Projects and teams: Collaborate efficiently

Projects and teams are the foundation of collaboration in Polimake Studio. A project groups all related content, and teams let you work together with other members in an organized, controlled way. This guide will teach you how to manage projects and teams efficiently.

Creating projects

A project in Polimake Studio is like a container that groups related content, boards, workflows, and members. You can have multiple projects for different clients, campaigns, or initiatives.

Creating a new project

1. Go to "Projects" in the side menu or use the project selector
2. Click "New project" or the "+" button
3. Fill in the form:
   • Project name: Choose a descriptive name (e.g., "Summer Campaign 2024," "Client XYZ")
   • Description (optional): Add a brief description of the project
   • Thumbnail (optional): Upload an image that represents the project
4. Click "Create project"

Initial project setup

When you create a project, you can configure:

• Workflows: Define custom approval and execution workflows, or use the defaults
• Initial members: Invite members when creating the project
• Advanced settings: Other options depending on the available features

Note: You can change these settings later. For more information about workflows, check out our workflows guide.

Practical example

A community manager creates a project called "Instagram Brand ABC" to manage all of that brand's Instagram content. Within this project, they group posts, reels, stories, campaign boards, and the team working on the project.

Inviting members to the project

Once the project is created, you can invite members to collaborate.

Inviting full members

Full members have an account in Polimake Studio and full access to the project (based on their permissions).

1. Open the project you want to invite members to
2. Go to "Members" or "Team" in the project settings
3. Click "Invite member" or a similar button
4. Enter the email of the user you want to invite
5. Assign permissions (read or write)
6. Click "Send invitation"

Acceptance process

When you invite a member:

1. The user receives an email with the invitation
2. They click the link in the invitation
3. If they don't have an account: They'll be asked to create one
4. If they already have an account: They simply log in
5. They're automatically added to the project with the assigned permissions

Managing existing members

For members who are already in the project:

• Change permissions: Update read/write permissions
• Remove a member: Remove a member from the project (if you have permission)
• View activity: Review what each member has done in the project

Note: To share temporary access without creating a full account, use public tokens. See our invitations guide for more details.

Permissions and roles

Permissions control what each member can do in the project. Polimake Studio has a simple but effective permissions system.

Permission types

Read

Members with read permission can:

• View content: See all the project's content
• View boards: Access the project's boards
• View calendar: See the calendar and scheduled content
• View settings: See the project's settings

They cannot:

• Create or edit content
• Modify boards
• Change the project's settings
• Invite or remove members

When to use: For clients who only need to review, stakeholders who want to stay informed, or team members who only need to see progress.

Write

Members with write permission can:

• Everything read can do: All read capabilities
• Create content: Create new content in the project
• Edit content: Modify existing content
• Create and edit boards: Manage the project's boards
• Use the Studio: Create and edit designs
• Change statuses: Move content through the workflows
• Comment: Leave comments on content

They generally cannot:

• Change the project's settings
• Invite or remove members
• Modify workflows (depending on the configuration)

When to use: For designers, copywriters, community managers, and any team member who needs to create and edit content.

Owner

The project owner has all permissions:

• Everything write can do: All write capabilities
• Settings: Change the project's settings
• Workflows: Modify the project's workflows
• Members: Invite and remove members
• Delete project: Delete the entire project

When to use: For the project creator, project directors, or administrators who need full control.

Assigning permissions

When inviting a member:

1. Select the permission level in the invitation form
2. Read the descriptions to make sure you choose the right one
3. Confirm and send the invitation

To change an existing member's permissions:

1. Open the project's member list
2. Click the member whose permissions you want to change
3. Select the new permission level
4. Confirm the change

Important: Changing permissions can affect what the member can see and do immediately. Communicate the changes to the team.

Permission best practices

• Principle of least privilege: Grant only the necessary permissions. You can increase permissions later if needed
• Review regularly: Review the team's permissions periodically
• Communicate changes: Inform the team when you change permissions
• Document exceptions: If someone needs special permissions, document why

Team management

Managing a team effectively requires organization and clear communication.

