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BFS Marketing Automation - User Workflow Guide

For Marketing Staff - Your Complete Guide to the Weekly Workflow

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 Dashboard: http://10.1.10.110:5000 Your Role: Content Approver and Scheduler

Welcome!

This guide walks you through everything you need to know about using the BFS Marketing Automation system. You don't need any technical knowledge - just follow the step-by-step instructions below.

What This System Does: Every Monday morning, the system automatically generates ~65 social media posts for all BFS offices. Your job is to review and approve these posts in two stages, then schedule them in Metricool.

What You Have Access To: - Dashboard at http://10.1.10.110:5000 - Microsoft Teams (for notifications) - SharePoint (for document storage) - Metricool (for scheduling posts) - Canva (for creating/editing designs)

What You DON'T Need: - Technical knowledge - Access to the Raspberry Pi - Access to Claude AI - Programming skills

Let's get started!

Table of Contents

Photo Workflow

  1. Weekly Workflow Overview
  2. Manual Content Generation
  3. Monday Morning: Content Generation
  4. Photo Stage 1: Reviewing Text + Platform Selection
  5. Automated Image Generation
  6. Designer Workflow (pending_design)
  7. Photo Stage 2: Final Review (design_complete)
  8. Automated Scheduling
  9. Scheduling Posts in Metricool

Video Workflow (NEW - November 2025)

  1. Video Workflow Overview
  2. Video Stage 1: Text Approval
  3. Video Sorter: Assigning Videos to Releases
  4. Video Stage 2: Video Management & Release Management
  5. Creating and Managing Releases

General

  1. Friday Afternoon: Weekly Summary
  2. Notifications Guide
  3. Troubleshooting for Users
  4. Tips & Best Practices

Weekly Workflow Overview

Here's what happens each week and when you need to take action:

Monday

6:00 AM - The system automatically generates ~65 social media posts - 53 posts for office Facebook pages - 12 posts for BFS social accounts (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter) - Mix of image posts (80%) and video posts (20%) - All posts start in "pending_approval" status

9:00 AM (YOU) - Check Teams for notification - You'll receive a Teams notification that posts are ready - Go to dashboard to begin Stage 1 review

9:15-9:30 AM (YOU) - Stage 1: Text-Only Review (10-15 minutes) - Review just the captions (no images yet) - Approve good captions → moves to "pending_design" - Reject bad captions → flagged for regeneration - Goal: Catch bad content before designers waste time on it

Monday-Tuesday

Designers Work - Creating images/videos for approved posts - Designers receive notifications about posts needing design - For image posts: Create graphics in Canva following the design briefs - For video posts: Film videos following scripts and shot lists - They upload images/videos to the dashboard - Posts move to "design_complete" status when done

Wednesday

Morning (YOU) - Check Teams for design completion notification - You'll be notified when designs are ready for review

Afternoon (YOU) - Stage 2: Complete Post Review (15-20 minutes) - Review complete posts (caption + image together) - Approve final posts → moves to "approved" (ready to schedule) - Reject mismatched posts → back to Stage 1 for regeneration - Goal: Ensure text and image work together perfectly

Wednesday-Thursday

Your Task - Schedule Approved Posts in Metricool - Export approved posts from dashboard - Manually schedule in Metricool UI - Target publishing: Thursday-Sunday - Posts move to "scheduled" status when done

Friday

5:00 PM - Weekly Summary - Receive Teams notification with weekly analytics - Review performance metrics - Identify any issues for next week

Weekend

Relax! - Posts publish automatically via Metricool - System monitors for any issues - You're off duty unless there's an emergency

Monday Morning: Content Generation

What Happens Automatically

At 6:00 AM every Monday, the system: 1. Generates ~65 social media posts using AI 2. Creates platform-specific captions (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube) 3. Generates content mix: 80% image posts + 20% video posts 4. For image posts: Writes detailed design briefs 5. For video posts: Creates video scripts, shot lists, and production details 6. Assigns posts to offices (video posts often reusable across offices) 7. Saves everything to the database 8. Sends you a Teams notification

Your Teams Notification

Around 9:00 AM Monday, you'll receive a Teams notification that looks like this:

📝 Content Generated for Week of Nov 18-24

Posts generated: 65
• 53 office posts
• 12 BFS social posts

Status: All posts are pending Stage 1 approval (text review)

👉 Review posts now: http://10.1.10.110:5000/posts/pending_approval

⏰ Please complete text review by end of day Monday

What to Do

  1. Click the link in the Teams notification
  2. This takes you directly to the dashboard

  3. You'll see all posts awaiting text review

  4. Or navigate manually:

  5. Open web browser
  6. Go to: http://10.1.10.110:5000
  7. Click "Pending Approval" in the navigation menu

You're now ready for Stage 1 review!

Manual Content Generation

NEW FEATURE (November 20, 2025): Generate content on-demand without waiting for Monday automation!

When to Use Manual Generation

Use this feature when you need content immediately: - Emergency content needs: Last-minute events or news - Testing: Want to test the system with a few posts - Catch-up: Need extra posts beyond the weekly 65 - Special campaigns: Creating content for specific initiatives

Note: Manual generation does NOT replace Monday automation. The system still generates ~65 posts every Monday at 6 AM.

How to Generate Content Manually

Step 1: Access Dashboard Homepage

  1. Open browser and go to: http://10.1.10.110:5000
  2. You'll see the main dashboard homepage
  3. Look for the "Quick Actions" card (green gradient background)

Step 2: Configure Generation Settings

In the Quick Actions card, you'll see three controls:

  1. Number of Posts (slider or input):
  2. Range: 1-50 posts
  3. Default: 10 posts

  4. Choose based on your needs

  5. Media Type (dropdown):

  6. All (80/20 mix): 80% image posts + 20% video posts (recommended)
  7. Photos Only: 100% image posts

  8. Videos Only: 100% video posts

  9. Generate Now button (green)

Step 3: Generate Content

  1. Set your desired number of posts (e.g., 10)
  2. Select media type (e.g., "All (80/20 mix)")
  3. Click the green "Generate Now" button
  4. You'll see a loading indicator
  5. Wait 30-60 seconds for generation to complete
  6. You'll see a success message: "Generated X posts successfully"

Step 4: Review Generated Posts

  1. The page will automatically refresh (or click "Pending Approval" in navigation)
  2. Your newly generated posts appear in "Pending Approval" section
  3. They're mixed with any existing pending posts
  4. Follow normal Stage 1 review workflow

