FAQs

As a BLUE user, you may have questions about how to use BLUE. The BLUE Help will guide you on many of those endeavors, but you may still have additional questions. This FAQ section answers the most common questions. The links will take you to the location in the help site that has more information on that topic.

Logging In and Setting Your Preferences

Can I access BLUE from outside of my network?

  • BLUE is a web-based application, which makes it available from anywhere you have internet access, on or off of your network.

It is after business hours and I forgot my password. Am I out of luck until the morning?

  • You can reset your password using the Forgot Password link on your BLUE login page.

I have locked myself out of BLUE and our site administrator is out of the office today, is there anyone else who can help me?

I am receiving too many emails, is there an option to turn them off?

  • BLUE allows you to define which email notifications you would like to receive, or if at all. You can update your selections in My Profile > Preferences.

Asset Library

Asset Expiry

Can I change the Expiry Date and Expiry Status on an uploaded file?

  • Yes, users with edit asset permissions are able to modify the Expiry Date and Expiry Status for the latest version, as long as the expiration date has not been reached.

Can I remove the Expiry Date and Expiry Status?

  • Yes, users with edit asset permissions are able to modify the Expiry Date and Expiry Status and set them to be blank. This action will remove the Expiry Date and Expiry Status settings.

What will happen if the system fails to change the status?

  • Blue will notify the system administrator through email and the error will be logged in the system.

What if I no longer see a value in the values list of a custom field on a file or folder in the library? If it was there before, why can’t I see it now?

  • There could be one or more reasons why you can no longer see a value of a custom field set on an asset. Check with your administrator to see if the security on the file has changed, if the value was modified, or if the value itself was deactivated and can no longer be a selection.

Can I change the expiry date and expiry status for a previous version?

  • No, previous versions are view only. You may not edit their properties such as status, expiry date or expiry status.

File Collections

If I share my file collection with other BLUE users, how will they know that I have shared the file collection with them?

  • When a file collection is shared, the users are notified by email. Those users will also see the File Collection on the drop down in the Asset Library.

If I share my file collection with other BLUE users, what will they see?

  • When in the Asset Library, those users who you shared the file collection with will see it on the Saved Search / File Collections drop down. They will be able to choose the file collection shared with them but will not be able to make changes to it. They will only see the files in it that they have access to.

What if I add a file to a collection and then that file gets versioned?

  • The file will be completely removed from that file collection when a new version is created. You will no longer see the previous version or the latest version of that asset in that file collection.

Why am I not able to see one or more files in a file collection that was shared with me?

  • You can see file collections shared with you by other BLUE users. However, when you choose a file collection, you will only see files that you have access to.

Library Search

Can I export my Asset Library search results to Microsoft Excel?

  • Yes, you can export your asset library search results at any time as long as you have some results to export.

What sort of date searches can I perform?

  • In the Asset Library, you can search on any date field using options for before, on or before, on, on or after, after, or between dates.

Can I search for a previous version of an asset?

  • Based on your site configuration, Asset Library search results will return all versions or only the latest version of an asset. Please contact your system administrator for more information. 

Can I search for the latest version of an asset when the site is configured to show all versions?

  • Yes, when the site is configured to show all versions, you can use the version filter in the search panel to see only the latest version of the asset in the search results.

How do I know that a saved search has been shared with me?

  • When a library saved search is shared with you, you will receive an email notification. While in BLUE, you will see any searches that you have access to (those you own, as well as those shared with you) on the Saved Search drop down. Those that you own will have options to share, rename or delete.

I made changes to a saved search that is shared with others. Will they see my changes?

  • Yes, when a saved search is updated, any users who it is shared with will see your updated changes to the filter criteria or its name. If the owner deletes it, users who it is shared with will no longer see it.

In the Asset Library, why don’t I see all search filters?

  • The filters on the Asset Library search panel are a user preference. Click the Edit link to customize the filters you see on the Search panel. You will only be able to choose asset library attribute filters that are supported for searching. Your changes only affect your search filters.

I added a field to the list, but why don’t I see it in the left search panel?

