Beginner's Guide

Overview

This is a brief introductory guide to utilising Timestone Software, learning how to create Offers and jobs, manage templates, and implement fundamental workflows for effective projects. While this guide was written using Neopack as the example, it can be applied to all other applications.

Chapter 1: Installation and Set up

To start, the user must select a computer to serve as the License Server and choose a place for the Timestone Directories. Ideally, the License server should not be the daily workstation of any one person. The initial configuration may appear overwhelming, but a member of the Timestone support team is available to help at any time.

Installing the License Server and MySQL

Typically, the user will have assistance from a member of the Timestone support staff to assist with the initial installation and setup of the Timestone license server and MySQL; therefore, this guide will not go into detail on this process.

Installing the Applications

Once the Server is set up, download and install NeoPack. NeoPack and the other Timestone Applications can be downloaded from the Timestone website.

Once the software is installed, the user must find and enable the license keys by accessing the file. Upon starting, sign in with the credentials set up with the Timestone support staff and specify the server location.

Setting Up the Directories

A key first step is to designate a clear and effective system for handling the various assets and support documents related to the Offers and jobs. Choosing a location that is conveniently reachable by all intended users and consistently backed up is crucial for sustained success and user-friendliness. The directories will contain all the templates, images, backgrounds, graphics, etc., developed for any offer and job.

The user will need an Image Directory, a Graphics Directory, a Template Directory, and a Background Directory. The image below shows a basic Directory folder layout.

The Image directory includes all images captured by the user, typically organised by job. Similarly, the graphic directory contains graphic sets sorted by job, season, workspace, etc. The Background Directory stores backgrounds for any specific offer and is usually structured by offer; within this directory, the individual subfolder should be named after the offer. The Template Directory can be laid out like the other directories, but may also include a “common templates” folder used by all offers and jobs.

WARNING!

Each subfolder withing the directory must be named to exactly match the corresponding job, offer, season or workspace within Timestone Software.

Setting the Directory Path in Timestone Administrator

After the server license, MySQL, and NeoPack are installed, the user should indicate to the server where the directories are located. This is done via the Timestone Administrator ( tsAdmin ). TS Admin is used to communicate or make changes to the Timestone Software MySQL database.

WARNING!

Many of the actions in tsAdmin are global in nature and can effect most or all jobs in the database. For this reason the Timestone Administrator should only be used by senior staff in the company who are very familiar with the software.

Directory paths are one of the many things controlled in the Timestone Administrator. Open tsAdmin and navigate to the Paths section using the left navigation tabs. Then, using the * options for season, workspace, and account combination area, the user will set the default path for each directory.

To set the path to each directory, use the right-hand area and select the first directory, Images. Click the green + icon to create a new path. The adjacent folder icon can be used to browse to the correct folder location. The user must then add the @+ wildcard to the end of the path to indicate that the application should look at the respective job or offer subfolders. Click the submit changes button to save. Repeat the above steps with each of the directories on their respective tab using the respective folder location and desired combination of @+ or @ Offercode

WARNING!

Avoid multiple direct paths (paths with no Wildcards), or paths to unnecesssary folders even if the folders are empty. This can cause jobs to have increased load times.

Chapter 2: Creating an Offer

To begin selling with Timestone Software, the user must set up an offer. There are several steps involved in creating an offer, but simply put: An Offer requires Packages, Packages require Products, and Products consist of templates.

Templates are designed in NeoPack or another Timestone application using the Template Designer; offers, packages, and products are managed in tsAdmin.

Creating Templates

Templates are utilized to generate the design of the rendered item and employ the file extension “.plt.”. They map the different elements of an item design together. Templates can have 3 versions for every Product: Printable Version, Customer Version, and Preview Version. This article will focus mainly on printable templates.

WARNING!

Be sure to make sure the directories and their paths are properly set in tsAdmin.

When a new template is created, the user can select from the following options:

Creating Templates for Print Items

Templates are designed to serve as the blueprint for the final printed products. At a minimum, the user needs to specify a position for the background and image layers within a specific layout.

To create or change templates, open NeoPack and switch to the Template Designer View Mode. Then, either open the intended template or create a new file.

Before saving the design template, be sure to include a description and a key. These details can be filled in the design properties interface, File> Properties.

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Download a few commonly used templates.

Common Templates

13.25 KB

Creating Products

A Product refers to any item “produced” within Timestone Software. This includes portrait-based prints generated using templates, digital downloads, or group images. Products form the foundational elements that are later grouped into Packages.

