Phomas, the first Photography Management System is developed from the perspective that a Brand should own it’s own processes and content and should not be depending on their current supplier.
Phomas is cloud based software allowing brands to operate from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection. This is especially helpful to facilitate location shoots, but also for managing or preparing the shoots from a regional or global head office while shooting @ a photo studio on another location.
Phomas Academy combines an online repository and online training or support sessions. The Linx IT Solutions Phomas operations support team is there to be of help at any time during shoot preparations, photo shoots, image retouch and image delivery!
FAQ
POMAS FEATURES
What features Phomas offers?
Phomas covers the entire process of product photography. By using Phomas this process can be controlled and monitored from any location as Phomas is a cloud based SaaS solution.
Phomas organization:
- Defining photography guidelines which can vary per product group
- Creating orders for product photography Manual or by MS Excel import
- Auto generating shot requests based on product group mapping
- Generate Shot lists for the photographer, allowing barcode scanning for filenames or …
- Online photographers instructions (photographers screen)
- Local installations (Mac) to collaborate directly with CaptureOne
- Local installation (Windows server) for automated upload process from photo studio to Phomas
- Automated import of images into Phomas
- Support of multiple retouch workflows, enabling third-party to perform retouch activities
- Online image approval and commenting functions
- Automated generation of derivatives to support requirements for various export locations
- Support for various export locations, like cash systems, b2b portals, b2b apps, owned eCommerce platform, partners sites and marketplaces …
- Automated image export
- Product information Copy writing (Phomas Copy)
- Phomas Copy translations
- Track & Trace
- Statistics
Does Phomas require local installation?
No, Phomas is Software as a Service (SaaS) and delivered as a Cloud solution. This means that the involvement of for instance IT departments can be minimal. The Total Cost of Ownership of such a solution is significant lower than local installations while upgrades and service updates can be realized much faster!
Does Phomas run on Mac's?
Yes, Phomas runs on every modern computer with the latest versions of most common used web browsers installed. For best performance, we advise Chromium browsers like Chrome and the new coming Edge browser or the latest version of Firefox. The use of Internet Explorer 11 or earlier is no longer supported on all screens in Phomas.
Does Phomas work together with Capture One?
Yes. Phomas works together with all common used Photography applications like Capture One or Adobe Lightroom. Linx developed a separate locally installed app for Mac’s to enable local creation of so called “Capture” folders while tethered shooting directly from the Phomas Photographers screen. Another local installed app supports the upload to Phomas of the selected images in Capture One.
Is there an online repository of all approved images?
Phomas is a Photography Management System. It starts with the request for an image and ends with an approved image after post-production and the export of one or more derivatives. Phomas does not have an online repository of all exported images. In most cases images are exported to a PIM or DAM system which has this functionality. At clients request, Phomas can export images to the Marcomware or Retailware DAM system AssetFlow. Both Marcomware and Retailware are Media portals developed by Linx IT Solutions as well.
Where are images stored while in the Phomas process?
Phomas stores images in a dedicated client account on MS Azures’s file storage. @ request, Phomas supports the use of client owned cloud storage locations on MS Azure or AWS. In this way, you can be assured that your content always is available for your organization!
What is an Export location in Phomas?
Export locations are delivery points for Phomas. Each of these locations can receive one or more derivatives, which are generated versions of an image. Per export location a naming convention can be defined for the generated images. Export locations can be sFTP servers, Online storage locations like AWS and MS Azure or third party applications via an API.
What is a derivative in Phomas
Export locations are delivery points for Phomas. Each of these locations can receive one or more derivatives, which are generated versions of an image. Per export location a naming convention can be defined for the generated images. Export locations can be sFTP servers, Online storage locations like AWS and MS Azure or third party applications via an API.
PHOMAS SET-UP
Do I get support, setting-up Phomas?
Yes, you get! We strongly believe that the best results can be achieved in close collaboration with all stakeholders. To take most advantage of Phomas as engine, the entire process should be taken into consideration before starting to use it. The Linx operational support team will be of help while serring-up the first time and is at request available during regular Phomas operations.
What is an Order in Phomas?
In Phomas, orders can be created. An order is a request to shoot one or more images from a specific style or product. Orders mostly are based on an extract from an ERP system as it often is based on the eCommerce buy-in.
Orders can be created manually or by import of a so called “Master data File” (MS Excel sheet) for which a template can be downloaded.
What is a Shot request in Phomas?