Important Notes

  • No duplicates: System ensures manually generated posts don't duplicate recent content
  • Office distribution: Posts are distributed across all 26 offices
  • Immediate availability: Posts appear instantly in Pending Approval
  • Same quality: Uses same AI generation as Monday automation
  • Cost: Each post costs approximately $0.02-0.04 in API costs

Common Use Cases

Example 1: Emergency Post

Situation: CEO announces new partnership, need post today
Action: Generate 3 posts → All (80/20) → Generate Now
Result: 3 posts created, approve best one, fast-track to approval

Example 2: Testing System

Situation: New staff member learning the system
Action: Generate 5 posts → Photos Only → Generate Now
Result: 5 simple image posts for practice reviews

Example 3: Special Campaign

Situation: Foster Care Month campaign needs 15 extra posts
Action: Generate 15 posts → All (80/20) → Generate Now
Result: 15 themed posts created, review and approve

Limitations

  • Maximum 50 posts per generation: To prevent overwhelming the system
  • Rate limits apply: Claude API has rate limits (rarely hit in practice)
  • Not a replacement for planning: Best used for urgent needs, not regular workflow
  • Still requires review: All manually generated posts go through normal approval workflow

Photo Stage 1: Reviewing Text + Platform Selection

Goal: Quickly scan captions and catch bad content before the system generates images for it. Also select which image sizes to generate for each post.

Expected Time: 10-15 minutes for all 65 posts

Success Rate: You should approve ~80% and reject ~20%

NEW: Platform Selection: When you approve, you'll also choose which image sizes to generate, saving costs by only creating needed images.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access the Dashboard

Open your web browser and go to: http://10.1.10.110:5000

You'll see the main dashboard with statistics: - Total posts this week - Posts by status - Recent activity

2. Navigate to Pending Approval Posts

Click "Pending Approval" in the top navigation menu.

You'll see a list of all posts awaiting your text review, organized by: - Office/Account Name: Which office or social account this post is for - Media Type: Image post (📸) or Video post (🎥) - Content Type: Educational/Tips, Community/Engagement, or Inspirational - Platform: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or YouTube - Caption Preview: First few lines of the caption

3. Review Individual Posts

Click on any post to see the full details:

What You'll See: - Full Caption: The complete text for the post (varies by platform) - Hashtags: Suggested hashtags (if applicable) - For Image Posts: - Design Brief: Instructions for the designer about what image to create - For Video Posts (marked with 🎥): - Video Concept: What the video is about - Video Script: Narration or dialogue for the video - Shot List: Specific shots needed (JSON array) - Required Participants: Who needs to be in the video - Props/Location: What props are needed and where to film - Estimated Duration: How long the video should be - Content Type: Category (Educational, Community, Inspirational) - Target Office: Which office this post is assigned to (video posts often reusable)

What You're Looking For:

✓ APPROVE if the caption: - Matches BFS brand voice (warm, supportive, professional) - Is appropriate for the target office location - Has no grammar or spelling errors - Feels authentic and helpful (not salesy or pushy) - Follows character limits for the platform - Would resonate with foster/adoptive families

✗ REJECT if the caption: - Feels too corporate or impersonal - Has errors or awkward phrasing - Doesn't match BFS values (inclusivity, empowerment) - Is too vague or generic - Contains inappropriate content or tone - References incorrect office information

4. Approve a Post

If the caption looks good:

  1. Click the green "Approve & Generate Images" button at the bottom of the post
  2. NEW: A platform selection modal appears with these options:

Select Image Sizes to Generate: - ☐ Square (1024×1024) - for Facebook, Instagram Feed, Twitter/X - ☐ Portrait (1024×1792) - for Instagram Stories, TikTok, YouTube Shorts - ☐ Background only (no text) - for Canva workflow (optional)

Live Cost Calculator shows: - Square only: $0.04 - Portrait only: $0.04 - Both sizes: $0.08

  1. Select the sizes you need (usually both for maximum platform coverage)
  2. Click "Approve" in the modal
  3. The post immediately moves to "pending_design" status
  4. Platform selection is saved as metadata in database
  5. You'll see a confirmation: "Post approved with platform selections"

What Happens Next: The post enters the design queue. The orchestrator will automatically generate the selected image sizes via DALL-E 3 on its next scheduled run.

5. Reject a Post

If the caption needs improvement:

  1. Click the red "Reject" button at the bottom of the post
  2. A text box appears: "Reason for rejection"
  3. Type a specific explanation of what's wrong
  4. Example: "Too generic, doesn't mention foster care specifically"
  5. Example: "Grammar error in second sentence"
  6. Example: "Doesn't match warm brand voice, too formal"
  7. Example: "Video script too long, needs to be under 60 seconds"
  8. Click "Submit Rejection"
  9. The post moves to "rejected" status

What Happens Next: - You'll see the rejected post in the "Rejected" posts list - The rejection reason is displayed prominently in a red box - You can either: - Regenerate: Click "Regenerate" to create a new version based on your feedback - Archive: Click "Archive" to permanently remove this idea from the system

Regenerate vs. Archive: - Use Regenerate when the idea is good but execution needs work - Use Archive when the entire idea is bad and shouldn't be retried

6. Work Through All Posts

Continue reviewing and approving/rejecting posts until you've gone through all 65.

Tips for Efficient Review: - Don't overthink it - trust your gut on whether content feels right - Batch similar posts - review all educational posts together, then community posts, etc. - Take a 5-minute break halfway through to stay fresh - Focus on big issues - don't reject over minor wording preferences - Remember the goal - catch bad content early, don't aim for perfection

7. Completion

When you've reviewed all posts, you'll see: - Pending Approval: 0 posts - Pending Design: ~50-55 posts (the ones you approved) - Rejected: ~10-15 posts (the ones you rejected - awaiting regenerate/archive decision)

Handling Rejected Posts: 1. Go to the "Rejected" posts list 2. Review each rejection reason (shown in red box) 3. For each post, decide: - Regenerate: If idea is salvageable, click "Regenerate" button and confirm - Archive: If idea is fundamentally bad, click "Archive" button to remove permanently

Congratulations! Stage 1 is complete. Designers will now start creating images/videos for the approved posts.

Automated Image Generation

NEW FEATURE (November 20, 2025): Fully automated image generation with manual trigger option!

What Changed: Previously, images were created manually by designers. Now, the system automatically generates platform-specific images using DALL-E 3 AI.