To create a Product, the user accesses the Products tab within tsAdmin and clicks the New Product icon (represented by a green plus sign). Relevant attributes must be entered in their designated fields. The Template/Version column should reflect the title of the associated template, as defined in the Template Designer. Once all information is entered, click Submit Changes to save the new product into the system.

Creating the Offer

Packages are grouped to create an Offer, which acts as the digital counterpart to a printed brochure.

To create an Offer, Open tsAdmin and navigate to the Offers/Packages section. From that point, the user chooses a particular Season and/or Account to which the Offer will be relevant, or opts for the “ * ” symbol to signify that the Offer should be accessible across all Seasons and Accounts. Click the New Offer icon (green plus sign) to initiate the Offer creation process.

An Offer Code is required. This code is typically an abbreviated representation of the related program brochure; in Figure 5, it is set to “CS123”. The user should also add a short description of the Offer in the description field, “Test Job” in the example. Again, click submit changes to save any alterations.

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Have a defined approach when generating offer codes. Although the code can be anything the user wishes, it is advisable to utilize existing identifying codes from related brochures if they are already in place. This will ensure uniformity across the various elements of the user's program.

Once the Offer is created, select the new offer and proceed to add one or more packages. Each Package can then be populated with one or more Products. After defining the contents, navigate to the pricing tab to set a base price for each package. Upon completion, click Submit Changes to finalise and save the offer.

Creating Packages

When customers make a purchase, they select a Package, which consists of one or more grouped products. The user creates a Package by combining these Products and assigning specific attributes such as Price and a unique Package Code. This Package Code is the identifier entered into the system during the order or package entry process.

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Packages typically directly align with the options presented in the physical brochure available to customers. Accordingly, Package Codes are often shortened versions of the full package titles featured in the brochure.

In the Offers/Packages section of tsAdmin, the user should select an offer, then navigate to the right column and select the Packages tab. Click the New package icon, a Green Circle featuring a white Plus Icon, to add Packages to the offer. Select the newly created Package and proceed to the Comprising of window below. Include all Products that make up the particular Package.

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Use the Template Report to verify that all items are configured correctly. For additional information, refer to the Template Report article.

Chapter 3: Creating a Job

Creating Jobs is an essential part of working in Timestone. Jobs are where all individual subject data is stored, Images are matched to subjects, and orders can be tracked.

Organising Jobs

Timestone provides various solutions to assist in organising jobs and offers by categorising them within a common framework. One such solution is Seasons. Typically, seasons are used to group jobs using the calendar as a reference.

For example, a school photographer might use a Season such as “Fall 2025” for all Jobs within that academic period, while a sports photographer could use “LakeshorePlayground2025” to group all Jobs linked to that location for the year.

Seasons are managed in tsAdmin under the seasons tab and can be created by clicking the add new season icon (Green Plus). The season should be given a code and a description by the user.

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The description of the season will be shown as part of the preferences and new job creation, so it should to be clear and consise.

Seasons can include predefined parameters such as:

• Aspect Ratios & Head Guides

• Fields

• Paths

• Offers & Packages

Creating a New Job

A Job in Timestone Software refers to the individual collection of subject records associated with a specific program at a particular location.

To create a new Job, launch NeoPack and navigate to File > New. A name should be entered for the Job—for example, “Saint Paul’s Catholic School 2025”. Then select the appropriate Season, Account, Workspace, and Offer from their respective drop-down menus. Once all selections are made, clicking OK will finalise the creation of the new Job.

Importing Data via a Text File

There are multiple methods for importing data into the system, including through CSV files or existing TNJ files. This article will focus on importing data via a text file.

Preparing A Data File

Using the Roster or Student information provided by the external organisation, the user should determine which columns in the file correspond to the appropriate fields in the job. Once the plan for mapping is clear and any extraneous columns are removed, the file should be saved in one of the following file types:

WARNING! Only the above formats are supported for importing data.

Users may receive data in many forms such as Microsoft Word (.doc), Microsoft Excel (.xls), Microsoft Access (.mdb) or from any number of third party applications. In these cases the data must be either converted, saved or exported into one of the supported formats.

Importing Data

To import Data, open the appropriate job—while in the Details mode, navigate to File> Import Text File.

This action will open a pop-up dialogue window where the user can select the prepared data file. After selecting the file, map each column in the data file to its corresponding data field within the job.