  • If you have not selected any filters and you didn’t perform a free text search, then the field you have selected does not have any values associated to the files you have access to. However, if you have filtered the list of files, then the field you have selected does not have any values associated to the files in the filtered list.

Will my file search filter selection persist after I log out?

  • The filter selection is stored in a cookie and will persist for the same browser as long as you did not clear your browser cache.

How come new asset Numbers are shorter than old ones?

  • Files which have been added in a prior version of BLUE will have additional digits as part of the asset’s Number (the ‘1234’ in ‘562534.1234’). For simplicity, these extra four decimals are no longer shown for new files and their versions.

Asset Versions

How do I create a new version of an asset?

  • A new version of an asset may be created automatically when an approved asset is transferred to the library using a transfer to library task. A user who has permission may also upload a new version of an asset by choosing the Create New Version action from asset details.

What actions can I perform on a previous version?

  • Previous versions are view only. You can see information about them, including their attributes, additional locations, references and projects where they are used. You may not modify, publish, or add a previous version to a file collection. Users who have permissions may download previous versions.

File Conversion

I want to convert my file into a PDF. Why is it not appearing as an option?

  • Only Microsoft Office files (Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations) and Adobe Illustrator files (saved with the “Create PDF Compatible File” option selected) can be converted into a PDF.

I converted an Adobe Illustrator file to PDF but I just get a white page. Why is this happening?

  • If the Adobe Illustrator file is not PDF compatible, you will just see a white thumbnail, a white page in online proofing, and a white page when converted to PDF. The Adobe Illustrator file needs to be saved with the Create PDF Compatible File option selected to view the thumbnail, view the file in online proofing or convert the file to PDF.

Is there a way I can decide the size of an image in inches or centimeters, rather than pixels?

  • No. Images are measured in pixels. The resolution is measured in ppi, which is the number of pixels per inch. Therefore, setting an image width of 300 pixels would create a 1-inch wide image at 300 ppi resolution. Meanwhile, setting the resolution to 150 ppi would create a 2-inch wide image.

I want to convert my files to a particular height, width, or resolution, but the system is not allowing it. Why not?

  • The image resolution or size may be too low to update. Images can only be converted to a lower resolution (so from 900 ppi to 300 ppi) or size compared to the original.

I converted a bunch of files, but some are missing from my download. Where are the missing files?

  • Depending on the files you selected, some of the file formats may not be eligible for conversion into the format you requested. The Convert Dialog will list the files that are not eligible when you try to convert the files. Those that are eligible for conversion will be converted and downloaded, the others will be excluded.

I am not getting a Convert File option for Adobe Photoshop files. Why not?

  • Adobe Photoshop (PSD) files do not support file conversion, therefore the Convert File option will not appear for these files. Similarly, converting to PSD format is not supported.

MediaBeacon Integration

Can I see where the file is in MediaBeacon from the library?

  • You must go to the project (see the Project Visibility section for the approved file) in order to access the link.

For an Auto Transfer to MediaBeacon task, when I click on the View File link from the project, it doesn’t take me to the file in MediaBeacon. Where did it go?

  • Access to the file in MediaBeacon is not managed by BLUE. Please contact your MediaBeacon administrator for access to the file.

Projects and Tasks

Auto-Generated Sub-Processes

Can I duplicate a sub-process that was created from an auto-generated sub-process?

  • Yes. As a project owner, you will be able to duplicate a sub-process that was created via the auto-generated sub-process selection of files and folders from the library. Once you duplicate one of these sub-processes, the original file or folder selection will be removed on the duplicate. See Auto-Generated Sub-Processes for more information.

Auto Sub-Process Naming

Will auto sub-process naming use the values from project- and task-level extended custom fields?

  • No, auto sub-process naming is based only on the custom fields that are homed at the sub-process level. They do not take the values from custom fields extended from tasks or projects.

Cross Sub-Process Comparison

What files can I compare?

  • When cross sub-process compare is enabled for a task, the user can compare the approval files (approved or rejected) from different sub-processes. The ability to compare approval candidates with reference files from the current sub-process is always allowed, regardless of whether cross sub-process compare is enabled or not.