A Shot request, is one of the view types, requested for a specific order in Phomas. Photography guidelines often define which view types (shot angles or type of photography) are required for a specific range of products, the product groups. A shot request represents one of such a definition.
To be able to identify an image by the shot name, which enables easy setting the image order @ the final destination, Phomas uses Variant (Model shoot, Bust shoot, Mannequin shoot, Invisible shoot, Lay-down shoot etc.). Type gives information about the look, (set, overall, top, bottom) and Angle shows the angle of the shot (front, back, side, top, bottom etc.)
What is a Shot request set in Phomas?
Shot request sets are combinations of shot requests. For one or multiple product groups, a shot request set can be defined. When importing new orders via the Master data File import function, the product group defines which shot requests are generated for that order, based on the shot request set where that product group is mapped to. Shot request sets can be maintained per season. In this way, for a new season updated photography guidelines already can be defined.
What means Shot Request Set Mapping?
The shot request set mapping feature lets you define shot request maps for a new season, to match updated photography guidelines.
What is a Master data File?
The Master data File is a MS Excel sheet, containing all relevant information to create orders for product Photography. When processes require further integration via an API, automated order generation can be achieved from for instance ERP systems
PHOMAS UPDATES
How often does Phomas get updates?
The team is developing Phomas continuous. In principle we are working with 2-weeks sprints. The release takes place in the third week and during that week. Users will be informed by the Phomas support team when updates are released of their interest.
Updates @ client request
Phomas is a generic shared platform for Photography management. Phomas has a modulair architecture, so for instance Stock Tracking and Phomas Copy are modules which can be enabled or disabled for specific clients. All other functionality is available for all clients. Not meaning that all clients also must use all functionality. Based on client specifications a custom set-up of Phomas is made.
Shot action requests screen implemented
For Phomas Support users (the Linx team) a Shot action requests screen has been implemented, to empower support requests from clients.
Retouch item action requests implemented
For Phomas Support users (the Linx team) a Retouch item action requests screen has been implemented, to empower support requests from clients.
Bot Management screen implemented
For Phomas Support users (the Linx team) a Bot Management screen has been implemented, to empower support requests from clients.
This feature allows the Phomas support team to add automated actions (so called bots) to stages in the retouch workflow. In this way, for instance an automated approval of images can be achieved.
New Viewtypes configuration screen implemented
For Phomas Support users (the Linx team) a new View types configuration screen has been implemented.
New: Retouch Company Import screen
We implemented the Retouch Company Import screen as a first phase for external retouched images. During set-up of Phomas, based on technical retouch Requirements, checks will be implemented and these are performed when images are uploaded by the retouch company. When images are not passing these tests, they will remain in the Retouch Company Import screen. This screen also has a tile on the Phomas landing page, indicating when images have been uploaded not matching the technical requirements. Action from Phomas users is required. This screen now also has a feature for manual upload batches of retouched images. The entire workflow is re-configured to support external retouch companies collaborating on Phomas projects.
New: Shot request set screen
We’ve implemented a new Shot request set screen (see season settings) enabling a more visual approach on creation of shot request sets.
New: Photographer screen
The new Photographers screen replaces the printed shot list. This means that Photographers directly can work from a second monitor seeing the shot requests for a specific order. At a later stage more functionality will be added, supporting the creation of so called capture folders in Capture One, directly from this User Interface …
New: Order Overview
New Order Overview
New: Retouch flow
New Retouch flow
New: MDF import screen
New Master data File (MDF) import screen
Introducing: Phomas Copy
Phomas Copywrite
Introducing: Phomas Copy - translations
New Phomas Copy – translations
Introducing: Product Swatch
We Introduced the entity “Product swatch” in Phomas. A product swatch is a small version of one of the available images, mostly used on websites as navigation points to the other view types of the same style.
Introducing: Stock tracking
Are the products I need to shoot available on the set or not? To have answers on these questions, we introduced the new Stock Tracking module in Phomas.
Introducing: Phomas tagging
Phomas tagging is a new feature which will be incorporated in the entire Phomas ecosystem. Now we are introducing tagging for Shot requests.
Coming soon: Shot instruction
Shot instruction allows users to add specific instructions on shot level. This is to support the more manual approach on shot creation. This is valuable when the various view types are not that generic.
Coming soon: Order attachment
One of our next releases will add a feature to add an attachment (PDF, Excel, Word doc or sample image) to an order in Phomas. This also supports the more manual use of Phomas.