The user will map the data column by column, either by selecting one of the pre-defined subject fields in the dropdown associated with the To Subject Field Radio button or by selecting the Add Subject field radio button and typing in the desired column header. Additionally, if the field is unique to each subject, such as a student ID number, it should be designated in the column’s option tab during the import process by checking the box Column Uniquely Identifies the Subject.

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If the columns needed are consistent between jobs, pre-defefine default fields within tsAdmin.

Creating Subject Folders

The user has the option to specify a field to automatically create folders within NeoPack. Folders can be used to help organise subjects into smaller, more manageable groups, such as by teacher, grade or team.

To designate a column in the data file as a folder, select the Folder data radio button, then select the is the folder name radio button. Subjects may also be added to folders manually or by another text import.

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If the subject data being used to create the folder is also a desired column in the subject data (like grade or homeroom) duplicating the column in the data file is a simple way to have the data entered into the field associated with the subject but also be able to assign it as a subject folder in a single import.

Creating Data Cards for Photographers

Data cards are essential tools that enable photographers to match subject information from the job with their photographs while in the field. These cards can include both Job and Subject details such as the job title, season, subject name, grade, and ID number. In addition, they feature a Barcode and/or QR Code, which can be scanned on-site using CapturePost, or captured as a match to subject data and photos during import into NeoPack.

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Data Cards, also called Shoot cards or camera cards, can include more than plain text data. Barcodes and QR codes can be included to assist in the matching process or automate it almost entirely.

Users can choose to use and alter the pre-designed templates- the standard Camera Card layout and 6-up Item sheet Layout or create a custom template tailored to their specific needs using the Template Designer.

To render data cards, switch to Item Sheet Mode. From there, clicking the New icon initiates the creation of the Data Card sheets. A pop-up window will appear, prompting the user to either include all subjects or select a specific folder of subjects to be added to the sheet. Once the selection is made, click Next to select the template/arrangement options. In the template and layout background selection area, find and select the desired template/layouts, and then choose the desired flow and duplicate options. Click Next to advance to the Sheet Page Settings. The user can then select how the subjects will be sorted and other settings; when complete, click Finish to render the sheets.

To print the completed data cards to a traditional “office” printer, the user should click the print icon, select the Microsoft Print to PDF, and follow the onscreen prompts to save the document. The PDF can then be opened and printed to produce physical copies of the data cards for field use.

Chapter 4: The Shoot

CapturePost Shooting

When the Photographer is capturing images using CapturePost, a TNJ file is required. This serves as a duplicate of the job that enables the photographer to correlate the subjects and images within the job during the shoot.

As a Subject approaches the photographer, the Photographer will either scan the barcode on the subject's data card or search for the subject in CapturePost. Once identified, the photographer can continue capturing images of that subject, repeating this process for each subsequent subject. At the end of the day, the photographer’s stored images, along with the TNJ file, will be integrated back into the primary job, ensuring that all subject data and images are synchronised.

CAUTION!

When shooting into CapturePost each photogrpaher should have their own copy of the TNJ file on their local drive. The Photographers should not be shooting to a combined location on a remote server.

Exporting a TNJ

To export a TNJ file, first access the Job for which the TNJ file is necessary. After opening the Job, go to File > Export to TNJ. A dialogue box will pop up, enabling the user to set a few specific export preferences; however, none of these options are mandatory for CapturePost to function for image capture. These preferences are whether to include images, orders, offers, or solely the core data. Once the preferred options are chosen, continue with the export to create the TNJ file.

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A TNJ File that includes all images, orders and offers is a great way to have a back up of a job at different states throughout the workflow.

QR Code Shooting

Alternatively, if the photographer is not shooting tethered into CapturePost, the data card can be photographed as the Lead Image.

When a subject approaches, the photographer will first capture an image of the data card before proceeding to take the subject's photograph. This process is repeated for each subsequent subject. At the end of the day, the images can be imported into the main job, using the image of the data card to match the photographs to the correct subject data in the job, ensuring proper correlation between images and subject information.

Chapter 5: Importing Images

Depending on the method of image capture, the import process will vary slightly. However, regardless of the workflow—whether the photographer is shooting tethered through CapturePost or capturing lead images with data cards—all images should be placed into the corresponding Job’s Image Directory folder.

Importing from CapturePost

After a photographer returns from a job where CapturePost was used, the captured images and data must be merged back into the main Job. To begin, the user will need both the corresponding TNJ file and the folder of images created by CapturePost, typically named JobName#images.

WARNING!

