Help Center

INTRODUCTION
The Project Binder Method
Software as a Service
What is a SAAS?Tools built for youCloud-based DataConsistencySecurity
Project Stages
LeadEstimatesProjectRentalReconcile
ACCOUNT SETUP
Getting Started
Prepare Your Data
Organizational GroupsServicesRental ProductsAccessories
Creating Your Account
  • Production Company Info
  • Personal Info
  • Notifications
Setting Up Your Account
Personal Settings
  • KPI's
  • Notification Preferences
  • Visibility Options
  • Wallpaper Image
Company Settings
  • Account Subscription
  • Company Info
  • Default Margin & Markup
  • Equipment Manager
  • Google Calendar
  • Project Folder Structure
  • Users
Contact Settings
  • Company Relationship Types
  • People Relationship Types
  • Questionnaire Builder
Products & Services
  • Accessories
  • Accessory Types
  • Manufacturers
  • Media
  • Organizational Groups
  • Rental Products
  • Rental Packages
  • Services
  • Units of Measurement
  • Video Formats
Estimates & Projects
  • Project Tiers
  • Revision Policy
  • Starting Numbers
  • Statuses
  • Terms & Conditions
Invoices
  • Payment Temrs
  • Payment Instructions
OVERVIEW
Header
Left Side
  • Logo / Dashboard
  • Contacts
  • Jobs
  • Rentals
Right Side
  • Dashboard Icon
  • Calendar Icon
  • Notifications
  • Settings
  • Bug Report
  • Log Out
  • User
The Dashbaord
Job Board
  • Current Estimates & Projects
  • Filters
  • Creating Something "New"
  • List of Current Jobs
  • Jobs List
  • Metrics & KPIs
Calendars
  • Personal
  • Production
  • Equipment
Notes, Tasks, & Documents
Overview
  • Description
  • Internal Notes
  • Tasks
  • Chat
Questionnaire
  • Default Questions
  • Custom Questions
  • Append
  • Default Questions
Deliverables
  • Add Deliverable
Documents
  • Upload
  • Create SOW (AI)
  • Project Folder

      KNOWLEDGE BASE

      Project Binder Features, Tools, and Tips

      INTRODUCTION

      The Project Binder Method

      Project Binder started as a small, physical spiral-bound dossier that held all the important master documents needed to run a production. These documents often included storyboards, script, production budget, gear pick list, client contact info, crew agreements, call sheets, maps, and anything else we needed to reference while on set.
      ‍
      "Grab the project binder" was often heard in the office when loading out for a gig, as this sleek black book became known as the "center source of truth" for any production. If one of the team members had a question about the project, oftentimes, the answer lay in the Project Binder.

      Every job had a Project Binder, and every Producer we had clutched onto it as it became the bible for production. If something changed, or was updated, we'd run to the spiral binder and pry open the book to add or modify our master document.

      As each project came to a close, the Project Binder would have it's own character, with stickers, sticky tabs, stains, hand-drawn notes, and a weathered cover. You couldn't help but admire it's charm when it was filed away for future reference.

      Project Binders became a way of life in our production company,.. but they were flawed. They were hard to update, hard to keep track of, and especially hard to reference if you didn't have it on hand.

      This was where the impetus for ProjectBinder.io began and quickly grew into a dream to replace spreadsheets, CRMs, and messaging apps. To have a software specifically designed for Photography, Film, and Video Production with a centralized, cloud-based software as a service (SAAS).

      Software as a Service

      What is a SAAS?

      Software as a service (SaaS /sæs/[1]) is a cloud computing service model where the provider offers use of application software to a client and manages all needed physical and software resources.[2] SaaS is usually accessed via a web application. Unlike other software delivery models, it separates "the possession and ownership of software from its use".[3] SaaS use began around 2000, and by 2023 was the main form of software application deployment.

      Tools built for you

      Cliche, but true: ProjectBinder.io was built by photo and video production business owners for photo and video production professionals. We built this app for us, then realized how crucial it was to our businesses and felt we had to take it to market and share it's features with the industr

      Cloud-based Data

      All of your data is stored securely in the cloud using industry-standard cloud computing. Access your projects from anywhere you have an internet connection and know you have the most up-to-date information from your team.

      Consistency

      By setting your services and equipment pricing information in your databases, you'll have a consistent pricing sheet to operate from. When you duplicate or clone an estimate from a previous project, all the rates remain the same for the client. Your estimate printouts, totals, and branding all remain consistent across all channels.

      Security

      Having user accounts that you can terminate helps you keep tabs on who can access your information. Different screens and KPIs will show you profit margins and sensitive numbers while keeping them separate from customer-facing printouts and emails.

      Project Stages

      Lead

      The Lead phase is where you learn that a client, or even a potential client, is interested in your services. During this phase, you discuss the project with the client to learn the scope, shot dates, due dates, budget, deliverables, etc. This phase is all about discovery. Be sure to ask all the right questions to ensure you receive the information needed to create an estimate.

