Find all the most up-to-date changes we've been making to Folktale as they're released.
March 7th, 2024
Improved Navigation Experience in Folktale
We've redesigned navigation to enhance your overall user experience. The new design shows you exactly where you are and what you can do - keeping only relevant options at hand.
Read more on New & Improved Navigation: Explore with Ease
Admins and Insights Managers will enjoy a massive upgrade with a streamlined interface. They can now effortlessly switch between workspaces and understand where they are within the workspace at a glance.
Moreover, users with multiple accounts will also have clear visibility of which account they're currently signed into. This reduces confusion and ensures a seamless workflow.
Feb 7th, 2024
New Feature: Video Message to Contributor
Insights Managers are now able to record a video message when inviting contributors to share their stories. This builds trust between Insights Managers and Contributors, ensuring higher participation from the contributors.
When Contributors open the invitation, they will be able to play the video message and review the invitation before accepting it.
Feb 5th, 2024
A New Look Folktale Home page
Folktale is excited to release a new look Home page, a new and improved design to elevate your Folktale experience. This improvement enhances your ability to stay up-to-date, effectively manage your tasks, and connect effortlessly.
Read more on Exciting Product Improvement: Introducing the Home Page.
This new feature allows:
- Admins and Insights Managers to effectively monitor progress, oversee tasks, and engage with the community.
- Field Reporters and Contributors to easily access invitations, drafts, and stories. Harness the power of community by encouraging engagement and celebration with others' stories.
Sep 4th 2023
New Feature: Improved Recording Experience with Attachments
We're excited to share an innovative update that will redefine how you capture stories and qualitative data with Folktale. Click here to learn more
Introducing Attachments
Today, we officially launch the "attachments" feature, demonstrating our commitment to listening. After hearing from customers, we have refined the recording experience within Folktale.
.png?width=294&height=221&name=iPhone%2012%20Pro%20(1).png)
.png?width=287&height=215&name=unnamed%20(2).png)
To continually elevate authentic voices, the new design makes it more accessible than ever to include more vibrant visuals of locations, people and activities inside your stories. The updated design addresses other evolving needs for those who gather stories for more than just communications. This feature further enables collecting rich qualitative data for measuring your impact, receiving feedback, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
Folktale's new update means you can:
- Seamlessly integrate photos and videos as supporting visuals into stories.
- Enhance the depth and context of each narrative.
- Deepen the participatory and comprehensive experience of contributors.
Feb 1st 2023
New Feature: Subtitle Editor 🎉
Folktale is thrilled to launch the new subtitle editor. Admins and Insights Managers are now empowered to edit automated subtitles or add new translations as new subtitle languages within the Folktale platform.
More Language Supports for Subtitles
Language support for subtitles has now been expanded to the following:
|
Arabic |
Bislama | Bengali |
| Chinese | Danish | German |
| English | Spanish | Persian |
| Fijian | French | Irish |
| Gaelic | Hebrew | Hindi |
| Indonesian | Italian | Japanese |
| Korean | Marathi | Malay |
| Dutch | Pidgin | Portugese |
| Russian | Samoan | Tamil |
| Telugu | Thai | Tok Pisin |
| Turkish | Ukranian | Uzbek |
| Vietnamese | Welsh |
Can't find your language? Contact us at support@folktale.io
Right-to-left languages are now treated as such when editing subtitle text and in the video player.
Jan 26th, 2023
Updates on Video Functionality on Story Library
The Story Library page has been updated so that clicking on a story thumbnail will navigate Admin and Insights Manager to the Story Overview page.
This change means Admin and Insights Manager can play the video, manage the subtitle, as well as download the video on the Story Overview page. The options are available by the icon below the video.
Clicking on the subtitle icon opens up a menu to the subtitle editor, while clicking on the download icon will allow to download the video.
Dec 21st, 2022
Video and Subtitles Download
It is now possible for Admins and Insights Managers to download both videos and subtitles from the video player control bar. Access the video from the Story Library or Story Overview and click on the video to open up the download icon.
Please note that the Download subtitles option will only download the currently selected subtitle track. To download all subtitle tracks, click each one from the CC icon and download them individually.
Field Reporter and Contributors can only access their own submitted videos.
The 3 dot menu underneath each video on the My Stories page now only has the option to withdraw consent.
Dec 2nd, 2022
Uploading Video
Devices are now prevented from automatically sleeping while uploading is in progress, to prevent the upload from being interrupted.
