Introduction to Cerebro for a task assignee.¶

[[[w]]] In this video we are going to look at [[[x]]] how to get started with Cerebro: [[[y]]] installing the program and [[[z]]] starting the first task.[[[a]]]

For a regular company employee, the work with Cerebro [[[b]]] starts when the system administrator [[[c]]] creates for them a personal account. [[[d]]] After that, the employee receives an email [[[e]]] with their account credentials: a login and a password. [[[f]]]

The message also contains brief instructions on [[[g]]] how to install and run the Cerebro client program.[[[h]]]

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To install the desktop version of Cerebro on a computer, [[[i]]] click the link in the message to go [[[j]]] to the “Downloads” section on cerebrohq.com and [[[k]]] download the installer for your operating system. [[[l]]] When the download is complete, run the installer and [[[m]]] follow the instructions of the installation wizard, [[[n]]] where you can specify the installation directory [[[o]]] or create a Cerebro shortcut on your desktop.[[[p]]]

In the “Downloads” section, you may also find links [[[q]]] to installers of the mobile version of Cerebro. [[[r]]] To install it, open a browser on your mobile device [[[s]]] and go to the “Downloads” section on cerebrohq.com [[[t]]] In the “Mobile Version” subsection, [[[u]]] click “Android” or “iOS”, depending on your device.[[[v]]]

This will take you to the Cerebro mobile app [[[w]]] in the app store.[[[x]]] After you download and install [[[y]]] the app from the store, [[[z]]] you will see its startup icon on your home screen. [[[a]]] Now you can log in to the Cerebro system [[[b]]] with your credentials from your mobile device.[[[c]]]

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When you install the desktop version [[[d]]] and launch it for the first time, [[[e]]] the Cerebro login window will appear. [[[f]]] Enter your login (or email address) and password from the email.[[[g]]] You can also access additional settings [[[h]]] to select the interface language and [[[i]]] tick the following checkboxes if necessary: [[[j]]] “Remember Me” to avoid having to re-enter your password [[[k]]] or “Auto Login” to launch the program [[[l]]] without showing the Cerebro login window.[[[m]]]

When you click “Login”, the Cerebro main window appears.[[[n]]] A slider divides it into two sections, [[[o]]] tabs with tasks on the left [[[p]]] and forum for the selected task [[[q]]] with links and other attributes on the right.[[[r]]]

You can access [[[s]]] your account profile settings from the main menu.[[[t]]] Here you can upload an image [[[u]]] to use as your avatar, change your email address or login, [[[v]]] set a more user-friendly password, and [[[w]]] configure the alert and email notification settings.[[[x]]]

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The main tab on the left of the home screen [[[y]]] is “Navigator”, which shows [[[z]]] the task tree for your company’s projects.[[[a]]]

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The subtask tree in the Navigator has unlimited depth, [[[b]]] with the messaging feature in the task’s forum [[[c]]] available at each nesting level, [[[d]]] although most of the messaging and file sharing [[[e]]] usually happens at the lowest level of tasks.[[[f]]]

Each task and each message have their own [[[g]]] unique address within Cerebro, [[[h]]] which can be seen and edited in the address bar [[[i]]] on the top panel and inserted [[[j]]] as a link in forum messages.[[[k]]]

You can also use an online link [[[l]]] to a message that can be shared via email, [[[m]]] messengers, or social media. [[[n]]] By clicking this link you will launch Cerebro [[[o]]] and see the corresponding task and a message.[[[p]]]

To start working on a specific task, [[[q]]] first you have to find and select it in the Cerebro system. [[[r]]] You can do it from the navigator window by viewing the task tree. [[[s]]] For that, you should be designated as the assignee in the task attributes.[[[t]]]

The same can be done from a different view [[[u]]] in the “To Do List” tab, where [[[v]]] employee’s personal tasks are listed, [[[w]]] i.e. all tasks they have been assigned.[[[x]]]