Can I compare reference files that are uploaded or visible outside the sub-process?

  • No. You can only compare reference files that have been uploaded via Upload Reference File task within that sub-process or that are visible within that sub-process.

What tasks are eligible for a cross sub-process comparison?

  • A cross sub-process comparison can be enabled for only the Upload File for Approval, Review, and Approval tasks that are inside a cycle. Base artwork review tasks that are before the cycle are not eligible for cross sub-process comparison.

Why can’t I perform the task (Complete, Approve, etc.) for another sub-process?

  • This is not allowed. You can only perform the task for the sub-process where you launched the comparison.

Managing Projects

Why don’t I see the Owner Group and Project Owner filters under My Projects?

  • The result set is already filtered by you as the Project Owner.

Will the Project Name update automatically if I change my values assignments on the project?

  • If the process template used to create the project has an auto name generation, then the project name can be changed by updating the field value assignments when a project is in draft or suspended state. See Generating Automatic Project Names for more information.

While managing review cycles, will bypassed tasks be bypassed on all subsequent cycles?

  • Yes. The tasks will be bypassed until the project or sub-process owner unbypass the tasks. See Managing Review Cycles for more information.

How do I change my project’s schedule from Fixed to Elastic?

  • You can change a project’s existing forecast schedule by editing the project and choose from the drop-down list on Forecast Method and select between Elastic or Fixed schedule. For more information, see Working with Projects.

Will the project diagram be shown every time I open a project?

  • When a new user opens a project for the first time, the project diagram will be shown expanded or collapsed based on the site configuration. For an existing user, it will be collapsed or expanded to the same height the user had preferred the previous time a project was viewed.

Am I able to rewind tasks and cycles?

  • Yes.  When the project is suspended but not completed yet, the project owner, sub-process owner, or workflow administrator can rewind an eligible completed task, sub-process, or cycle. However, the option to Rewind is a template setting, and depending on how your project is configured, it may not be available.  See Dynamic Workflow for more information.

Am I able to redo tasks and cycles?

  • Yes.  When the project is suspended but not completed yet, the project owner, sub-process owner, or workflow administrator can redo an eligible completed task, sub-process, or cycle. However, the option to Redo is a template setting, and depending on how your project is configured, it may not be available.  See Dynamic Workflow for more information.

Can I modify an existing approval cycle?

  • Yes. Using the Approval Cycle Editor, you will be able to move, add, or delete tasks within an approval cycle that has not been completed. But, the option to use the Approval Cycle Editor is a site-wide configuration and depending on your site’s setup, it may not be available. See Dynamic Workflow for more information.

Can I insert a new task anywhere in a project?

  • Depending on the status of the task where you want to add the new task, you will have the option to insert Before, In Parallel with, or After the selected task. The option to Insert a Task in a project is a site-wide configuration and depending on your site’s setup, it may not be available. See Dynamic Workflow for more information.

How do I view a summary of my project’s swimlanes and assignments?

  • The swimlane is defined on the template and defines the eligible groups for a task or sub-process. On the project Assignments tab, you will see the tasks organized by swimlane‚ where the swimlane name is shown as a heading and the tasks and sub-processes assigned to that swimlane are under it. You can expand and collapse this list using the links at the top of the page.

What happens to references files that are in use in projects when I upload a new version?

  • The reference that was originally attached to the project will continue to be used in that project.

I am the project owner, but I can’t fill in the task attribute values. Why not?

  • Only the user who is eligible to complete the task is allowed to edit its attribute values. By default, a project owner is not allowed to fill in task attributes and complete tasks, unless they are the task owner or workflow admin.

I want to redo a cycle, but there is a transfer to library task and I’m getting an error when I try. What are my options?

  • You may not redo a cycle when there is a transfer to library task associated with the cycle. This is because if you redo the cycle, the transfer to library task will not be redone. Instead, try re-doing the entire sub-process, or you could rewind to the cycle, which would open up everything after it, allowing you to redo the transfer to library task as well. Rewind would need to be enabled on the template.