Layout Change on Create Your Story page
After Contributors accept a story invitation, the overview of what is expected for the story can be found under About this contribution.
Now this page is also displayed in 1 column with a clear section of the story title, participants, recording the video, and building preview as well as submitting it. This helps Contributors in filling all the sections step by step.
Nov 24th, 2022
Automated Captions Settings
It is now possible to turn off automated captions at the project level. This can be set when creating a new project, or for an existing project via the Project settings page.
For existing projects, stories that have already been submitted will still have captions. These can be turned off at playtime in the new video player by selecting the CC icon and select Subtitles off.
Similarly, if automated captions are off and subsequently turned on, any stories that were submitted while they were off will not have captions.
Edit Imported B-roll Access
The Contributors' access to import B-roll from their mobile can now be edited. This is done from the Invite Overview page.
Nov 23th, 2022
Markdown Syntax on Story Invitation Notes
The Additional notes field in story invitations now supports Markdown syntax, allowing for some simple styling (multiple lines/paragraphs, bold, italics, etc) and for embedding clickable links.
Oct 31th, 2022
Login with Passkeys
Passkeys are now supported as a first-class method of authentication, and a full alternative to passwords. When signing up using an email address, a passkey can be set instead of having to choose a strong password.
For new and existing accounts, passkeys can be registered to the account, removed from the account, and otherwise managed under the Profile page of the account.
Guest accounts may also register a passkey to enable re-logging in. However, Workspace-managed accounts are not eligible for passkeys and must sign in using the WMA sign-in link.
Oct 25th, 2022
More details on the Projects page
The Projects page now shows success ratings for closed projects.
Project target completion dates
Projects can now specify an expected completion date. If set, the date is shown on the Project Summary page.
Project Summary enhancements
The Project Summary now includes the submission leaderboard as well as the submitted stories for that project.
Oct 21st, 2022
Enhanced story searching
Stories in the Story Library as well as the stories listed in the Invite Overview pages can now be filtered using a new advanced filtering interface. Currently supported filters are Projects, Teams, Location, Tags, and Reactions.
Story consent withdrawal
It is now possible for contributors to withdraw consent for a story, using the kebab menu below each video on the My Stories page. Once consent has been withdrawn, the video can no longer be played by either the contributor or IM, and is marked as withdrawn on the My Stories page, Story Library and Story Overview page.
Project leaderboard
There is now a project leaderboard on the Project Dashboard page, which shows both the total number of submissions and the percentage of accepted invites that have been completed ("submission rate") by each contributor. You can choose to order the data by either of these values.
Project summary and closure
A summary of a project is now available from either the Manage projects view or the Project summary item in the projects menu, and projects may be closed with a rating.
Story pathway selection
When creating a new workspace, the user is now prompted to answer an additional question asking how they intend to use storytelling in their workspace.
Oct 7th, 2022
Story tags
IMs and Admins are now able to add tags to stories via the Story Overview page. Tags allow you to add important information to help you catalogue your library and keep things organised.
When adding a tag, a search box is displayed which allows the user to search through any tags that have already been added to stories in the current workspace, as well as add a new tag.
We're busy behind the scenes working on adding a search function to Folktale which will make tags an essential feature. So watch this space to see more related changes very soon!
Save customised templates
When creating a story invite, it is now possible to save changes made to the selected template. The saved template can then be selected on future story invites and will be displayed on the Templates page for the workspace it was created in.
Multiple story submission
Contributors may now respond to a Community Link multiple times. If they've already submitted a story and they return to the Community Link page they will be presented with the option to Start another story, letting them create a whole new contribution.
Contributors using this option will be given the chance to view the story invitation again, and may choose to accept and decline as usual.
Updated story credit model
Previously, if a workspace had run out of credit, a contributor was not able to submit a story. We've made an important change so that credits never get in the way of contributors submitting their story. From now on if a workspace is out of credits when a story is submitted, it will be visible in the Story Library to IMs and Admins but will be locked until further credits are added.
Low credits warning
When a workspace is running low on credit, a banner will now be displaced to let IMs and Admins know that it is time to think about topping up.
If the workspace is completely out of credits, an additional banner will alert IMs and Admins letting them know that new stories will not be viewable until more credit is added.
Oct 3rd, 2022
Story Presets
We've made a big change in Folktale in order to make better use of Field Reporter accounts. Field Reporters are now able to create stories on demand without the need to be sent individual invites by their Insights Manager. This is managed by a new feature called Story Presets.