How Automated Generation Works

After you approve posts and select platforms in Stage 1:

Automated Schedule (3 times daily): - 6:00 AM: Morning image generation run - 12:00 PM: Midday image generation run - 6:00 PM: Evening image generation run

What Happens During Each Run:

  1. System queries database for posts in pending_design status
  2. For each post, reads your platform selections from Stage 1
  3. Generates images via DALL-E 3 based on design brief:
  4. Square (1024×1024): For Facebook, Instagram Feed, Twitter
  5. Portrait (1024×1792): For Instagram Stories, TikTok, Shorts
  6. Saves images with descriptive filenames
  7. Updates database with image paths
  8. Changes post status to design_complete
  9. Post is now ready for your Stage 2 review!

Cost per post: $0.04-$0.08 depending on how many sizes you selected

Using the Pending Design Page

Navigate to Pending Design: 1. Go to dashboard: http://10.1.10.110:5000 2. Click "Pending Design" in navigation menu 3. You'll see the Pending Design page with automation features

Page Features:

  1. Automation Banner (blue gradient at top):
  2. Shows next scheduled generation time
  3. Live countdown timer (updates every second)

  4. Example: "Next automated run: in 2 hours 15 minutes"

  5. Manual Trigger Button (green):

  6. Button text: "Generate Now"
  7. Click to immediately generate images for all pending posts
  8. Useful when you need images faster than next scheduled run

  9. No need to wait for 6am/12pm/6pm

  10. Post List:

  11. Shows all posts awaiting image generation
  12. Displays selected platform sizes for each post
  13. Shows office/account assignment
  14. Caption preview

When to Use Manual "Generate Now" Button

Use the manual trigger when: - Urgent needs: Need images immediately, can't wait for next scheduled run - Testing: Want to see results right away - End of day: It's 5:30 PM and you want images before leaving - Impatient: You just approved 20 posts and want to start Stage 2 review now

How to use it: 1. Visit Pending Design page 2. Verify posts are listed (with platform selections shown) 3. Click green "Generate Now" button 4. You'll see a loading indicator 5. Wait 2-5 minutes (depending on number of posts) 6. Page refreshes automatically when complete 7. Posts now appear in "Design Complete" section

Important Notes: - Manual trigger processes ALL posts in pending_design status - Can't selectively generate for specific posts only - Same DALL-E 3 generation as automated runs - Same cost per image ($0.04 per size) - No limit on how many times you can trigger manually

Manual Designer Workflow (Optional)

If you prefer manual design or the "background only" option was selected:

Designers receive Teams notifications every 6 hours (6 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM) when posts need design work.

The notification looks like this:

🎨 Design Work Needed

Posts awaiting design: 52

These posts have been text-approved and are ready for image creation.

👉 View design briefs: http://10.1.10.110:5000/posts/pending_design

⏰ Please complete designs by Wednesday morning for final review

Step-by-Step for Designers

1. Access Design Queue

Go to: http://10.1.10.110:5000/posts/pending_design

You'll see all posts that need images, with: - Post caption (so you understand the message) - Design brief (detailed instructions for the image) - Platform (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) - Office/account name

2. Read the Design Brief or Video Script

Click on a post to see the full design brief (for images) or video script (for videos).

Example Image Design Brief:

Design Brief:
Create a warm, welcoming image showing a diverse family (parents and kids)
doing an outdoor activity together, like hiking or playing at a park.

Image should convey:
- Togetherness and joy
- Active, healthy lifestyle
- Diversity and inclusion
- Warm, natural colors

Text overlay: None (caption is separate)
Dimensions: 1200x630 (Facebook standard)
Style: Photographic, authentic, not stock-photo-looking

Example Video Script:

Video Concept: Testimonial from foster parent about their journey

Video Script:
"Hi, I'm Sarah, and two years ago, my husband and I became foster parents
through BFS. We were nervous at first, but the training and support we
received made all the difference..."

Shot List:
1. Medium shot of foster parent speaking to camera (15 sec)
2. B-roll of family playing together (10 sec)
3. Close-up of parent and child hugging (5 sec)
4. End card with BFS logo and contact info (5 sec)

Required Participants: Foster parent (pre-recruited)
Props/Location: Living room or outdoor park setting
Estimated Duration: 35 seconds

3. Create Image in Canva or Film Video

For Image Posts:

  1. Open Canva (https://www.canva.com/)
  2. Log in with BFS Canva account
  3. Create new design with correct dimensions:
  4. Facebook: 1200x630 pixels
  5. Instagram: 1080x1080 pixels (square)
  6. Twitter: 1200x675 pixels
  7. TikTok: 1080x1920 pixels (vertical)
  8. YouTube: 1280x720 pixels
  9. Follow the design brief instructions
  10. Use BFS brand colors and fonts (from Canva brand kit)
  11. Do NOT add text overlay unless the brief specifically requests it
  12. Caption text is separate and will be in the post description
  13. Export as PNG or JPEG (high quality)

For Video Posts:

  1. Review the video script and shot list
  2. Recruit required participants (coordinate with offices if needed)
  3. Gather props and scout location
  4. Film according to shot list
  5. Edit video to match estimated duration
  6. Add captions/subtitles if needed
  7. Export as MP4 (1080p recommended)
  8. Keep file size under 100MB for easy upload

4. Upload Image/Video to Dashboard

  1. Go back to the post in the dashboard
  2. Scroll to "Upload Media" section
  3. Click "Choose File" button
  4. Select your exported image from Canva or video file
  5. Click "Upload" button
  6. Wait for confirmation: "Media uploaded successfully"
  7. Click "Mark as Design Complete" button

What Happens Next: The post moves to "design_complete" status and enters the queue for Stage 2 approval.

Note: Video uploads may take longer depending on file size.

5. Continue with Next Post

Repeat for all posts in the pending_design queue.

Tips for Designers: - Follow the brief/script closely - it's written specifically for the caption - Use high-quality images/videos - avoid pixelated or low-res content - Stay on-brand - use BFS colors, fonts, and style guidelines - Be diverse and inclusive - show different family structures, races, ages - Keep it authentic - avoid overly staged or stock-photo-looking content - Work in batches - do all Facebook posts together, then Instagram, etc. - For videos: Keep them short (under 60 seconds), add captions for accessibility

Photo Stage 2: Final Review (design_complete)

Goal: Review complete posts (caption + multiple platform images together) to ensure they work as a cohesive unit across all platforms.

Expected Time: 15-20 minutes for all posts

Success Rate: You should approve ~95% and reject ~5%

NEW: Multi-Image Review: You'll now see multiple images per post (square and/or portrait) displayed in a grid with platform labels.