Unlike the navigator, the “To Do List” screen [[[y]]] does not display a task tree, but a single-level list, [[[z]]] which can be sorted, for example, by the task status [[[a]]] or by the planned start date. [[[b]]] You can select the task you need [[[c]]] directly from the list. [[[d]]] Since all task views [[[e]]] are synchronized in Cerebro, you can select a task in any tab, [[[f]]] and all the other ones will switch to it as well. [[[g]]] On the right-hand side of the main window you will see [[[h]]] the task forum with task-related messages, [[[i]]] comments, and files, [[[j]]] as well as the task status changes.[[[k]]]

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The forum messaging feed always starts [[[l]]] with a “Definition” message, [[[m]]] which specifies what needs to be done.[[[n]]]

If you go to a task forum with [[[o]]] a long message history, it will only expand [[[p]]] the first and a few the most recent messages, [[[q]]] while the middle of the feed will be collapsed. [[[r]]] You can collapse or expand individual messages [[[s]]] by clicking on them or use the context menu [[[t]]] to collapse / expand all the messages at once.[[[u]]]

For more visual clarity, you can adjust the font size [[[v]]] of forum messages and change the size [[[w]]] of thumbnails to media files. [[[x]]]

The first step is to fully understand the task. [[[y]]] You can take the files attached to the first message [[[z]]] from the Cerebro system and save them to your computer.[[[a]]]

If the name of the attached file [[[b]]] is displayed in a white font, then the file [[[c]]] can be opened directly from your computer. [[[d]]] In this case, double-clicking it will launch [[[e]]] the built-in or external viewing software.[[[f]]]

If the name is in a red font, [[[g]]] you must first download the file [[[h]]] to a local directory before [[[i]]] it can be viewed.[[[j]]]

Depending on the settings of the Cerebro file storage [[[k]]] and whether you work from your company’s local network [[[l]]] or remotely, newly posted files may be [[[m]]] immediately available for viewing [[[n]]] or you may have to download them first.[[[o]]]

Before getting started, [[[p]]] you need to switch the task status to “in progress” [[[q]]] to signal the supervisor and other employees [[[r]]] that the task is already underway.[[[s]]]

At this point, you no longer need [[[t]]] Cerebro to work on the task. [[[u]]] You will only need to open it again [[[v]]] to write a report on the task you have completed. [[[w]]] To do so, you need to go back to the task in Cerebro [[[x]]] and reply with the “Report” message. [[[y]]] You can do it by clicking the “Reply” button on the [[[z]]] previous forum message or the toolbar at the top of the tab.[[[a]]]

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In this message, you will need to verbally describe what exactly [[[b]]] you have done and, if needed, attach the resulting files. [[[c]]] You can write the message body [[[d]]] in the upper part of the editor window, while [[[e]]] the attached files will be displayed at the bottom. [[[f]]] These may be, for example, images, [[[g]]] videos, or any other files.[[[h]]]

You can use sidebar buttons [[[i]]] to add a single file, several files [[[j]]] or a directory as a ZIP archive, [[[k]]] add links to files or folders, [[[l]]] or insert the contents of the clipboard as an attachment. [[[m]]] You can also drag and drop files or folders [[[n]]] in the Cerebro window directly from file explorer. [[[o]]] In this case, two options will appear in the editor window: [[[p]]] to add files to the message as attachments or as links.[[[q]]]

Report messages must include [[[r]]] the number of hours it took you to complete the task. [[[s]]] They will be added to your personal statistics, as well as [[[t]]] the general statistics for the task and the entire project.[[[u]]]

Before posting the report, you should change [[[v]]] the task status to “pending review” [[[w]]] to notify the supervisor that the task has been completed [[[x]]] and you are waiting their evaluation and comments, if any.[[[y]]]

When you click the “Send” button, the message is posted on the forum, [[[z]]] the task status changes, and the attached file [[[a]]] uploads to the Cerebro file storage.[[[b]]] The response will appear in the task forum as the supervisor’s review.[[[c]]]