Insights Managers can specify the types of stories that they are looking for when they create a story preset, and Field Reporters will have quick access to these right on their My Stories page, making it easy to jump right in and create a story while they are out in the field. Field Reporters can respond to a preset as many times as they like whilst the preset remains active.
Take a look at the following articles to learn more about how to use story presets:
Creating a story preset
Modifying, disabling or removing a story preset
Changes to Field reporter permissions
With this new feature, we have introduced some changes to Field Reporter permissions on the Folktale platform. Click here to read more.
Uzbek language support
You may now view the Folktale platform in Uzbek. Head to your profile settings if you wish to make the change.
Sep 23rd, 2022
Order a supercut
Supercuts can now be ordered on-platform from the Story Library page. When the Order a supercut button is clicked, checkboxes appear to allow stories to be selected for use in the supercut.
Once stories have been selected, clicking the Use selected stories button navigates to the supercut order form.
After the order has been submitted, users are prompted to book a call via a link to Calendly.
Expanded currencies and payment methods
We now support more currencies and payment options for subscriptions. Once a currency is chosen and a subscription started, the currency is locked in and cannot be changed.
Edit story invite expiry date
It is now possible to change the expiry date for a story invite via the Invite Overview page.
Sep 8th, 2022
Story invitations page
There is now a dedicated page for viewing and managing all story invitations for a project. It can be navigated to via the Project menu.
Story reactions
IMs can now react to stories from the Story Overview page, by selecting one or more of the reactions displayed underneath the story video.
Users receive a notification when their story is reacted to, and can select the notification to be taken to the Story Overview page, where they can see a tally of all reactions underneath the story video. Once a user has viewed their reaction notifications, the “new” badge disappears but all reaction notifications continue to be listed on the Notifications page, from newest to oldest.
Send story invites to pending members
When selecting contributors for a story invitation, it is now possible to select pending workspace members (users who have been invited to join the workspace but have yet to accept).
Invite a new user directly from the invitation page
If a full email address is entered for a user who has not yet been invited to the workspace, an option will appear to invite them to the workspace as a Contributor. This is equivalent to inviting someone via the People section of the workspace (they will receive a workspace invitation email or an invitation to create a Folktale account as appropriate).
Change your password
A user may now change their own password by going to their Profile page. If the user does not have a password (eg signed up via Google), then they will be able to directly set one. Otherwise, they will need to enter their current password to make the change.
Change your email address
An account can now be linked to an email address, or re-linked to a different email address. This effectively allows guests and workspace-managed accounts to be claimed and upgraded to full accounts, as well as allowing full accounts to change the email address associated with the account.
This can be accessed via the Profile screen, where the user can enter a target email address to link to their account.
Story cancellation
Contributors may now cancel stories in progress should they decide that they no longer want to contribute to a story invitation. This option is not visible when offline.
Once a story is cancelled, the story invitation reverts to being “new” and may be declined or accepted again.
In addition, if the story credit originally used to create the story would not have normally expired, it is refunded to the workspace.
Aug 25th, 2022
Workspace-managed accounts
Workspace-managed accounts are accounts that are managed directly by a workspace rather than by an individual. What this means is that a potential contributor can sign into an account that has been setup for them by simply clicking on a single link rather than going through the hassle of creating an account themselves.
Workspace-managed accounts can be created and managed by Admins and IMs via the People section of a workspace.
When first created, a link to sign into the account can be obtained using the “Sign-in link” copyable element on the account. Such links are valid for up to 1 year after creation. An IM can send this URL to a contributor via the communication platform of their choice.
If the page is navigated away from, the link cannot be obtained again. Instead, it must be reset and a new link generated. This will also cause old links to be invalidated.
When a user attempts to navigate to a sign-in link, and they are already signed into a different account, a warning message will appear and they will be prompted to confirm.
If they are already signed into the same account, no message will appear and they will be able to proceed as normal.
If the link is expired or incorrect, the user will receive an error message.
New explanatory text has also been added when inviting workspace members to clarify the difference between standalone accounts and workspace-managed accounts.
When a user is signed into a workspace-managed account, the account dropdown will reflect it.
Sign-in notice on story invites
When a story invite is being viewed while not signed in, a notice is now displayed to clarify the available options for contributing.
Audio-only recording
When recording A-roll/”tell” shots, there is now an option to record audio only.
When the resulting shot is uploaded and processed, it will be shown as a waveform visualisation of the audio.
Jul 7th, 2022
Design refresh - We've added a fresh coat of paint! There is a new look and feel across that site that should help make it a little bit easier to find your way around.