CapturePost will create the Image folder adjacent to the location where the TNJ file is stored. The folder and file MUST remain in their relative locations to each other for the import process to continue, though they may be moved together from one location to another.

For Example, the TNJ and image folder can be moved from a photographer’s local drive to a production file server.

Start by opening the associated Job in NeoPack and switching to Details View. From the menu, navigate to File > Merge TNJ. In the dialogue box that appears, select the correct TNJ file. Ensure that the option Merge - Associated job is selected, then click OK. This process will update the Job’s data by importing any new subjects as well as syncing images and subject data that were modified during the shoot.

Next, within the Timestone Directory folder structure, locate the Image directory folder. Inside, find or create a sub-folder named EXACTLY the same as the corresponding job. Copy the images from the #images folder into this matching image sub-folder to complete the merge process.

WARNING!

If the images are not copied from the #Images to the Image Directory subfolder or if the Folder and job names are not identical, the job will not be able to access the images, though thumbnails will display within the job.

Importing QR code images

To import images using lead image barcodes, first switch to Images Mode in NeoPack. From the top menu, select Images > Import from Disk…. In the pop-up window, click the Selected button to proceed. A file viewer will appear—navigate to the location where the images are stored, select all relevant image files, and click Open. This will populate the import window with the selected images.

Before starting the import, ensure the following options are enabled:

• Check the box Use image Barcode Information

• Select the radio button Only lead image has barcode

• Check the box Import lead image

Once these options are selected, click Start to begin the import process. NeoPack will then match each image to the appropriate subject based on the barcode contained in the lead image.

Additionally, within the Timestone Directory folder structure, navigate to the Image directory folder and confirm that a sub-folder exists with the EXACT name of the Job. Copy the image files from wherever they are stored into this matching Image sub-folder to ensure proper organisation and future accessibility.

WARNING!

If the images are not copied from wherever they were stored to the Image Directory subfolder or if the folder and job names are not identical, the job will not be able to access the images, though thumbnails will display within the job.

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To verify the job and confirm that all images have been correctly added to both the job and the job’s image directory folder, execute the Check Function. In NeoPack, under the Images mode, Select Images>Check.

Chapter 6: Image Matching/ Verification

Once all the images have been imported, check to ensure that all subjects are in their records, primary images are selected, and poses are assigned. Using the data cards and a combination of Match and Poses modes is the easiest way to catch any misassigned subjects.

Match Mode

Once images are imported into a job, the user can switch to match mode to assign or reassign any subjects that were not automatically linked to the correct record.

At the top of the image preview window, there are several filter options available: All, Matched, Unmatched, No Primary, Mismatched, and Eyes Closed. These will help quickly identify images that need attention.

If an image or images have not been assigned to the correct record, the user should start by selecting the first image in the sequence—an indicator bar will appear to the left of the active image. From there, navigate to Match image with on the left of the screen. In the Subject field, type the name of the desired subject starting with their last name. The searched subject field with its dropdown results is displayed in Figure 12. Once the correct subject is found, click the name to assign it to the selected image. If that same subject appears in a series of images, each one can be assigned by pressing the Enter key for each image in the sequence.

WARNING!

The Green Arrows are not used to navigate through images! Used in combination with match lock to move unlocked but matched records for the entire job; the “Move Left From Selected”, “Move Right From Selected”, “Move Left” and “Slide Right” should only be used in specific cases.

Poses mode

Poses mode is a helpful tool for setting the primary image for each subject, assigning labels to alternate poses, and flagging an image for retouching. It’s also a great way to confirm that each record has only one subject’s images.

Once in Poses Mode, select a subject from the list on the left to view all the images assigned to that individual. To mark a main image, simply shift + click the image to designate it as the main image. Each image will have a tab on the lower right corner that indicates its status: black for the primary or grey for alternate.

Using Fields as Tags to Control Subject Order in Poses Mode

To show subjects in image order—displaying only the image number, first name, and last name—start in Details mode. Go to Edit > Fields, then click "as Tags…". In the Details Tag Text window, under "Uniquely Identifying Text for Item," select "Specific" and enter: @Imagetag @Fristname @lastname

Chapter 7: Orders

There are multiple methods of collecting or inputting order information: importing with a text file, keyboard entry, scanner sheets, and online ordering with tsIOS. This article will only touch briefly on online ordering and will focus mainly on basic keyboard entry of paper orders.

