Design

In GEST, you can structure your projects into easily manageable entities using project management tools, personas, and collections. All aspects of production, from planning to communication, scheduling, accreditation, and post-production, can be implemented with GEST.

On this page you can get acquainted with the different functions of project management and create a clear foundation before starting the actual production work. page. The instructions cover project and file management, tasks and internal communication.

Main menu

In the top bar of GEST's front page, there is a main menu where you can find all the most important functions for project management.

DesignThe menu contains the most important project management functions: projects, files, internal communication and tasks.

User accountThe menu (heart) is where you create and manage email templates and products.

StatisticsFrom the menu you can see the statistics view for your user account.

Project management

GEST's project management tools help you plan and structure your work more efficiently. Its functions range from organizing large event productions to managing individual projects to creating workspaces for different teams.

You can create schedules and to-do lists, send messages, and share tasks among project members. Project management tools make it easy to find all the information you need and track project progress in real time.

Project management front page view

All your active projects and latest messages and tasks can be found directly in the homepage view, where you can also track their progress.

 

MessagesThe inbox displays incoming messages and conversations. You can create a new message by clicking the + sign in the right corner.

My tasks From the list you can see what tasks you currently have in progress, when their deadlines are approaching or if the deadline has already been exceeded (the task turns red). This task list is your own to-do list, visible only to you. You can create a new task by clicking on the + sign in the right corner.

My latest projects The view shows your most recent active projects. You can create a new project by clicking the + sign in the right corner.

The icons for notifications The icons represent different aspects of project management. Boxes are projects, pins are tasks, and envelopes are messages. The eye next to a task represents a task you are following that you are not completing yourself. Green represents a completely new task, blue represents a task edit, and a yellow trophy represents a completed task. The Notifications view only shows tasks that you are following or completing yourself.

Creating a project

You can create a new project from two places

1. Click on the + sign in the upper right corner of the Latest projects view on the front page 
2. By navigating to the Projects tab > Add new project in the Planning menu in the top bar.

Name the project and set a duration for it. You can also write a description for the project, which you can add additional information to. The description text can be formatted with formatting tools and links or files can be attached to it. After this, you can add a team to the project and, if you wish, include it as part of the folder you created.

Once you have completed the necessary information and saved, the project will appear on the GEST homepage in the My latest projects view and on the Projects page. By clicking on the name, you will be taken to the project page, where you will find its basic information, schedule, related messages and discussions, and tasks associated with the project.

Project management and archiving

You can view all your projects under Projects in the Planning menu. You can edit or delete project information in the right-hand column. Archived projects can be deleted on the Archive tab.

Projects can also be restored from the archive. To restore an archived project, open the project from clicking on its name and press the pen to edit the project. When the project is archived, the dot below is on. Deselect, and the project will become active again.

Project folders

ProjectsIn the view, you can also create project folders. They are handy for managing large entities when you want to divide a larger production into smaller projects or sub-areas. These can be, for example, the different production teams of an event.

Create a new project folder by clicking Add Folder in the upper right corner. Name the folder and set the project duration. You can then create projects in the folder by clicking Add New. The projects will appear on the projects homepage, where you can use their editing tool to move them to the folder of your choice.

In GEST, you can create tasks and to-do lists for yourself, as well as create tasks related to a project and delegate them among team members. With the task list, all project members stay up to date on its progress. The tasks you do and track are visible in the Tasks view on the home page, on the Tasks page, and on the page of the project to which the task is attached. 

You will receive information about the progress of your own others tasks that you are following in the Notifications section of the front page.

Creating a task

A new task is created on the right side of the task view by clicking the + sign. You can create a new one either from the home page via the Tasks shortcut menu, directly in the desired project, or via the Planning section, by selecting the Tasks page. 

1. Name the task, assign it a deadline and write a task description. 
2. After that, you can specify the team members who are in charge of completing the task as well as people who should be able to follow the task's progress. 
3. Comments and files can also be added to the task.
4. Tasks can be linked to several different projects at once, in which case the task will appear under all the projects in question.

On the project page, tasks are divided into personal, follow-up, and completed tasks.

• My tasks are ones that you are completing alone or together with other project members. 
• Followed tasks are tasks that you are not performing yourself, but whose progress you monitor.
• Completed tasks are completed tasks.

You can also view all tasks in the project. You can filter the task view by task deadline, creation date, and last modified date. The creation date and last modified date of the task are displayed on the right side of the task. If the task deadline has already passed, it will be displayed in red in the list.

Checking the task as completed

Once a task is created, it will appear in the project view, the Tasks page, and the My Tasks listing on the home page. You can view and make changes to the task's content by clicking on its name.

Save: Saves the comments you add to the task.

Completed: Marks the task as completed.

Delete: Removes the task from view of all project members who complete or monitor the task.

If a task is marked as completed, but you want to return it to active, you can click the Restore button.

Manage files

You can upload files to GEST, such as information materials and images. Supported file formats are .pfd, .jpg, .png and .tiff. Files can be attached to messages, tasks, documents or even form headers as illustrations. 

You can download files from the Design menu. Filestab.

Files can be uploaded for internal use (protected) or uploaded to the public side, from where they can be shared outside the system (public). For example, if you plan to send informational materials to volunteers for your event, it is a good idea to upload the files to the public side. On the other hand, it is a good idea to upload materials intended for internal use of the project to the protected side of the system.

Files can be uploaded to GEST either by clicking the Add files button or by dragging and dropping files from a computer folder into the system.

Attaching a file to an email

The file is attached to the message in the message tool. You can link the web address of a file found online in the address field or search for a file you have already downloaded in the GEST Files folder. You can attach the file you want by clicking on the link image (circled) and then clicking on the folder and magnifying glass image. 

You can optionally enter an alternative name for the file that will appear in the text instead of the file name (display text). You can also enter text that will appear when the mouse is moved over the file (title). The item indicates that the file or link will open in a new window.

Internal communications

GEST's messaging features make it easier to communicate internally within the team. You can send messages to other users within GEST. The message can be an internal discussion or it can be attached to a project. There are three ways to start writing a new message:

1. By clicking on the + button at the top of the Messages folder on the front page, 
2. In the Design menu tab Communication -> New message 
3. In the project view in the Messages folder

Creating a new message

1. Enter the title and content of the message then add recipients. 
2. You can attach files and links to the message and modify the look of the message with the formatting tools on GEST.
3. When you have edited the message as you wish, click Finish. Close in.

Incoming messages and replying to them

Incoming messages are visible to recipients on the home page, in the Messages folder, and if the message is attached to a project, in the messages for that project. 

By clicking on the message, you can read the content of the message and reply to it. The message view also shows the conversation history between recipients, so that important messages and information are not forgotten.