What Triggers Stage 2

When designers mark posts as "design_complete," you'll receive a Teams notification:

✅ Designs Complete - Ready for Final Review

Posts ready for Stage 2 approval: 52
• Image posts: 42
• Video posts: 10

Designers have completed all media work. Posts are now ready for your
final review to ensure text and images/videos work well together.

👉 Review complete posts: http://10.1.10.110:5000/posts/design_complete

⏰ Please complete final review by end of day Wednesday

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access Design Complete Posts

Go to: http://10.1.10.110:5000/posts/design_complete

You'll see thumbnails of all posts with their images/videos (video posts marked with 🎥).

2. Review Each Complete Post

Click on a post to see: - Images Grid (NEW): All generated platform images displayed side-by-side: - Square image (1024×1024) with label "Facebook, Instagram, Twitter" - Portrait image (1024×1792) with label "Stories, TikTok, Shorts" - Caption (the text that will accompany the media) - Hashtags (if applicable) - Platform (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.) - Office/Account - Generation Info: Which sizes were generated, cost per image

3. Evaluate the Complete Post

For All Posts, Ask Yourself: - Does the media (image/video) match the caption message? - Do they work together to tell a cohesive story? - Would you stop scrolling if you saw this in your feed? - Is the media high quality (not blurry, pixelated, or poorly edited)? - Does the media follow BFS brand guidelines? - Is the overall post appropriate for the target office/account?

For Video Posts Specifically: - Is the video duration appropriate (not too long)? - Are captions/subtitles present for accessibility? - Is the audio quality clear? - Does the video follow the shot list? - Are participants appropriate and well-presented?

✓ APPROVE if: - Text and media complement each other perfectly - Media is high quality and on-brand - Post is ready to publish as-is - You'd be proud to have this represent BFS - (Videos): Clear audio, good pacing, appropriate length

✗ REJECT if: - Media doesn't match the caption topic - Media is low quality or off-brand - Media contains errors (typos in graphics, wrong colors, poor editing) - Text and media create a confusing or mixed message - Post needs significant improvement - (Videos): Poor audio, too long, unprofessional appearance

4. Approve a Complete Post

If the post is ready to publish:

  1. Click the green "Final Approve" button
  2. The post moves to "approved" status
  3. Confirmation: "Post approved and ready for scheduling"

What Happens Next: The post is now in your scheduling queue, ready to be exported to Metricool.

5. Reject a Complete Post

If the post needs work:

  1. Click the red "Reject and Restart" button
  2. A text box appears: "Reason for rejection"
  3. Explain what needs to be fixed
  4. Example: "Image shows kids playing basketball but caption is about reading together"
  5. Example: "Image is blurry and low quality"
  6. Example: "Colors don't match BFS brand guidelines"
  7. Click "Submit Rejection"

What Happens Next: - The post is marked as "rejected" with your feedback displayed - You can then: - Regenerate: Create new version with your specific feedback - Archive: Permanently remove this idea

Note: For mismatched media (e.g., video doesn't match script), consider requesting a re-film rather than full regeneration.

6. Complete All Reviews

Work through all posts in the design_complete queue.

Completion Status: - Design Complete: 0 posts - Approved: ~50 posts (ready to schedule) - Rejected: ~2-3 posts (back to Stage 1)

Congratulations! Stage 2 is complete. You now have a batch of approved posts ready to schedule.

Automated Scheduling

NEW FEATURE (November 20, 2025): Automated scheduling system with Metricool integration!

What This Means: After you approve posts in Stage 2, the system can automatically schedule them to Metricool. No more manual copy-pasting!

Current Status: Test mode - Auto-publish is disabled for safety. System logs what it WOULD do without actually publishing.

How Automated Scheduling Works

Automated Schedule (hourly checks): - System checks every hour for posts with approved status - Reads post details (caption, images, platform, optimal times) - In test mode: Logs scheduling actions without publishing - When enabled: Actually schedules posts to Metricool API - Updates post status to published after scheduling

Using the Approved Posts Page

Navigate to Approved Posts: 1. Go to dashboard: http://10.1.10.110:5000 2. Click "Approved" in navigation menu 3. You'll see the Approved Posts page with automation features

Page Features:

  1. Automation Banner (orange gradient at top):
  2. Shows next scheduled run time
  3. Live countdown timer (updates every minute)
  4. Example: "Next automated scheduling: in 37 minutes"

  5. Status indicator: "Test Mode Active" or "Auto-Publish Enabled"

  6. Manual Trigger Button (orange):

  7. Button text: "Schedule Now"
  8. Click to immediately trigger scheduling for all approved posts
  9. Useful when you want to schedule immediately

  10. In test mode: Shows what would be scheduled

  11. Post List:

  12. Shows all approved posts ready for scheduling
  13. Displays platform assignments
  14. Shows caption preview
  15. Indicates scheduling status

When to Use Manual "Schedule Now" Button

Use the manual trigger when: - Testing the system: Want to see what would be scheduled - Immediate scheduling: Can't wait for next hourly run - Verification: Want to trigger test mode to review scheduling plan - Going live: After enabling auto-publish, trigger first real scheduling

How to use it (test mode): 1. Visit Approved Posts page 2. Verify posts are listed 3. Click orange "Schedule Now" button 4. System processes posts and logs actions 5. Check logs to see what would have been scheduled 6. Posts remain in approved status (not changed in test mode)

How to use it (when auto-publish enabled): 1. Visit Approved Posts page 2. Click orange "Schedule Now" button 3. System schedules posts to Metricool API 4. Posts move to published status 5. Check Metricool dashboard to verify scheduling

Enabling Auto-Publish (For IT Admin)

WARNING: Only enable after thorough testing!

To enable automatic scheduling: 1. SSH to Raspberry Pi 2. Edit orchestrator config: bash nano ~/bfs-projects/Marketing/orchestrator/config.py 3. Change METRICOOL_AUTO_PUBLISH = False to True 4. Save and exit 5. No restart needed - change takes effect on next run

Test First: - Run manual trigger in test mode several times - Review logs to verify scheduling looks correct - Verify Metricool API credentials are working - Test with 1-2 posts manually before enabling auto-publish

Current Limitations (Test Mode)

While in test mode: - ✅ System runs hourly checks - ✅ Identifies posts to schedule - ✅ Logs all scheduling details - ✅ Manual trigger works - ❌ Does NOT actually schedule to Metricool - ❌ Posts remain in approved status - ❌ No changes to Metricool dashboard

Purpose of test mode: Ensure system works correctly before automating real publishing.

