontal format
   • Image: For static images (4:5 format)
4. Fill in the basic information:
   • Title or description: A name to identify the content
   • Publish date: When you plan to publish it
   • Project: Select the project it belongs to
   • Status: Start with "Draft" if it's not ready yet
5. Click "Create"

From the calendar

You can also create content directly from the calendar:

1. Navigate to the calendar from the sidebar
2. Click a date where you want to schedule content
3. Select "Create content" in the menu that appears
4. Follow the same steps as from the content page

Tip: Creating content from the calendar is useful when you already know exactly which day you want to publish.

Add details to your content

Once the content is created, you can:

• Edit the copy: Add the text that will accompany the post
• Associate a design: If you already have a design created in Studio
• Change the status: Move the content through the different workflow statuses
• Add comments: To collaborate with your team

For more details on content management, see our complete content management guide.

Basic navigation

Polimake Studio has an intuitive interface designed to help you find everything quickly. Here's an overview of the main sections:

Sidebar

The sidebar is your main navigation point. It includes:

• Calendar: Main view for planning and visualizing content by date
• Content: A list of all your content with filters and search
• Boards: Visual canvases for organizing content
• Projects: Manage your projects
• Invitations: Manage invitations sent and received

Calendar view

The calendar is probably where you'll spend most of your time:

• Monthly view: See the whole month at a glance
• Weekly view: Focus on a specific week
• Date navigation: Use the arrows to move between months/weeks
• Filters: Filter by content type, status, project, etc.

Content page

When you click a specific piece of content:

• Preview: See how the content will look
• Details: Edit information, copy, dates, etc.
• Activity: Comments and recent changes
• Studio: Opens the design editor if the content has an associated design

User menu

In the top-right corner you'll find:

• Your profile: Your account information
• Settings: Platform settings
• Log out: Sign out of your account

Initial setup checklist

Follow this checklist to make sure you have everything set up correctly:

Basic setup

• Account created and logged in Account created and logged in
• Profile completed with your basic information Profile completed with your basic information
• First project created with a descriptive name First project created with a descriptive name
• Workflows configured (or using the defaults) Workflows configured (or using the defaults)

First content

• At least one piece of content created to get familiar with the process At least one piece of content created to get familiar with the process
• Content type selected correctly Content type selected correctly
• Date assigned in the calendar Date assigned in the calendar
• Status configured (probably "Draft" to start) Status configured (probably "Draft" to start)

Exploring features

• Calendar explored (monthly and weekly views) Calendar explored (monthly and weekly views)
• Filters tried out to see how they work Filters tried out to see how they work
• Navigation between sections to get familiar with the interface Navigation between sections to get familiar with the interface
• Studio opened (even if just to see how it works) Studio opened (even if just to see how it works)

Collaboration (if applicable)

• Team invited to the project (if you work as a team) Team invited to the project (if you work as a team)
• Permissions configured for each member Permissions configured for each member
• Public tokens created (if you need to share with external clients) Public tokens created (if you need to share with external clients)

Next steps

Now that you have the basics set up, you can:

1. Explore the calendar in depth - Read our calendar guide
2. Learn about boards - Discover how to organize content visually in our boards guide
3. Use Studio - Learn to design content in our Studio guide
4. Configure workflows - Customize your workflows in our workflows guide

Troubleshooting common issues

I can't log in

• Make sure you're using the correct authentication method (email, Google, etc.)
• Make sure your email is verified if required
• Try resetting your password if you forgot it

I don't see my project after creating it

• Make sure you're in the correct project using the project selector
• Make sure you have permission to view the project
• Refresh the page if you just created it

I can't create content

• Make sure you have a project selected
• Make sure you have write permission in the project
• Try from a different section (calendar vs. content page)

If you run into other issues, see our FAQ or contact support.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now have the basics set up in Polimake Studio. The platform is designed to be intuitive, so don't be afraid to explore and experiment. Every feature is built to make you more efficient at managing your content.

Remember, you can come back to this guide anytime if you need to refresh a basic concept. And if you want to dig deeper into a specific feature, we have detailed guides for every aspect of the platform.