In my project, I have tasks for each attribute value (i.e. Country). How come the project Assignments tab isn’t grouped by values?

  • The template needs to be configured to automatically create the tasks when the values are set. Task Replication is an advanced feature. Please contact your system administration for more information.

What should I do when I encounter an error message stating “User does not have permission to move a task” and the option to Edit the Approval Cycle becomes unavailable during editing an approval cycle?

  • This issue arises when the Edit Approval Cycle is edited by moving a solo task from one column to another in a top-to-bottom sequence. You may start moving the tasks starting from bottom-to-top sequence to mitigate this issue.

Packshots

My Create Packshots task is active, but nothing is happening. Is this right?

  • Packshots are created in the order they are received and can take upwards of 10-15 minutes to create. Depending on the number of packshots being requested across the site, there may be a delay in creation. Notifications will be sent when complete or if there is an error.

My Create Packshots task is suspended, but I can’t resume it.

  • When an error occurs, the sub-process in which the Create Packshots task is located is suspended. To resume the task, go to the sub-process and resume it there.

I needed to manually align the artwork, but the task suspends (or packshots appear wrong).

  • In order to properly align the artwork to the structure, there are three attributes always used in combination: Artwork Box, Artwork Anchor, CAD Anchor. All three must have values selected in order for manual alignment to function.

Project Chat

How will I be notified that I have been tagged in a chat message?

  • When you are tagged in a chat message, you will be notified by email. This email contains the content of the message you were mentioned in and a link back to the project. When you log into BLUE, you will also see a red dot at the top right on the Notification icon. If you open the notification drop down and click on the link, you will go directly to the project or sub-process where you were tagged.

As an administrator, is there anything I need to do to enable chat messages?

  • No, chat messages are available for anyone who has access to the project or sub-process. Chat is available for any project, regardless of its status.

Are project chats recorded in the audit log?

  • Yes, all project history is recorded in Project History and can be exported to Microsoft Excel.

After a chat message has been sent, can I edit or delete it?

  • No, once a chat message has been sent, it cannot be modified or deleted.

As a task owner, I can’t access the entire project, how do I access project chat?

  • From the Tasks page, click on the sub-process name link. From here you will enter a restricted view of the project where you can chat about this part of the project.

Can I turn off notifications for project chat tag @mentions?

  • No. All users who are tagged in a project chat message will be notified by email.

Can I still tag a user who is out of office?

  • Yes. You can still tag a user who are out of office and they will be notified by email.

Can project chat be turned off in a project?

  • No. The project chat feature is always available for all projects. There is no configuration setting for project chat.

Reference Files

Can I choose to set reference file visibility while I’m uploading the file on a task?

  • No, the extended visibility is set by the process template administrator on the task when creating the workflow template.

Can file visibility be set when uploading files directly to the References tab?

  • Yes. Project participants can upload references and set reference file visibility within a project without a task. See Reference Files for more information.

I see approval candidates listed under reference files on my task. Is this expected?

  • Yes, approval candidates are visible on under the Reference Files section on Standard task and Upload Reference Files task.

Can reference files on the references tab have their visibility changed?

  • Yes, project owners can change the visibility of all references files in the project, while sub-process owners can manage the visibility of the reference files they have access to. See Reference Files for more information.

Related Projects

Are Related Projects Bidirectional? For example, does linking Project-B to Project-A automatically create the related project link when I look at Project-B?

  • Yes ‚ Project-A would appear as a Related Project when looking at the Project-B details.

Can I link a project that has already been completed?

  • Yes. You can link to projects in any status.

Reviewing and Approving Files

What is the difference between a reviewer and an approver?

  • Reviewers and approvers are roles associated with tasks in BLUE. Both of these roles are responsible for reviewing files in online proofing. Reviewers can add comments to the file and complete their tasks in OLP. Their comments are visible to other project participants. Reviewers may not approve or reject a file. Approvers may also add comments to a file. However, the main difference is that the approver is also responsible for deciding whether the file is approved or rejected. This may be based on their review or as a final approval based on comments made by other reviewers and/or approvers. The approver’s decision to approve or reject the file determines whether the cycle can proceed, or not. If the artwork is rejected, a new cycle will be created, and the artwork will need to be updated with the requested changes.