What Happens When Auto-Publish is Enabled

Once IT enables auto-publish: 1. Hourly: System checks for approved posts 2. For each post: Schedules to Metricool with optimal publish time 3. Platform routing: - Facebook posts → Facebook Pages via Metricool - Instagram posts → Instagram via Metricool - Multi-platform posts → All selected platforms 4. Status update: Post moves to published 5. Notification: You receive confirmation (when Teams enabled)

Optimal scheduling times (configurable): - Facebook: Tuesday-Friday, 9am-2pm - Instagram: Tuesday-Friday, 10am-3pm - Twitter: Weekdays, 9am-4pm - TikTok: Tuesday-Thursday, 7-9pm - YouTube: Thursday-Saturday, 12-3pm

Scheduling Posts in Metricool (Manual)

NOTE: This section describes the manual scheduling process. With automated scheduling (see previous section), this becomes optional.

When to use manual scheduling: - Auto-publish is in test mode (current state) - You want more control over exact publish times - Need to customize post text for specific platforms - Prefer hands-on approach

Goal: Manually schedule all approved posts in Metricool for publishing throughout the week.

Expected Time: 30-45 minutes

When to Do This: Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access Approved Posts

Go to: http://10.1.10.110:5000/posts/approved

You'll see all posts that are ready to schedule (approved in Stage 2).

2. Export Post Information

For each post, you'll need to copy: - Caption (click "Copy Caption" button if available, or select and copy manually) - Hashtags (if applicable) - Image URL or download the image (click on image to view full size, then right-click and "Save Image As")

Pro Tip: Open the dashboard and Metricool side-by-side in two browser windows for easy copying.

3. Open Metricool

  1. Go to: https://app.metricool.com/
  2. Log in with BFS Metricool account credentials
  3. Navigate to "Publisher" or "Planner" section

4. Create New Post in Metricool

  1. Click "New Post" or "Create Post" button
  2. Select platform (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube)
  3. Select account/page (e.g., "BFS Indianapolis Office" or "BFS Instagram")
  4. Upload image:
  5. Drag and drop the image you downloaded from dashboard
  6. Or click "Add Media" and browse to the image file
  7. Paste caption:
  8. Copy caption from dashboard
  9. Paste into Metricool's text field
  10. Add hashtags if applicable
  11. Select date and time:
  12. Schedule for Thursday-Sunday of current week
  13. Use optimal posting times (see below)
  14. Click "Schedule" or "Add to Queue"

5. Optimal Posting Times

Facebook (Office Pages): - Best times: Tuesday-Friday, 9 AM - 2 PM - Engagement peaks: Wednesday 11 AM, Thursday 1 PM - Avoid: Late evenings and weekends

Instagram (BFS Account): - Best times: Tuesday-Friday, 10 AM - 3 PM - Engagement peaks: Wednesday 11 AM, Friday 2 PM - Post 1-2 times per day max

Twitter/X (BFS Account): - Best times: Weekdays, 9 AM - 4 PM - Can post more frequently: 3-5 times per day - Engagement peaks: Wednesday-Thursday mornings

TikTok (BFS Account): - Best times: Tuesday-Thursday, 7-9 PM - Also good: Weekend mornings 9-11 AM - Post daily for best algorithm performance

YouTube (BFS Channel): - Best times: Thursday-Saturday, 12-3 PM - Post 1-2 times per week - Consistency matters more than timing

6. Verify Scheduling

After scheduling each post in Metricool: 1. Return to dashboard 2. Find the post you just scheduled 3. Click "Mark as Scheduled" (if this button exists) 4. Or simply keep track in a checklist

7. Complete All Scheduling

Continue until all approved posts are scheduled in Metricool.

Final Check: - Have you scheduled posts for all offices? - Have you scheduled BFS social account posts? - Are posts distributed throughout the week (not all on one day)? - Are posting times optimized for each platform?

You're Done! Posts will now publish automatically via Metricool. You can relax until Friday's analytics summary.

Video Workflow Overview (NEW)

Updated November 2025: The video workflow has been completely redesigned with a Release Management system for better campaign organization.

What's Different About Video Posts?

Photo posts are AI-generated and automated: - AI creates the content - DALL-E generates the images automatically - Workflow: Text Approval → Auto Image Generation → Final Review → Schedule

Video posts require human production: - AI creates the concept/script - Office staff film the videos - Multiple offices can upload their own versions - Videos are organized into "Releases" (coordinated campaigns) - Workflow: Text Approval → Video Upload → Release Management → Schedule

Video Workflow Stages

The video workflow has 2 main stages plus a Video Sorter for assigning videos:

Stage 1: Text Approval
    │
    ↓ (Approve concept)
    │
Video Sorter: Assign videos to Releases
    │
    ↓ (Videos assigned)
    │
Stage 2: Video Management & Release Management
    │
    ↓ (Schedule videos)
    │
Published

Key Video Workflow Concepts

Post: The video concept, script, captions, and required details (approved in Stage 1)

Release: A coordinated campaign that groups videos for specific: - Target date - Target platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.) - Type (national, regional, test)

Video: Individual video file uploaded by a specific office

Why Releases? - Same video concept can have multiple campaigns (e.g., national launch + regional boost) - Edit campaign details (date, platforms) after creation - Delete campaigns without losing videos (they return to Video Sorter) - Track performance by campaign, not just by concept

Video Workflow Dashboard Navigation

The video workflow is accessed through the Video Workflow tab on the main dashboard:

  1. Dashboard Home → Click "Video Workflow" tab
  2. You'll see:
  3. Stage 1: Text Approval - Pending video concepts to review
  4. Video Sorter - Shows count of unassigned videos
  5. Stage 2: Video Management - Posts with assigned videos

Video Stage 1: Text Approval

Goal: Review video concepts before office staff invest time filming.

Location: Dashboard → Video Workflow tab → Stage 1

Expected Time: 2-3 minutes per video concept

What You're Reviewing

Each video post includes: - Video Concept: Description of what the video is about - Video Script: Narration or dialogue - Required Participants: Who needs to be in the video - Props/Location: What props and where to film - Estimated Duration: Target video length (usually 30-60 seconds) - Captions: Platform-specific social media captions

How to Review Video Concepts

  1. Navigate to Video Stage 1:
  2. Go to Dashboard home
  3. Click "Video Workflow" tab

  4. Click "Stage 1: Text Approval" or the post count

  5. Review Each Concept:

  6. Click on a video post to see full details
  7. Read the concept, script, and requirements

  8. Check if the content aligns with BFS brand voice

  9. Approval Criteria:

✅ APPROVE if: - Concept is clear and actionable - Script is well-written and appropriate length - Requirements are realistic (participants, props, location) - Content matches BFS values

❌ REJECT if: - Concept is vague or unclear - Script needs significant revision - Requirements are unrealistic or unavailable - Content doesn't align with brand

  1. Take Action:
  2. Approve: Click green "Approve" button
    • Post moves to pending_video_upload status
    • System creates SharePoint folder for video uploads
  3. Reject: Click red "Reject" button
    • Provide specific feedback for regeneration
    • Post marked for content revision

After Approval: Office staff can now film the video and upload to SharePoint or the dashboard.