      Estimates

      The Estimate phase is for when you are creating an estimate or even multiple estimates for your client. The "Good, Better, Best" approach is a classic sales tactic that can be used. Once an estimate is approved, you move the the project phase.

      Project

      The Project phase is the most active phase. This is where you plan out your project, reserve gear, book crew, and manage your budget.

      Rental

      The Rental phase is only relevant to external rentals, where your gear is reserved and rented out to a 3rd party.

      Reconcile

      Once the project is completed and deliverables are sent, it's important to go through your expenses and log all the actuals vs what was budgeted. This phase will also give you an opportunity to internally rate your subcontractors, generate repair orders on any damaged gear, and get a final assessment of your costs, margins, and overall financials before you close the books and archive the job.

      Do you have your inventory already in a spreadsheet?

      Save time when setting up your Project Binder account by ingesting your Services, Equipment, and Accessories via a CSV document. You can use our Google Sheets template to properly format the data needed for the ingest.

      ACCOUNT SETUP

      Getting Started

      It's important to take the time to set up your account properly. Plan on a day where you can spend 4-6 hours really getting into the settings and calibrating the system to work best for you. The more time you spend setting up your Project Binder account correctly, the better experience you'll have using the app.

      Prepare your Data

      Preparing your data to be structured and categorized correctly is crucial to your success using Project Binder. Below is a quick outline of the initial datasets you'll need to compile properly when setting up your account.

      Organizational Groups

      Organization Groups are the backbone of how Project Binder organizes and presents your Services and Rental Products in many areas of the app, such as Estimates, Projects, and the app UI. These Organizational Groups also affect your Estimate Printouts where Project Binder will sub-total these groups.

      Most of your interactions with your data will be presented to you in the order you decide. While you can modify and add/remove this sorting functionality as your business grows or changes, it is suggested that you plan this out to the best of your ability.

      *Organizational Groups are just the areas to collect your various Services, Rental Products, and things you'll bill for. They should not hold specific Services, positions, equipment, etc. Think of Organizational Groups like folders or buckets.

      Organization Groups are divided into three columns: Categories, Groups, and Sub-Groups.

      Categories are reserved for larger, more general sorting.  A good way to use Categories is to use phases of your projects - such as Pre-Production, Production, and Post Production. However, additional Categories can be created to be slightly more granular if needed. For instance, some users have taken the default Production category and split it into Production - Video and Production - Photo when more specificity is needed.

      Groups are for breaking down and organizing the different areas of each Category. A good practice is to create Groups based on Services or Rental Products or even types of Rental Products like the example above.

      Sub-Groups are best utilized for a fine sorting of the parent Group. If the parent Group is all the Services in that Category, it might be best to then sort the services into their respective departments or teams i.e: Camera Department, Sound Department, etc. If the parent Group contains Rental Product equipment, then it is suggested that the Sub-Groups be divided by type, or usage.

      *Sub-Groups are not required if no further sorting is needed, but it is recommended if possible.

      Once you have your Organizational Groups configured, look at your Services and Rental Products to make sure you've created an area for that item to be sorted to.

      Services

      Services are tasks you perform for your clients and bill for - usually at an hourly rate. Once you enter or ingest all your services, they'll show up in the settings menu for you to update and modify. Your Services listed in your database will then populate your Estimates and Project Budget.

      While a user is able to enter each service one at a time using the Services page in Settings, it's much easier to use the Project Binder Ingest Template to prepare all your services first and then use the Upload CSV feature to ingest all your Services.

      *DO NOT modify the header names on the top row, or modify/re-arrange the column as they're in a specific order with specific naming!

      There are 12 fields in the Services Database that are required for Project Binder to utilize your Services correctly.

      Field
      Name
      Description
      Category
      Group
      Group-Sub
      Per Unit Price
      Per Unit Cost
      Per Unit Profit
      UoM
      Sub Contract
      Default
      Multiple
      Description
      Name of the Service
      Description of the Service
      Organizational Group - Category
      Organizational Group - Group
      Organizational Group - Sub Group
      How much you will bill for the service per UoM
      How much it costs you to provide this service
      The difference between Price and Cost is your Profit [AUTO]
      The Unit of Measurement to quantifying this Service
      Will you use Sub Contractors to perform this service
      "Yes" automatically adds this Service to new Estimates
      "Yes" allows more than one person to performing this Service
      Data Type
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Number
      Number
      Number
      Text
      Yes/No
      Yes/No
      Yes/No

      *Categories, Groups, and Sub Groups entered in the spreadsheet will be added to Organizational Groups, and new UoM's will be created upon ingest.

      Rental Products

      Rental Products is a database of your gear in your inventory - gear that you bill your clients to use on your productions. Be aware that there are also separate databases for Rental Packages and Accessories that we'll address once your account is set up.

      ENTER RENTAL PRODUCTS ONLY!!!

      DO NOT enter lighting packages, sound bags, camera kits or any other multi-item Package under Rental Products! These will be bound using Rental Packages once your account is set up. Rental Products should have a unique serial number for proper inventory and gear tracking.

