Software for Editors to Track Assigments/Writers

adogil

Recently, I was hired at a website publishing company to work as a managing editor. Although I'm new to the editing field, I know how to edit. (I was a freelance editor/writer for 10 years.)

The reason I'm writing is because there are no other editors at this company. I have no experience managing a large group of freelance writers. I am finding it challenging to track all their assignment/payment/scheduling/personal information. As a result, I am looking for some software that can help me with this.

Is there anyone out there who can recommend some software to perform these functions?

Thank you for your time.
 

Jamesaritchie

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adogil said:
Recently, I was hired at a website publishing company to work as a managing editor. Although I'm new to the editing field, I know how to edit. (I was a freelance editor/writer for 10 years.)

The reason I'm writing is because there are no other editors at this company. I have no experience managing a large group of freelance writers. I am finding it challenging to track all their assignment/payment/scheduling/personal information. As a result, I am looking for some software that can help me with this.

Is there anyone out there who can recommend some software to perform these functions?

Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...

I use MS Excel. It's pretty good for keeping track of anything.
 
Fahim

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adogil said:
Is there anyone out there who can recommend some software to perform these functions?
Click to expand...

I actually wrote my own app to track submissions to editors but don't know of anything offhand which helps editors keep track of writers ... besides the roll-your-own stuff like an Excel spreadsheet or an Access database :p However, if there is enough demand for it, I wouldn't mind creating an app like that ... should be fairly easy to convert what I have for submission management into doing writer/assignment management ...
 
Fahim

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Using Excel can get a bit cumbersome if you have to quickly link a large amount of related, yet separate information. Sure you can have different tabs, one for contact information, one for a list of assignments, one for a list of writers, one listing payment information and so on but it makes look ups a more complicated than necessary. But then again, it's a matter of personal choice :) If Excel works for you, then fine. If not, then a database solution would work better but then again, I love coding new database solutions ... so I guess it comes back to personal choices :p
 
Fahim

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I've always thought of ACT! as more of a Contact Management/PIM tool than something for project/submission management but on going back and taking a look, I see that you could probably do what you wanted with this (for a large and variable value of "probably" :p) Of course, the user interface in ACT! 4.0 is hideous - right out of the stone age (along with Windows 3.x :p) I did take a look at the latest version ACT! 2006 and that really looks nice. In fact, I might give it a try myself to see how it goes :)
 
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