Video Sorter: Assigning Videos to Releases

Goal: Match uploaded videos to their corresponding posts and organize them into Releases.

Location: Dashboard → Video Sorter (shows unassigned count badge)

When to Use Video Sorter

Use the Video Sorter when: - Office staff have uploaded new videos to SharePoint - Videos from deleted Releases need reassignment - You see the "Unassigned Videos" count is greater than 0

Understanding the Video Sorter Interface

Video Sources: The sorter shows videos from two places: 1. SharePoint uploads: Staff uploaded directly to SharePoint "Video Uploads" folder 2. Database videos: Previously assigned videos from deleted Releases (shown with blue "Previously assigned video" indicator)

For Each Video: You'll see: - Video preview (click to play) - Filename - Upload date - Source indicator (SharePoint or database)

How to Assign Videos

  1. Preview the Video:
  2. Click to play and verify content

  3. Check quality (lighting, audio, framing)

  4. Select the Post:

  5. Use the "Select Post" dropdown
  6. Dropdown shows all approved video concepts

  7. Each option shows: Post ID, concept name, office

  8. Select the Release:

  9. After selecting a Post, the "Select Release" dropdown populates
  10. Shows all Releases created for that Post

  11. If no Releases exist, system auto-creates "Default Release"

  12. Select Office and Platform:

  13. Office: Which BFS office filmed this video

  14. Platform: general, reels, facebook, or stories

  15. Click "Assign Video":

  16. Video is linked to the Post → Release → Office → Platform
  17. Video count updates in Video Sorter
  18. Post moves to video_library status

Deleting Unassigned Videos

If a video shouldn't be used: 1. Click the trash icon on the video card 2. Confirm deletion 3. Video is permanently removed

Note: Only delete if the video is incorrect or poor quality. Videos from deleted Releases should usually be reassigned to other Releases.

Video Stage 2: Video Management & Release Management

Goal: Manage all video posts with assigned videos and organize them into campaigns.

Location: Dashboard → /video-stage2 (or via Video Workflow tab)

Understanding the Combined View

Stage 2 shows all video posts past Stage 1: - Pending Upload: Posts waiting for videos (no videos assigned yet) - Video Library: Posts with assigned videos organized by Releases

Viewing Video Post Details

  1. Click on any post card to see details
  2. Post Information section shows:
  3. Video concept, script, captions
  4. Required participants, props, duration

  5. Status badge

  6. Releases section shows all campaign groups:

  7. Each Release card shows: name, type, target date, platforms
  8. Videos assigned to each Release
  9. Edit and Delete buttons for each Release

Managing Videos Within Releases

Each video in a Release tracks its own status: - 🟢 Available: Ready to schedule - 🟡 Scheduled: Marked for specific platform/date - 🔵 Published: Already posted - ⚫ Archived: No longer in use

Changing Video Status: 1. Find the video within its Release 2. Click the status dropdown 3. Select new status 4. Changes save automatically

Creating and Managing Releases

Goal: Organize videos into coordinated campaigns with specific dates and platforms.

Creating a New Release

Location: Video Post Detail page → "+ Add Release" button

  1. Navigate to Post Detail:
  2. From Video Stage 2, click on any post

  3. Or navigate to /video-post/<post_id>

  4. Click "+ Add Release":

  5. Opens the Create Release modal

  6. Fill in Release Details:

  7. Name: Descriptive campaign name
    • Good: "Friday National Facebook Campaign"
    • Bad: "Release 1"
  8. Type: Select the campaign type
    • General: Standard ongoing content
    • National: All offices, coordinated timing
    • Regional: Specific geographic areas
    • Test: Experimental, limited distribution
  9. Target Date: When videos should publish

  10. Target Platforms: Check all applicable platforms

    • Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter

  11. Click "Create Release":

  12. Release is created and appears in the Releases section
  13. Videos can now be assigned to this Release via Video Sorter

Editing a Release

Use Cases: - Change campaign date - Add or remove target platforms - Update campaign name/type

How to Edit: 1. Find the Release card on the Post Detail page 2. Click the ✏️ Edit button 3. Modify any fields in the modal 4. Click "Save Changes" 5. Green toast notification confirms success

Deleting a Release

Important: Deleting a Release does NOT delete videos!

What Happens When You Delete: 1. Release record is removed 2. All videos in that Release become "unassigned" 3. Videos appear in Video Sorter with "Previously assigned" indicator 4. Videos can be reassigned to other Releases

How to Delete: 1. Find the Release card on the Post Detail page 2. Click the 🗑️ Delete button 3. Review the warning message (shows how many videos will be unassigned) 4. Click "Delete" to confirm 5. Toast notification confirms: "{Release name} deleted. X videos unassigned."

Release Strategy Best Practices

Multiple Releases Per Post: You can create multiple Releases for the same video concept:

Example: "Foster Care Success Stories" post - Release 1: "National Launch" - Dec 1, All platforms, All offices - Release 2: "Regional Boost" - Dec 15, Instagram only, 5 offices - Release 3: "Test Version" - Nov 28, Facebook only, 2 offices

Benefits: - Reuse approved content across multiple campaigns - Coordinate timing for maximum impact - Track performance separately by campaign - A/B test different platforms or timing

Friday Afternoon: Weekly Summary

What to Expect

Every Friday at 5:00 PM, you'll receive a Teams notification with weekly analytics:

📊 Weekly Marketing Summary - Nov 18-24

Posts This Week
• Generated: 65 posts
• Approved (Stage 1): 53 posts (81%)
• Rejected (Stage 1): 12 posts (19%)
• Final Approved (Stage 2): 50 posts (94%)
• Rejected (Stage 2): 3 posts (6%)
• Scheduled: 50 posts (100%)

Workflow Performance
• Average Stage 1 review time: 12 minutes ✓
• Average Stage 2 review time: 18 minutes ✓
• Design completion time: 1.2 days ✓
• Total workflow time: Monday 6 AM → Wednesday 3 PM

Bottlenecks Detected
✓ No significant bottlenecks

System Health
✓ Database: 245 MB (healthy)
✓ Disk space: 62% used (healthy)
✓ All services operational

👉 View full dashboard: http://10.1.10.110:5000/

Great work this week! 🎉

What to Do With This Information

Review the Numbers: - Approval rates: Are you rejecting too many or too few posts? - Stage 1 target: 80-85% approved, 15-20% rejected - Stage 2 target: 94-97% approved, 3-6% rejected - Timing: Did workflow complete on schedule? - Target: Stage 1 done Monday, Stage 2 done Wednesday - Bottlenecks: Are posts getting stuck anywhere?