I requested changes to an artwork file during my initial review. How do I see if the changes have been made in cycle 2?

  • In the Online Proofing tool, you can compare revisions for each file side by side or overlay on top of each other, including the comments applied during the previous routing cycle.

How do I find an artwork file that has been approved?

  • Using the Search option in the Asset Library, you can locate files based on a keyword term from the file’s metadata or attributes, or you can search by the file’s name.

My colleague needs a copy of the artwork file that was recently approved but does not have access to BLUE. Should I give her my login information so she can retrieve it?

  • No, sharing your login credentials breaks the agreement set forth with BLUE. However, you may (depending on permissions) be able to send the file via Publish from the Asset Library to your colleague. This sends an email notification with a link directing her to a location to download the file. Another way to grant access to an external user is through a shared link. In this case, the user would receive an email and be able to log directly into the online proofing tool. From there, the user could download a file.

What is the difference between a base artwork review and an approval candidate review?

  • In both cases, reviewers have the right to add comments and complete their tasks in online proofing. Base artwork reviewers are solely responsible for reviewing the base artwork file. When the Review task is inside an approval cycle, reviewers are responsible for reviewing the approved candidate.

Do base artwork reviews support approval cycles?

  • No. Base artwork reviewers may add comments on a base artwork file, but there is no way to make a decision, such as approved or rejected, therefore, cycles are not supported.

Text Compare (Licensed)

Does file rotation matter when comparing text?

  • No, the text will be compared correctly regardless of page rotation, even if one page is rotated and the other is not.

I deleted a text annotation and want to save it again. How do I re-save it as an annotation?

  • You can only save a deviation as an annotation for a given comparison set one time. If you delete a text annotation and change your mind and want to re-create it, you’ll need to perform another text compare and then save deviations as annotations again.

What does it mean when a difference is ignored?

  • An ignored difference is considered an acceptable difference and is not saved as an annotation or included in the report.

I ignored the difference and then changed my mind. What should I do?

  • You can remove the “ignored” status for a difference by toggling the Eye icon, which converts it back to an actual deviation. The next time you save deviations as annotations, it will get saved as an annotation (as long as it has never been saved as an annotation).

What file formats are supported with Text Compare?

  • Text Compare supports Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, and EPS files. Some file formats may require additional licensing.

Can I compare braille, and barcodes, or run spell checks?

  • No, you can compare text content (including missing or added text), and changes in font, size and styling. Comparing braille, barcodes and spell check is not currently supported.

Uploading Files

I want to submit my artwork file for approval, and I received a notification to upload it to cycle 2. How do I see the comments that were added in cycle 1?

  • To view previous cycle comments, click on the Review button to launch online proofing and view the comments.

What file formats am I able to upload for reference in a project?

  • The file formats that may be uploaded for reference in a project will vary depending on your site configuration. See the Proofing Supported File Formats document for a list of file formats that may be viewed in online proofing. File formats that are not viewable in online proofing, such as zip files and Adobe Photoshop files, may also be allowed as project references, depending on your configuration.

I uploaded a reference file but it isn’t supported in online proofing. How is this useful?

  • Depending on your site configuration, some file formats (such as PSD or ZIP) may be allowed as project reference files, however the file format may not be supported in online proofing. In this case the file is associated with the task and, depending on permissions, it may be available for download from the task.

Will a thumbnail be created for Adobe Photoshop files that contain layers, masks, separations or transparencies?

  • Yes. A thumbnail is generated based on the default view of the saved PSD file. The transparent part of the file will appear as the same color as the background of the page you are viewing (i.e. white when viewing it from the asset library). Note: Adobe Photoshop files are not supported as as approval candidates or base artwork files.

Project and Task Search

How do I know that a saved search has been shared with me?

