Starting a project in Cerebro.¶

[[[a]]]In this video we are going to look at the Cerebro tools [[[b]]] used at the beginning of a project.[[[c]]] We will create a new project and [[[d]]] accounts for employees working on it, [[[e]]] and will set up access rights to the tasks of the project [[[f]]] for different categories of users.[[[g]]]

In the Cerebro system, a project is represented [[[h]]] by a root node with a task tree [[[i]]] growing down from it, where the work is being performed .[[[j]]] New tasks within a project [[[k]]] can be created by project owners, managers or supervisors, [[[l]]] but the root node itself can only be created [[[m]]] by a user with Cerebro administrator’s rights. [[[n]]] This action in performed in the administrator panel, [[[o]]] which is available through the [[[p]]] “Tools / Administrator” option in the menu. [[[q]]]

There is a special “Projects” tab here [[[r]]] for project management, which displays [[[s]]] all the projects at your company.[[[t]]] Using the buttons on the toolbar [[[u]]] a new project can be created, or an existing project can be archived [[[v]]] or restored from the archive.[[[w]]]

You can also configure [[[x]]]the project list display filter.[[[y]]] There are only two filtering criteria here: [[[z]]] by an attribute of archived projects, and [[[a]]] by the start date limitation or indicating [[[b]]] the time period that includes the project start date. [[[c]]]

When a new project is created, [[[d]]] a step-by-step wizard is used to carry out this operation. [[[e]]] During the first step, the basic parameters should be set up – [[[f]]] these include the name of the project and the date and time of its start, [[[g]]] as well as default parameters [[[h]]] for new tasks within the project. [[[i]]] You can choose how to set [[[j]]] the start time and scheduled duration [[[k]]] for a new task by default. [[[l]]] Another important parameter of a project is the [[[m]]] feature to automatically confirm the hours [[[n]]] stated by assignees in their reports. [[[o]]]

During the first step, it is also possible to choose [[[p]]] the option of using an existing project [[[q]]] as a template for the new one [[[r]]] with a similar task structure. [[[s]]] This can be done by checking the “Use a template” box [[[t]]] and selecting a project from the list to be used as a template. [[[u]]] Then, by checking relevant boxes, the list of [[[v]]] attributes to be copied from the template [[[w]]] to the new project can be created. These attributes can include [[[x]]] links between tasks, forum messages, [[[y]]] designated assignees, etc. [[[z]]]

In the next step, we should select the file storage, [[[a]]] to which file attachments [[[b]]] from project messages will be sent. [[[c]]] Often, companies only have [[[d]]] one file storage, in which case [[[e]]] it is assigned to the project automatically. [[[f]]]

Permissions to project tasks for different [[[g]]] user categories are inherited by default [[[h]]] from the global access rights [[[i]]] that are set up in the “Universe” tab. [[[j]]] When a new project is created, they can be left [[[k]]] unchanged or immediately extended or reconfigured. [[[l]]]

We can see that different groups in the list are given [[[m]]] different access levels. To extend someone’s rights, [[[n]]] for example, an employees group can be added [[[o]]] and one more access level can be assigned to it [[[p]]] from the list of preset ones [[[q]]] or it can be configured manually. [[[r]]] For example, let’s authorize employees to create message, [[[s]]] such as “Review”, in the forum. [[[t]]] In this case, the permissions inherited from the global level [[[u]]] are shown in regular font [[[v]]] and the ones newly configured at the project level are shown in bold. [[[w]]]

Tags on the project allow you to use [[[x]]] additional task attributes that [[[y]]] have been created in advance in the [[[z]]] administrator panel on the “Task tags” tab. [[[a]]] These can be string, numeric, [[[b]]] or list values to which you assign [[[c]]] specific meaning yourself and then use them [[[d]]] as you work on the tasks. [[[e]]]

The next step is to set up notifications [[[f]]] for different categories of users. [[[g]]] Again, you can leave the settings [[[h]]] inherited from the global level unchanged [[[i]]] or reconfigure them. [[[j]]] Besides the end users have the ability to [[[k]]] reconfigure the rules for sending notifications [[[l]]] one more time in their account profile. [[[m]]]

And the last step provides an opportunity to customize the subscription [[[n]]] by the type of activity for individual users. [[[o]]] The list of people is on the left side. For example, if someone [[[p]]] is the director of animation, their subscription can be [[[q]]] automatically configured to include all tasks [[[r]]] with “animation” type of activity so that they receive [[[s]]] notifications about all new messages there. [[[t]]]

Having completed all the steps, we press the “Finish” button, [[[u]]] and the new project appears in the list. [[[v]]] All the attributes that we specified in the new project creation [[[w]]] wizard can be later edited [[[x]]] in the project properties tabs [[[y]]] on the right side of the administrative panel window. [[[z]]]

The new project appears in the navigator window as well, [[[a]]] and users with appropriate permissions [[[b]]] are able to work inside it. [[[c]]] Supervisors create and schedule tasks, allocate [[[d]]] assignees, and those, in turn, complete their work. [[[e]]] [[[f]]] Let’s discuss in greater detail the creation of user accounts [[[g]]] and configuration of permissions for them. [[[h]]]