Take Action If Needed: - High rejection rate: Talk to IT about improving content generation prompts - Workflow delays: Coordinate with designers to speed up image creation - Bottlenecks detected: Follow up with IT to investigate

Most Weeks: Everything will be fine. Just note the numbers and move on!

Notifications Guide

What Teams Notifications You'll Receive

Notification When Action Required
Posts Generated Monday 9 AM Begin Stage 1 review
Approval Reminder 24 hours after generation if not done Complete Stage 1 review
Approval URGENT 48 hours after generation if not done Complete Stage 1 immediately
Designs Ready When designers complete images Begin Stage 2 review
Design Reminder 24 hours after designs complete Complete Stage 2 review
Weekly Summary Friday 5 PM Review metrics, no action needed
Health Alerts Only when system issues detected Contact IT

Notification Channels

All notifications are sent to the "Content Approvals - BFS - Marketing" Teams channel.

How to Find the Channel: 1. Open Microsoft Teams 2. Go to "BFS - Marketing" team 3. Click "Content Approvals" channel 4. All notifications appear here

Responding to Reminders

Approval Reminder (24 hours): - Message: "Reminder: 52 posts still awaiting Stage 1 approval" - What to do: Finish your Stage 1 reviews as soon as possible - Why it matters: Designers are waiting to start work

Approval URGENT (48 hours): - Message: "URGENT: 52 posts still awaiting approval. Workflow is delayed." - What to do: Drop everything and complete Stage 1 reviews immediately - Why it matters: We're falling behind schedule and may miss publishing deadlines

Design Reminder (24 hours): - Message: "Reminder: 50 posts with completed designs awaiting Stage 2 approval" - What to do: Complete Stage 2 reviews today - Why it matters: Posts need to be scheduled soon or they won't publish this week

What to Do If You're Out of Office

Before You Leave: 1. Notify IT staff (jordan.hoelscher@benchmarkfs.org) that you'll be out 2. Designate a backup approver 3. Have IT temporarily adjust the notification schedule or disable reminders

If You Can't Approve This Week: - IT can skip the Monday content generation (run it next Monday instead) - Or IT can manually approve posts in an emergency

Troubleshooting for Users

Dashboard Not Loading

Symptom: When you visit http://10.1.10.110:5000, the page doesn't load or shows an error.

Solution: 1. Check your network: Make sure you're on the BFS internal network - If working from home, are you connected to VPN? 2. Try refreshing: Press Ctrl+F5 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac) to force refresh 3. Try a different browser: Switch from Chrome to Firefox or vice versa 4. Clear browser cache: Go to browser settings and clear cache/cookies 5. Contact IT: If none of the above work, email jordan.hoelscher@benchmarkfs.org

Can't Approve or Reject Posts

Symptom: When you click "Approve" or "Reject" button, nothing happens or you get an error.

Solution: 1. Check your internet connection: Make sure you're online 2. Refresh the page: Press F5 to reload 3. Try again: Click the button again after refreshing 4. Check browser console: - Press F12 to open developer tools - Look for error messages (screenshot and send to IT if you see red errors) 5. Try a different browser: Switch browsers to see if issue persists 6. Contact IT: If problem continues, reach out for help

Images Not Uploading (Designers)

Symptom: When you try to upload an image, it fails or never completes.

Solution: 1. Check image size: Images should be under 5 MB - If too large, compress in Canva or use tinypng.com 2. Check image format: Use PNG or JPEG only (not TIFF, BMP, or other formats) 3. Check file name: Remove special characters from file name - Good: "bfs-post-2024-11-18.png" - Bad: "BFS Post (draft) #2 [final].png" 4. Try a different image: If one image won't upload, try another to isolate the issue 5. Refresh and retry: Press F5 and try uploading again 6. Contact IT: If uploads consistently fail

Posts Not Showing in Metricool

Symptom: You scheduled posts in Metricool but they're not appearing in the queue.

Solution: 1. Check selected account: Make sure you selected the correct page/account in Metricool 2. Check date/time: Verify you set the correct publishing date and time 3. Refresh Metricool: Reload the page to see if posts appear 4. Check Metricool status: Visit status.metricool.com to see if service is down 5. Reschedule: Try scheduling the post again 6. Contact Metricool Support: If issues persist, contact Metricool directly

Not Receiving Teams Notifications

Symptom: You're not getting notified when posts are ready or designs are complete.

Solution: 1. Check Teams notifications settings: - Open Teams - Go to Settings → Notifications - Ensure channel notifications are enabled 2. Check channel membership: Make sure you're a member of "Content Approvals" channel 3. Check Teams status: Make sure Teams is running and you're logged in 4. Check notification history: Click the bell icon in Teams to see if notifications were sent but you missed them 5. Ask IT to test: Have IT send a test notification to verify setup 6. Contact IT: If notifications aren't working at all

Who to Contact for Help

For Dashboard Issues: - Email: jordan.hoelscher@benchmarkfs.org - Subject: "Marketing Dashboard Issue" - Include: What you were trying to do, what happened, screenshots if possible

For Metricool Issues: - Metricool Support: support@metricool.com - Or use in-app chat in Metricool

For Teams/Email Issues: - BFS IT Help Desk - Or jordan.hoelscher@benchmarkfs.org

For Urgent Issues (system completely broken): - Email: jordan.hoelscher@benchmarkfs.org with "URGENT" in subject - Or call BFS IT directly

Tips & Best Practices

Optimal Times to Review Posts

Stage 1 (Text Review): - Best time: Monday morning, 9-10 AM (right after posts are generated) - Why: Get it done early so designers can start work immediately - Don't wait: The longer you wait, the more compressed the rest of the workflow becomes

Stage 2 (Final Review): - Best time: Wednesday morning, 9-10 AM (when designers typically finish) - Why: Gives you rest of Wednesday to schedule in Metricool - Avoid: Waiting until Thursday - you'll be rushed and may miss optimal scheduling times

Quality Standards for Approvals

Stage 1 - Text Approval:

High Priority Issues (Always Reject): - Factual errors or incorrect information - Grammar/spelling mistakes - Tone doesn't match BFS brand (too corporate, too casual, too salesy) - Inappropriate content or insensitive language - Wrong office information - Character count exceeds platform limits

Medium Priority Issues (Usually Reject): - Vague or generic content that doesn't provide value - Content that doesn't match target platform (e.g., long-form caption for Twitter) - Missing key elements (call-to-action, context, relevance) - Repetitive content (says same thing as recent post)

Low Priority Issues (Usually Approve): - Minor word choice preferences - Could be slightly better but is still good - Personal style differences (you'd word it differently but it's fine)

Remember: Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. If a post is 80% great, approve it. Don't reject over minor preferences.