Team structure

A typical team structure might be:

• Owner/Director: Full control, makes strategic decisions
• Coordinators: Write permissions, manage daily content
• Creators: Write permissions, create content (designers, copywriters)
• Reviewers: Read or limited write permissions, review and approve
• Stakeholders: Read permissions, stay informed

Common roles

Although Polimake Studio doesn't have predefined "roles," you can use permissions to create effective roles:

Project Director

• Permissions: Owner
• Responsibilities: Settings, workflows, member management, strategic decisions

Community Manager

• Permissions: Write
• Responsibilities: Create and schedule content, manage the calendar, coordinate with creators

Designer

• Permissions: Write
• Responsibilities: Create designs in the Studio, manage visual assets

Copywriter

• Permissions: Write
• Responsibilities: Write copy, edit content text

Reviewer/Approver

• Permissions: Read or (limited) Write
• Responsibilities: Review content, change approval statuses, give feedback

Client/Stakeholder

• Permissions: Read (or public token)
• Responsibilities: Review content, give feedback, stay informed

Team communication

Polimake Studio facilitates communication through:

• Comments on content: Leave comments directly on content
• Recent activity: See what each member has done
• Notifications: Receive notifications of important changes
• Workflow statuses: Statuses communicate content progress

Collaboration best practices

Organization

• Define responsibilities: Clarify who does what
• Use workflows: Define clear review and approval processes
• Keep it updated: Update statuses and dates regularly
• Document decisions: Use comments to document important decisions

Communication

• Comment on changes: Leave comments when you make significant changes
• Respond quickly: Respond to comments and review requests
• Communicate blockers: If something is blocking the work, communicate it
• Celebrate wins: Recognize good work through comments

Efficiency

• Use statuses correctly: Move content through the statuses according to the process
• Don't duplicate work: Check whether someone is already working on something
• Coordinate dates: Make sure everyone is aligned on important dates
• Keep the calendar updated: The calendar is the source of truth

Practical use cases

Case 1: Small marketing team

Situation: A team of 3 people manages a brand's content.

Structure:

• Person 1 (Director): Owner, sets up projects and workflows
• Person 2 (Designer): Write, creates designs in the Studio
• Person 3 (Community Manager): Write, schedules content and writes copy

Flow: The designer creates content, the community manager schedules it and writes copy, and the director reviews and approves.

Case 2: Agency with multiple clients

Situation: An agency manages content for 5 different clients.

Structure:

• Each client has its own project: Clear separation by client
• Agency team: Write permissions in all projects
• Clients: Read permissions or public tokens to review

Flow: The agency creates and manages content, clients review via public tokens or read accounts, and they approve through comments or status changes.

Case 3: Large team with specialization

Situation: A team of 10 people with specialized roles.

Structure:

• 1 Director: Owner, overall management
• 2 Coordinators: Write, coordinate daily work
• 3 Designers: Write, create designs
• 2 Copywriters: Write, write text
• 1 Reviewer: Limited write, only changes approval statuses
• 1 Client: Read, reviews and gives feedback

Flow: The creators (designers and copywriters) create content, the coordinators organize it, the reviewer approves, and the client reviews and gives final feedback.

Troubleshooting common issues

I can't invite members

• Verify that you have owner or administrator permissions
• Make sure the email is valid
• Check that there are no member limits on your plan

A member can't see the project

• Verify that they've accepted the invitation
• Make sure they have at least read permissions
• Verify that they're viewing the correct project

Permissions aren't working as I expect

• Review exactly what permissions the member has
• Some actions may require additional specific permissions
• Contact support if the problem persists

I need to change the project owner

• Generally only the current owner can transfer ownership
• Look for the "Transfer ownership" option in the project settings
• If it's not available, contact support

Conclusion

Effective project and team management in Polimake Studio is key to successful collaboration. Create organized projects, invite members with the appropriate permissions, and maintain clear communication through comments and workflow statuses.

Remember that permissions are flexible and you can adjust them based on your team's needs. Start with conservative permissions and increase them as needed. Organization and communication are just as important as the technical tools.

For more information on specific ways to share access, check out our invitations guide, and to customize your processes, see our workflows guide.