The list of existing users is available [[[i]]] in the “Users” tab on the administrator panel. [[[j]]] Here new accounts can be created [[[k]]] and existing accounts can be reconfigured. [[[l]]] The total number of possible accounts [[[m]]] at a company is determined by the number [[[n]]] of purchased Cerebro licenses. [[[o]]]

There is a rule that when you purchase [[[p]]] a certain number of licenses for standard [[[q]]] accounts, you also receive the equal amount [[[r]]] of free so-called email users. [[[s]]] This type of accounts can also [[[t]]] be created in the “Users” tab. [[[u]]]

In short, the point of having email users is that, [[[v]]] with no login and password to access [[[w]]] the Cerebro client program, these people [[[x]]] can still participate in the correspondence [[[y]]] with the help of the mail client. [[[z]]] First they need accounts [[[a]]] to be created in Cerebro and then [[[b]]] to be subscribed to the corresponding tasks. [[[c]]]

The first button on the toolbar [[[d]]] above the user list activates [[[e]]] the step-by-step wizard to create a new account [[[f]]] for a standard user, i.e. a user that [[[g]]] can log in to Cerebro with his login/password.[[[h]]]

During the first step, you need to specify the user’s name, [[[i]]] his Cerebro login and e-mail address. [[[j]]] Then you can choose to generate and send [[[k]]] him a random password by email, or you can [[[l]]] set the password manually, and then pass it on to [[[m]]] the user in another way.[[[[n]]]

By default, the user can see all the other [[[o]]] users, for example, in the list of people [[[p]]] when selecting an assignee for the task. [[[q]]] Depending on the company’s policy, [[[r]]] limits can be set to the visibility of certain [[[s]]] user categories for each other. [[[t]]]

The next step is to specify the types of tasks [[[u]]] that the user can perform. [[[v]]] To do so, corresponding types of tasks [[[w]]] should be selected by dragging or using buttons [[[x]]] from the general list of activities [[[y]]] that can also be configured in the administrator panel [[[z]]] in the “Activities” tab.[[[a]]] This parameter will be used, for example, [[[b]]] when assigning a user to a task, [[[c]]] if filtering by activity is on. [[[d]]] In this case, only those people will remain in the general list, [[[e]]] whose account attributes include the type of activity [[[f]]] corresponding to the task at hand.[[[g]]]

In the next step, [[[h]]] the user’s membership in groups is configured. [[[i]]] Usually, user groups in Cerebro [[[j]]] are associated with corresponding access levels, [[[k]]] thus, by placing a person in a group, [[[l]]] we grant them certain permissions to projects and tasks. [[[m]]]

After all the steps have been completed, we click the “Finish” button. [[[n]]] The user appears in the list, and all [[[o]]] the attributes set for him can be subsequently edited in the corresponding tabs [[[p]]] on the right side of the window. [[[q]]]

In Cerebro, an administrator has the capability [[[r]]] to log in as a different account, [[[s]]], which makes it possible for them to see what tasks are available [[[t]]] to the created user and, in general, [[[u]]] what they see in the window after they log in. [[[v]]] To perform this task, first [[[w]]] you should select the desired user from the list [[[x]]] and then click on the button “Login As” [[[y]]] on the right side of the “User Profile” tab. [[[z]]]

~

As a result, the main Cerebro window reloads, [[[a]]] the name of the new user appears in the header, [[[b]]] and the tasks associated with their account are displayed [[[c]]] in the navigator window and in the other lists.[[[d]]]

You can switch from this mode [[[e]]] back to the administrator account by clicking [[[f]]] the corresponding button in the upper left corner.[[[g]]]

Another button on the toolbar allows you [[[h]]] to add accounts from the Active Directory [[[i]]] as standard Cerebro users. [[[j]]] This option allows employees [[[k]]] to log in to Cerebro with the same login/password, [[[l]]] as they do in the operating system.[[[m]]]

The third button activates the new email user creation wizard.[[[n]]] The main difference [[[o]]] from the standard account is that in this case [[[p]]] no Cerebro login/password is set, [[[q]]] only the email address and the other attributes are specified – [[[r]]] name, activities and group membership [[[s]]] that will allow them to participate [[[t]]] in task-related correspondence.[[[u]]]

Next, let’s consider possible manipulations [[[v]]] with existing accounts.[[[w]]]

There are two options [[[x]]] when removing a user from the list.[[[y]]] If the user is listed only with your company,[[[z]]] then deleting leads to deactivation of his account.[[[a]]] From that point on, he will not be able to log in to Cerebro.[[[b]]]

If the user to be removed is simultaneously working [[[c]]] with another company and is listed [[[d]]] in their Cerebro universe, then deleting [[[e]]] simply removes him from the list in your company,[[[f]]] but the account remains active.[[[g]]] He may continue working on other projects, [[[h]]] but your company’s projects become unavailable to him.[[[i]]]

Similarly, if you want to resume working [[[j]]] with a previously removed user,[[[k]]] there are also two options.[[[l]]]