Stage 2 - Final Approval:

Always Reject If: - Image clearly doesn't match caption topic - Image is blurry, pixelated, or low quality - Image uses wrong colors (not BFS brand) - Image has visible errors (typos in graphics, wrong logo, cut-off elements) - Image includes problematic content (not inclusive, inappropriate, stock-photo-obvious) - Text and image create a confusing or contradictory message

Usually Reject If: - Image is technically fine but doesn't support the message well - Image feels off-brand even if you can't pinpoint exactly why - You wouldn't share this post if it represented your own work - Image is generic/boring when caption deserves something more engaging

Approve If: - Text and image work together to tell a cohesive story - Image is high quality and on-brand - You'd be proud to have this represent BFS - It would catch your attention scrolling through social media

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Overthinking Stage 1 - Don't: Spend 30 minutes wordsmithing one caption in your head - Do: Make quick approve/reject decisions based on clear criteria

Mistake 2: Approving Everything - Don't: Approve 100% of posts just to get through faster - Do: Reject the 15-20% that genuinely need improvement

Mistake 3: Rejecting Too Much - Don't: Reject posts because they're not exactly how you'd write them - Do: Reject only posts with actual issues (errors, tone problems, quality issues)

Mistake 4: Not Providing Rejection Reasons - Don't: Just click "Reject" without explanation - Do: Always explain specifically what's wrong so it can be fixed

Mistake 5: Skipping Stage 2 - Don't: Assume if text and image are individually good, they'll work together - Do: Always review the complete post to ensure they're cohesive

Mistake 6: Scheduling All Posts on One Day - Don't: Schedule all 50 posts for Thursday morning - Do: Distribute posts throughout Thursday-Sunday for better engagement

Mistake 7: Ignoring Optimal Times - Don't: Schedule all posts for 8 AM because it's easy - Do: Use platform-specific optimal times (see Scheduling section above)

Mistake 8: Not Reading Weekly Summaries - Don't: Ignore the Friday analytics email - Do: Review metrics to spot trends and improve performance

Time-Saving Tricks

Keyboard Shortcuts: - Press Tab to navigate between buttons - Press Enter to click the focused button - Press Backspace to go back to post list

Batch Similar Tasks: - Review all Facebook posts together - Then all Instagram posts - Then all Twitter posts - This helps you get into a rhythm for each platform

Use Two Monitors: - Dashboard on one monitor - Metricool on the other monitor - Copy and paste without switching windows

Copy-Paste Templates (for rejection reasons): - "Too generic, doesn't provide specific value" - "Grammar error: [explain]" - "Tone too formal, needs to be warmer" - "Caption too long for platform" - "Image doesn't match caption topic" - "Image quality too low"

Set Calendar Reminders: - Monday 9 AM: "Stage 1 Review - Text Only" - Wednesday 9 AM: "Stage 2 Review - Complete Posts" - Wednesday 2 PM: "Schedule Posts in Metricool" - Friday 5 PM: "Review Weekly Summary"

Working With Designers

Good Feedback (Designer can act on this): - "Image shows kids playing sports but caption is about reading - mismatch" - "Image is blurry, please increase resolution" - "Colors are too bright, please use softer tones per brand guidelines" - "Great work on this one! Text and image work perfectly together."

Poor Feedback (Too vague): - "Image doesn't feel right" - "Can you make it better?" - "Not what I had in mind" - "Try something else"

How to Give Effective Feedback: 1. Be specific: Explain exactly what's wrong 2. Reference the brief: Point out where the image deviates from design brief 3. Suggest solutions: "Try using a photo of a family outdoors instead of indoors" 4. Be constructive: Focus on fixing the issue, not criticizing the designer 5. Acknowledge good work: When designs are great, say so! Positive feedback matters.

Building Good Habits

Week 1-2: Follow this guide closely, use it as a checklist Week 3-4: Start to internalize the workflow, refer to guide as needed Week 5+: Workflow becomes second nature, guide is just for reference

Measure Your Progress: - How long does Stage 1 take you? (Goal: 10-15 minutes) - How long does Stage 2 take you? (Goal: 15-20 minutes) - What's your approval rate? (Goal: Stage 1: 80-85%, Stage 2: 94-97%) - Are you meeting deadlines? (Goal: Stage 1 by Monday EOD, Stage 2 by Wednesday EOD)

Continuous Improvement: - Each week, try to be a little faster without sacrificing quality - Learn what types of posts commonly need rejection and watch for those patterns - Develop intuition for what makes a great BFS post - Share feedback with IT about how to improve the system

Conclusion

You now have everything you need to successfully manage the BFS Marketing Automation workflow!

Remember: - Monday: Stage 1 text review (10-15 min) - Wednesday: Stage 2 final review (15-20 min) - Wednesday/Thursday: Schedule in Metricool (30-45 min) - Friday: Review weekly summary (5 min)

Total time commitment: ~1-1.5 hours per week

Questions? Contact jordan.hoelscher@benchmarkfs.org

You've got this! 🎉

Document Version: 2.0 Last Updated: November 25, 2025 Maintained By: BFS Marketing Department

Changelog

Version 2.0 (November 25, 2025)

  • Added complete Video Workflow documentation (5 new sections)
  • Added Release Management system documentation
  • Added Video Sorter usage guide
  • Updated Table of Contents with Photo vs Video workflow sections
  • Renamed sections for clarity (Photo Stage 1, Photo Stage 2)

Version 1.2 (November 20, 2025)

  • Added Manual Content Generation feature
  • Added Automated Image Generation feature
  • Added Automated Scheduling feature

Version 1.1 (November 17, 2025)

  • Added video post support (video_concept, video_script fields)
  • Updated Stage 1 to show video vs image post differences

Version 1.0 (Initial Release)

  • Original user workflow guide for photo posts

BFS Marketing Automation Documentation

For technical support, contact your system administrator