  • While in BLUE, you will see any searches that you have access to (those you own, as well as those shared with you) on the Saved Search drop down. Those that you own will have options to share, rename or delete.

I made changes to a saved search that is shared with others. Will they see my changes?

  • Yes, when a saved search is updated, any users or groups who it is shared with will see your updated changes to the filter criteria or its name. If the owner deletes it, those who it is shared with will no longer see it.

I want to export my search results. Why is the Export to Excel button disabled?

  • In order to export the search results, please choose a template and then you will be able to export the results.

Can I search and quickly find tasks that are in automatically suspended cycles?

  • No. You can only search for Projects or Sub-Processes with automatically suspended cycles (when the system is configured to automatically suspend cycles when there is a new cycle due to a rejection).

Process Templates

Will the sub-process duration get recalculated when I remove a task inside the sub-process?

  • No. The sub-process duration will not be automatically recalculated. However, if you edit any value or field in the sub-process details panel and save the template, the duration will be recalculated.

Automation Node

Does BLUE support using more than one Automation node in a workflow?

  • Yes. An Automation node is just like a standard task and can be placed anywhere in the project or sub-process level. See Automation Node for more information.

What happens if the Automation task fails?

  • When an Automation task fails or errors out, it can be configured to send an email notification to the project owner, previous task owner (if one assigned), and/or other designated email addresses. Along with the notification, it can also be configured to suspend the project, suspend the parent sub-process (if the Automation node is within a sub-process), or continue with the project.

Can an Automation node perform more than one expression?

  • Yes. The Automation node can be used to perform more than one expression. The only stipulation is that the following be included at the end:

response.setStatus(true);
response.setResponseMessage(“Response message if true”);

Example:
project.setName(“New Project Name” + ” ” + project.getNumber());
project.setNumber (“New Project Number”)
project.setCustomFieldValue(“Business Id”, task.getCustomFieldValue(“Business Id”) + “_” + task.getCustomFieldValue(“Business Id”) );
response.setStatus(true);
response.setResponseMessage(“Successfully Changed Project Attributes”);.

Can I use the Automation node to upload a file?

  • No. This is not supported.

Can I bypass an Automation node?

  • Yes. The Automation node is a task within the template where it can be configured to be bypassed.

Do the fields have to be homed at the Automation node?

  • No. The Automation node allows you to GET and SET custom fields which are not extended to it.

On Project Start Script

Is there a way to check project data or copy custom field values when starting a project, to make sure that data has been entered correctly?

  • Yes, an administrator can configure a template to execute a script that is triggered when the project owner tries to start the project. The script can validate project data, or perform some other automated action such as copying custom field values. When validating data, if the result is successful, the project starts. However, if it fails, the project remains draft and the project owner sees a configurable error message.

Project and Sub-Process Auto-Naming

How do I modify the Auto Project Name Expression on an existing template?

  • From Process Templates select the template you would like to modify and then click on the Edit button. Once you are in edit template mode click on the gear icon to modify the template settings. See Generating Automatic Project Names for more information.

What if there are unsupported custom field types in the auto project name expression?

  • Auto name expressions only support String custom fields. When a different type of custom field is used, the field ID will be displayed in the name instead of its value.

Standard Task Automation

Is there a way to verify data entry values when a user completes a data entry task?

  • Yes, the Standard task supports a custom validation script that is executed when a user tries to complete a data entry Standard task. When the user tries to complete the task, the system validates the attribute values and only allows the task to complete if the validation is successful. If the validation fails, the user sees a useful error message.

System Decision Node

Can my workflow support more than one System Decision node?

  • Yes. A Decision node may be used throughout the workflow if it adheres to its recommended use. See System Decision Node for more information.

What happens if the System Decision node fails?

  • When a Decision node expression cannot determine where to transition, it defaults to the False path. The expression must evaluate to one of the transitions (True or False).

Can I use the System Decision node to perform more than one expression?

  • No. The System Decision node can only have one expression.

Can I use the System Decision node to bypass more than one task?

  • Best practice is to use System Decision nodes to bypass a single task, which can be any type of task (such as a Standard task, an Approval task or an Upload Reference Files task), or a single sub-process. Any other usage aside from skipping a single task instance is not supported.