If the account was deactivated when removing,[[[m]]] then to bring it back to your list, you need [[[n]]] to use the user recovery button.[[[o]]] In any case, the record remains in the Cerebro database,[[[p]]] so it won’t be possible to create a new user [[[q]]] with the same email address.[[[r]]]

The step-by-step wizard appears again. Here you need [[[s]]] to specify a mailbox, set a new login,[[[t]]] and send the password by email or specify it manually.[[[u]]] Then the remaining attributes should be completed,[[[v]]] as when creating a new account.[[[w]]]

Another case is when you need to add [[[x]]] to your list an active Cerebro user who is listed [[[y]]] with other companies, a freelancer, for example.[[[z]]] Again, you cannot create a new [[[a]]] account for an email address that is already in the [[[b]]] database, so you need to use the [[[c]]] user search and invitation function.[[[d]]]

To find the right person in the database,[[[e]]] you should enter the email address and press the “Search” button.[[[f]]] The user will appear in the list. You should write him [[[g]]] the invitation text and press the “Invite” button.[[[h]]]

Next time this user logs in to Cerebro,[[[i]]] he will receive a message from you, [[[j]]] and he will have two options:[[[k]]] to accept or reject your invitation.[[[l]]] Only after he accepts it, his [[[m]]] account will appear in the list of your users.[[[n]]] Then you can assign him an access level [[[o]]] and involve in the work on your projects.[[[p]]]

As we have already seen, users in Cerebro [[[q]]] are added to groups in order to [[[r]]] unite people with the same access rights.[[[s]]]

Groups are created and edited [[[t]]] in the “Groups” tab.[[[u]]] Selecting a group from the list, you can specify [[[v]]] its membership by adding users from the general list .[[[w]]] Users visibility in relation to each other [[[x]]] is also configured at the group level.[[[y]]]

Now let’s look at how permissions [[[z]]] are assigned at the global level.[[[a]]] This happens in the “Universe” tab.[[[b]]]

First, the list always contains a group [[[c]]] of administrators with “Full Control” access level,[[[d]]] and the group must contain [[[e]]] at least one account.[[[f]]] This is the only restriction. Other permissions [[[g]]] can be assigned both here and on other [[[h]]] levels, for example, in the root node of a project.[[[i]]]

Since permissions are inherited from top to bottom,[[[j]]] it often makes sense to assign them [[[k]]] at the global level to all or some [[[l]]] categories of users so that they [[[m]]] automatically apply to all [[[n]]] projects and tasks in your company.[[[o]]]

For example, you can create groups [[[p]]] of supervisors, workers, freelancers, [[[q]]] client accounts, etc., [[[r]]] and access level for each group in the table [[[s]]] will have to be specified.[[[t]]]

There are several pre-defined [[[u]]] access levels in the Cerebro system and you can [[[v]]] see in the lower part of the window the decryption [[[w]]] of the rights they give.[[[x]]]

The “Full Control” access level, which is used [[[y]]] for administrators, includes [[[[z]]] all elementary access rights from the list.[[[a]]]

The next level of access is “supervisor.” It contains [[[b]]] a wide set of rights but only within the project.[[[c]]] This means that Cerebro administrator rights,[[[d]]] which are necessary, for example, to create [[[e]]] a new account or a new project, [[[f]]] are not provided to a supervisor by default.[[[g]]] However, he is the one in charge inside the project. He can [[[h]]] write almost any type of messages, [[[i]]] arbitrarily switch the status of tasks [[[j]]] and edit their basic attributes.[[[k]]] All this allows him to effectively plan [[[l]]] the work on a project and monitor its implementation.[[[m]]]

Next comes the access level for employees.[[[n]]] As we can see, it contains a smaller set of rights, [[[o]]] including the visibility of all tasks and the creation of [[[p]]] two types messages: a report and a simple note.[[[q]]]

In addition, this access level has [[[r]]] several checkboxes in the “conditional” column [[[s]]], which means that the user receives these [[[t]]] additional access rights only for [[[u]]] the tasks assigned to him.[[[v]]]

For a group of freelancers, “restricted worker” access level [[[w]]] is recommended. It contains [[[x]]] almost the same rights [[[y]]] as those for employees, but all of them [[[z]]] are listed in the “conditional” column.[[[a]]] This means that for this category of users [[[b]]] even the visibility of the task is turned on [[[c]]] only after the person is [[[d]]] allocated for the task.[[[e]]]

As it was already mentioned, at the [[[f]]] project level, access rights can be reconfigured.[[[g]]] To edit them, you need to switch [[[h]]] to the navigator window and select the project root node.[[[i]]]

Next, we go to the task properties window and open the access rights [[[j]]] editor by clicking the corresponding button on the toolbar.[[[k]]] We see the same editor, [[[l]]] as we do in the new project creation wizard, [[[m]]] where, on one side, we can see which access rights [[[n]]] from the global level apply to this project, [[[o]]] and on the other side, we can extend or reconfigure them.[[[p]]]

That’s all, we have successfully created a new project [[[q]]] and set up permissions to it [[[r]]] for various users.[[[s]]] Next, the supervisors create a task structure [[[t]]] inside the project, schedule deadlines, [[[u]]] allocate assignees and start executing the work.[[[v]]]