Online Orders

If online ordering is offered, orders must be downloaded via Download online orders under the Orders menu in Orders mode. The user then must identify the order to pair it with the proper record using Orders>Identify order entities…. This launches a new window where the online orders are displayed on the left and can be matched to the subject records on the right. To pair the order with the appropriate subject on the right, click Accept. The application should automatically move to the next entity to be identified.

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Orders are downloaded manually into NeoPack but are automatically downloaded into Fulfill; though the identify orders screen is the same.

Paper (non-online) Orders

There are several ways for a user to input orders in NeoPack:

• Keyboard entry in Details mode (F3)

• Input via Scanner sheet in Details mode

• Importing a text file

This article focuses on the simplest method: Keyboard entry

Note!

Manually adding pages to the queue in Point and Click mode, is not considered an ordering method. When this mode is used no record of the page is tied to the subject or customer, a page is simply added to the queue.

Using the “Add order…” Option

To enter an order manually using the Add order… option, the user must first be in Details mode with the appropriate subject record selected. Then navigate to the Orders>Add order…, or simply press the F3 key to open the order entry pop-up.

The user will then enter the package code in the field, and then be prompted to press the key associated with one of the following options:

As codes are entered, the Package String will update beneath the divider at the bottom of the pop-up window.

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The first four commands (Copies, Item, Composite Options, Group Options) can be used in any order to enter the relevant order information.

Once all order information is complete, press Enter to accept and finalize the order. It will then display in the Orders column associated with the previously selected record.

Chapter 8: Exporting

Exporting images for editing in an outside application is a common task for users. Below are instructions for exporting images from a job.

Exporting images

Whether exporting all images, a few, or just a single image, the procedure remains fundamentally the same.

In Image mode, select the desired image(s) for export by using the filter options at the top of the preview window or by selecting individual images.

Once the images are selected, navigate to Images> Export. In the pop-up dialogue menu, the user should:

• Choose the export location by clicking Browse

• Select the appropriate option from the following options by using the ratio button:

  • All - Exports all available images

  • Selected - Exports only the images that are manually selected

  • Filtered - Exports only the images shown in the preview window based on the active filters

• Check the box labelled Copy original Files (unadorned, Same file name)

Once all of the above have been completed, click Start to begin the export.

To stop or pause the Export, use the Stop Button.

Once the Export is completed, use Exit to close the export dialogue window.

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If a user is only working with primary images, the filter options can greatly narrow down what is displayed in the image preview area. By checking the Using box and then selecting the Primary radio button, only the Subjects’ primary image will be displayed. This combined with the filtered option on the export menu can simplify the export process.

Chapter 9: Refreshing Images

Refreshing images

Once edits are made to an image, the job images must be refreshed for the updated image to display and be recognised as the new primary Image for printing and ordering.

Refresh

The refresh command is utilised to update the image thumbnail within the job. This function allows for a quick update of the images after modifications have been made to the file in the image directory, provided that the file extension remains unchanged. For instance, if an image is chosen for retouching, the file is modified in an external application to eliminate imperfections and saved back in its original location within the job’s image directory, overwriting the original file. To reflect these changes in Timestone, the image must be refreshed.

In Image mode, find and select the image or images that need to be refreshed. Then navigate to Images> Refresh.

Renamed Refresh

Renamed refresh is used to refresh the link between the job and the associated image file when the user has made changes to the file, including the file extension. For example, when the subject of an image is extracted from the background via a third-party application, and the new file is stored as a PNG.

Before beginning the refresh, the user must ensure that the file name remains Identical between the original and the edited versions of the image, even if the file extension changes. For example:

• Original: 1239573(12084285).JPG

• Edited: 1239573(12084285).PNG

The edited image must then be added to the Image directory folders in the respective Jobs image subfolder.

In Image mode, find and select the image or images that need to be refreshed. Then navigate to the Image menu> Rename Refresh.

This action will give the application a command to refresh the path between the image and the internal thumbnail image while replacing the primary image name in the job with the edited image.

Warning!

• File names must match exactly for the Refresh to be successful.

• The System will use the newest version of the file, regardless of the file extension.

Chapter 10: Admin and Yearbook Exports

A variety of exports are available as default options within NeoPack, including several Admin and Yearbook export options. Regardless of the export type chosen, the steps are consistent.

The basic steps of the export process are as follows:

CAUTION

Remember to turn on image backgrounds if images are stored as PNGs!

If a job’s images are stored as PNG a background must be turned on for the image export to render correctly.

To set a background, the user must go to images mode, select the images, the navigate to Images>Background>Set…, and then choose the desired background.