Can all types of custom fields be used to make a decision? (string, note, company, contact, integer, numeric etc)?

  • BLUE supports all custom field types except for Date, Separator, and Note type in the decision expression.

Can the custom fields that are extended from other items (sub-process, task) be used to make a decision?

  • Decision can be only made on custom fields available at the decision node.

If decision node changed in a template (expression edited or removed/added) what will the impact be on existing projects?

  • Any changes to the decision node expression will be saved as next version of the template.

Would all decision nodes on projects use the expression available on the latest template version?

  • The projects will only use expressions from the template version from which they were created.

Transfer to Library Tasks

When I am setting up an Auto Transfer to Library location expression, does each folder in the expression need to have a matching custom field in the workflow? For example, in the ‘Brand / Product’ example does there need to be a ‘Brand’ and ‘Product’ custom field? If yes, how are these linked to the folders themselves in the library?

  • Yes. Since the transfer is automatic, it needs to know the exact  folder structure into which to place the file, based on aspects of the project it knows about (e.g. custom field values, current year, etc). So if you want the folder in “Assets / Brand / Product,” with the brand and product being based on values – then yes, you would need to have both a “brand” custom field and a “product” custom field. They are linked through the expression that’s added to the Auto Transfer to DAL task (e.g. “Assets / [brand] / [product]”). The script does allow for some variance. For example, if you have a brand of “BLUE Daily” and wanted the folder it would go into to be “BLUE Daily Files“, that’s possible (script would be like “Assets / [brand] Files / [product]”). See Transfer to Library for more information.

If we only want to open up a choice of location at the very bottom of the hierarchy in the Asset Library is it possible to hard-code the path? For example, if I create a workflow where assets will always go to “Assets / Region (UK) / Brand” do I need put the “Region UK” as a ‘get’ expression that has a matching custom field in the workflow? Or can this just be put at the brand level?

  • Yes. It doesn’t need to just be “Assets /”. If you want every file for a given template to go into “Assets / Region (UK) /” and then separate by brand, that is possible.

Can folders work with free text string custom fields? For example, could a Numeric custom field be used to match to a folder?

  • The custom fields that can be used for the asset library location on an Auto Transfer to Library task are limited to string custom fields, both free-form and single select fields, as well as date custom fields. Numeric custom fields will not work in the expression.

Online Proofing

What is Online Proofing?

  • Online Proofing is a BLUE function that allows simultaneous, parallel collaboration by multiple team members working on an artwork file and eliminates the need for manual file handling and routing. Online Proofing is integrated for easy collaboration and review with markup and approval, as well as compare, font, bar code inspection, and rulers.

What is Text Compare?

  • Text Compare is a licensed module that is integrated with the online proofing tool, allowing reviewers to quickly compare text content and style in single page and multipage documents. Reviewers then save the differences as annotations and generate reports which contain pages images of the difference areas.

What is Annotation Status?

  • A status associated with an annotation, which is set by a gatekeeper reviewer or approver and viewable by any other user who has access to review the file. The annotation state determines the importance of the annotation and helps the artwork designer know which annotations need to be considered when updating the artwork for the next artwork cycle. The annotation status features are only available when the system has configured annotations statuses.

Reporting

How often is the data refreshed?

  • In order to not impact your online system, report data is derived from a data warehouse. By default, data is refreshed nightly. Contact your BLUE Software Representative to determine the intervals at which your warehouse data is refreshed.

Can I save my filters so the next time I visit the report I can apply them quickly?

  • Yes. You can save your report filters as bookmarks, which will be available each time you view the report, allowing you to reuse the same filters and apply them quickly.

Can I share report bookmarks with other BLUE users?

  • No. Each Bookmark is only accessible to the user who created it. Note: For custom reports, system-wide (default) bookmarks can be created as part of the customization process. They appear in the same list as user bookmarks but cannot be deleted.

Why do some reports (such as the Active Task View and Concurrent Users Report) look different from the other BLUE pages?