Improved template previews - Template previews now make it visually clearer when a shot is a 'show' shot vs a 'tell' shot and the relationship between the two.
Confirmation of story invites - Now when you finish creating a story invite, a confirmation screen will make it clearer that this task was completed successfully as well as present you with options on what you would like to do next.
Story title confirmation - So that contributors don't forget to give their story a name, a reminder is now when we they attempt to submit a story without one.
Confirmation of story submission - Contributors are now given better indication when their story has been successfully submitted.
Improved project navigation - It is now easier to navigate between all the various projects that you may have. Here you can adjust the settings of a project, cycle between different projects as well as create a new one.
Project settings and creation - Define the purpose and goal of a project to ensure alignment amongst your team.
Better indication of signed in account - Have multiple accounts and aren't sure which email address you are currently logged in with? Now when you press the avatar icon in the header you'll see a quick indicator to let you know.
Improved People page - We've made it clearer when a contributor hasn't yet accepted their invite to a program and added the ability to remove members as well.
Improved Story Invite page - We've made creating a story invite even easier by breaking the invitation form into multiple steps.
Jun 23rd, 2022
Workspace creation - Any user may now create a new workspace, by using the Create new workspace link in the top left dropdown.
Simply complete the form that follows to get started on creating an entirely new, smoother self-service workspace creation process.
Supercuts in the story library - Supercuts are finally available to watch in the Story Library. Simply cycle between Stories and Supercuts by pressing the appropriate tab at the top of the Story Library.
June 9th, 2022
We've added more caption languages - now when you submit a new story, captions will be automatically added in German and Japanese!
For a complete list of supported languages, take a look here.
May 25th, 2022
Standalone stories-in-progress page - The Stories in progress view has been moved from the main dashboard to its own page, which can be accessed via a View stories in progress button from the dashboard.
Story invite overview page - There’s now a Story invite overview page for each story invite, showing the progress and submitted stories for that invite. In-progress stories can also be managed from this page, and reminders sent to contributors. Just click on the green active invitation title from your dashboard.
Automatic captions - now when you submit a new story, captions will be automatically added and available during playback!
Note: this feature is currently only available in English, French, Italian and German. Watch this space as more languages are added in the future!
Importing footage from your camera roll - The setting to allow shots to be imported from an external source will now only work with B-roll shots. This means interview shots must always be recorded directly rather than imported in order to ensure an authentic response.
Note: this feature must be enabled by the Insights Manager when they send out an invitation:
Importing still images from your camera roll - When a story invite allows uploading B-roll from the camera roll, JPEG images may now be selected and uploaded in place of a video.
Importing media for Field Reporters - Self-requested stories (created via the Contribute my story button) now allow importing of footage as well.
Much shorter video processing times - Video processing times have been greatly improved so there is less waiting to view your story.
Design updates - Subtle tweaks have been made across the platform to improve the look and feel as well as the user experience.
Bug fixes - we've cleaned up a few small bugs to ensure everything is running smoothly!
May 11th, 2022
Offline story editing - Story shots can now be recorded without requiring an Internet connection. Recorded clips show an “Upload pending“ flag and the size of the expected upload, so that you can make better decisions about when to upload. Recorded clips and changes to participants or story titles are then automatically uploaded when a preview is built or when the story is submitted.
Offline location marking - The story location can now be marked without requiring an Internet connection.
Improved signing out - When signing out, there’s now an option to either sign out of the current device or to sign out everywhere. Additionally, all offline cached data is removed upon signing out of the current device, for improved security.
Story reminders - Insight Managers now have the ability to send a reminder to contributors for stories that are in progress. By selecting the stories and electing to Send reminder, contributors will receive an email giving them a gentle nudge to complete their story.
April 27th, 2022
Product tours - Interactive product tours have been integrated into the platform to give new users a guided experience through various parts of the site. Watch this space as new features are added!
Story Overview page - From the Story Library, expanded details of each story can now be accessed via the story title. This new page will be the basis for a lot more future functionality, including the ability to share a single story.
Offline access to in-progress stories - In-progress stories can now be accessed for viewing while offline or when connectivity is low. This doesn’t require anything special; contributors need only have visited My Stories while online to allow the data to sync to their device, and from there are able to visit portal.folktale.io at any time.
Tok Pisin language support - Tok Pisin has been added as a supported language, which can be selected in the Profile settings.
Faster page loading - Pages should now load much faster for most users as they move around the platform.