      DO NOT enter small accessories like batterries, media, cables, light modifiers etc as these will be entered after your account is setup. Stick to the large items like camera bodies, lenses, lights, tripods, etc.

      Once you enter or ingest all your Rental Products, they'll show up in the settings menu for you to update and modify. Your Rental Products listed in your database will then populate your Estimates and Project Budget.

      While a user is able to enter each Rental Product one at a time using the Rental Products page in Settings, it's much easier to use the Project Binder Ingest Template to prepare all your Rental Products first and then use the Upload CSV feature to ingest all your Rental Products.

      *DO NOT modify the header names on the top row, or modify/re-arrange the column as they're in a specific order with specific naming!

      There are 21 fields in the Rental Products Database that are required for Project Binder to utilize your Services correctly.

      Field
      Manufacturer
      Model Number
      Name
      Description
      Category
      Group
      Group Sub
      Purchase Date
      Purchase Price
      Rental Price
      Rental Cost
      Rental Profit
      Serial Number
      Replacement Cost
      Barcode
      UoM
      Camera
      Accessories
      Rent Out
      Default
      DNI
      Description
      A selected Manufacturer from your database of Manufacturers
      Manufacturer's Model Number
      Name of Rental Product (usually shortened/slang of Model)
      A description of the Rental Product
      Organizational Group - Category
      Organizational Group - Group
      Organizational Group - Sub Group
      The date you purchased this item (best guess is ok)
      How much you purchased this item for
      How much you bill to rent this item out for per UoM
      What it costs you to rent this item out per UoM
      The difference between Price and Cost is your Profit [AUTO]
      Serial Number of your Rental Product (must be unique)
      What it would cost to replace this Rental Product
      Barcode or Tag number of this Rental Product (must be unique)
      The Unit of Measurement to quantify the duration of a Rental
      Is this Rental Product a camera? "Yes" enables more features
      "Yes" enables the ability to attach Accessories
      "Yes" allows this item to be rented to 3rd parties
      "Yes" will add this Service automatically to new Estimates
      "Yes" will disable using this Rental Product (Do Not Inventory)
      Data Type
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Date
      Number
      Number
      Number
      Number
      Text
      Number
      Text
      Text
      Yes/No
      Yes/No
      Yes/No
      Yes/No
      Yes/No

      Accessories

      Accessories are the items in a database of all your ancillary items such as Batteries, Cables, Cases, etc. Accessories can be attached to rental products in one of two ways: Fixed or Non-Fixed.

      A Fixed Accessory is always connected to a specific Rental Product, whereas Non-Fixed Accessories can be added to a particular, compatible, Rental Product

      Once you ingest all your Accessories, they'll appear in the settings menu for you to update and modify. The Accessories listed in your database will then show as an add-on option to a rental product. You can indicate in the Accessory settings to either change the price of the parent Rental Product when adding an accessory or leave it at its original cost.

      While a user is able to enter each Accessory one at a time using the Accessories page in Settings, it's much easier to use the Project Binder Ingest Template to prepare all your Accessories first and then use the Upload CSV feature to ingest all your items.

      *DO NOT modify the header names on the top row, or modify/re-arrange the column as they're in a specific order with specific naming!

      20 fields in the Accessories Database are required for Project Binder to utilize your Services correctly.

      Field
      Manufacturer
      Model Number
      Name
      Short Name
      Description
      Accessory Type
      Purchase Date
      Purchase Price
      Rental Price
      Rental Cost
      Rental Profit
      Replacement Cost
      Serial Number
      UoM
      Barcode
      Notable
      Fixed
      Rent Out
      Default
      DNI
      Description
      A selected Manufacturer from your database of Manufacturers
      Manufacturer's Model Number
      Name of Accessory (usually shortened model number slang)
      A 3-4 character shortcode for a quick reference label
      A description of the Accessory
      A selection of Accessory Types i.e: Battery, Cable, Case
      The date you purchased this item (best guess is ok)
      How much you purchased this item for
      How much you bill to rent this item out for per UoM
      What it costs you to rent this item out per UoM
      The difference between Price and Cost is your Profit [AUTO]
      What it would cost to replace this Accessory
      Serial Number of your Accessory (must be unique)
      The Unit of Measurement  quantify this Accessory
      Barcode or Tag number of this Accessory (must be unique)
      "Yes" will add the Short Name to the line item in an Estimate
      "Yes" sets Accessory to attach  to a single Rental Product
      Will you rent this Accessory out to 3rd party renters?
      "Yes" will add this Accessory automatically to Rental Product
      "Yes" will disable using this Accessory (Do Not Inventory)
      Data Type
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Date
      Number
      Number
      Number
      Number
      Number
      Text
      Text
      Text
      Yes/No
      Yes/No
      Yes/No
      Yes/No
      Yes/No

      Creating Your Account

      blah blah blah

      Production Company Info

      yakity yak ya