  • Some reports were created using an older version of BLUE, and brought forward due to their usefulness.

For the Active Task View on the Reports tab, I’m trying to search for a project, but can’t find it. Why doesn’t it appear?

  • Unlike other reports, which provide information on the system more holistically, the Active Task View will only show the projects to which you have access.

For the Active Task View on the Reports tab, what do the arrows mean?

  • The arrows represent the status of the project, sub-process, or task. A green arrow indicates it is on time, the yellow arrow indicates it is at risk, and the red arrow indicates it is late.

For the Active Task View on the Reports tab, I know what a template is, but what is a Project Type?

  • In older versions of BLUE, templates used to be called project types. This is a reference to those older templates.

If my BLUE System Admin adds attribute fields to a report, will they appear in the table data and be available for exporting?

  • No.  Adding attribute fields will allow users to filter data within each report based on the value of the fields that are enabled. Adding attribute fields to the report visualization is a customization of the report and will require some additional work by the System Admin.

My BLUE System Admin added attribute fields to a report, how can I filter the report data using them?

  • Once enabled, a report can be filtered on attribute field values by selecting the fields/values using the Selections toolbar button.

Is there a limit to the number of attributes that can be enabled for filtering?

  • While there is technically no limit to the number of attribute fields that can be enabled for filtering, for performance reasons, the recommendation is to limit the number in each report to about 20.

Why do some reports only contain a few years of data? Can they be changed to go back further in time?

  • KPI Cycle, KPI Process, and Task Status Reports retrieve data for the previous three years (where project start date is within three years of the report date).  These specific reports typically contain very large datasets and are extremely resource heavy.  If you require more data, please contact your BLUE System Admin.  The Number of years of data is a setting that can be individually configured for each of these reports by your BLUE System Admin.

Administration

Form Administration

If we were using forms prior to 6.3 but do not have constraints in our system, does anything need to be done?

  • No.  You will only need to update forms and form tasks if they were using constraint logic.

What will happen if we were using forms with constraint logic prior to 6.3, but do not make the recommended updates to the form?

  • The fields that make-up the constraint will continue to be treated as individual custom fields, but the constraint rules will no longer be enforced on the form for the end user.

Are there any limits on the number of constraints that can be used within a single form?

  • While there is no limit on the number of constraints that can be applied to a form, each constraint can only reference a unique set of custom fields.  For instance, you are not allowed to apply a constraint where Business Unit drives Brand on the same form where there is already a constraint where Business Unit drives Country.

Can form rules be used in conjunction with constraints?

  • Yes. For example, a form rule that sets a value or limits the available values the user can choose from can be applied to a field that is also managed by a constraint – as long as the result of applying the rule is still within the boundaries of the constraint logic.  If the result of applying a form rule would break the constraint, the form rule is ignored.

Managing Users

How many users am I allowed to add into BLUE?

  • Depending on the terms of your BLUE licensing agreement, the number of users you can add to BLUE may vary.

How do I delete a user who is no longer with the company?

  • Once a user account has been set up in BLUE, it cannot be removed. However, you can disable user accounts, preventing those users from accessing the system going forward.

I created a login account for the members of our design team, but there is no design group to add them to allowing them to review artwork files. What do I do?

  • In Group Administration, you can edit group names to those that better define your functional teams.

Can I add users to inactive groups?

  • Yes, in user administration, inactive groups are represented with a red dot and a tooltip when creating users or editing a user’s groups, allowing administrators to set up users and groups in advance.

Managing Custom Fields

Can I add additional values to the drop down choices in my custom field?

  • You can add additional values to your custom field’s drop down list at any time via the legacy Custom Field Administration page.

Can I delete a value from the drop down choices in my custom field?

  • Once a value has been assigned to a project or artwork file in BLUE, you are not able to remove it.

Managing Quicklinks

Does BLUE support multiple Quicklinks?

  • Yes, you can have multiple Quicklinks, with each one linking to a different external web page.

Can I control who has access to each Quicklink?

  • Yes, you can restrict which groups are allowed to use each Quicklink.