Tagging FAQ & Training Deck

The following are some frequently asked questions regarding tagging in Symphony. A Training Deck is attached for download at the bottom of the page. The only recommended tags for Projects are listed below but this is not an exhaustive list of tags an organization can use. Anything users enter as a comment or highlight in their documents will help.

Are tags added as a comment within the PDF? Can it be done outside of Symphony prior to uploading?

Yes. Tags must be done outside Symphony prior to uploading.

Will Symphony only read the tags if they are in Sticky Note comments? Or can we highlight relevant information in the files and add the tags as comments within the highlights?

• Users can highlight relevant information in the files and add the tags as comments within the highlights. 
• Mark in a way to best help the evaluators get to the relevant content quickly.

Is there a difference between adding a sticky note or highlighting text and adding a comment - are either/or considered effective 'tagged?'

Both are effective and verifiable in the Comments pane.

Should I only use the comment feature, or should I also highlight it?

Either works. Using the Tagging or Bookmark feature in Adobe is not recommended or supported in the application provided for evaluation.

Are you saying that "commenting" is "tagging" and we aren't using the accessibility function?

Yes. What users enter as Comments is a tag to Symphony. 

Instead of comments/post-its in the PDF, can you use a text box and highlight blocks of text?

Yes. The highlighting feature is supported and all tagging is at an organization's discretion. 

1. Make finding the claims as easy as possible. 
2. Evaluators will be guided to the claims using the comment navigation pane. 

Is tagging the document the same as being searchable?

Somewhat. Tags are searchable in the Comment Pane within a document which makes it easier to find claims rather than searching through the whole document for non-relevant occurrences of certain words.

Do FPDS reports need to have comments/highlights added to the PDF?

No. All tags are at an organization's discretion and users do not need to tag a Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) report.

Where do I provide our list of tag names in Symphony?

1. Users must Start a Submission, add projects, and then use the Begin button to claim the Performance Factors. 
2. Use the "location in file" field to reference the tag used for that claim in the documents. 
3. The evaluators will use those reference fields to locate the information. 

Does the Location in the file field = the Tag? Does the tag in the document have to match the tag in Symphony?

Yes. That's the intent. 

• Evaluators will see all text entered in the location in the file field so they know where to look in the supporting documents. 
• If there is a text match, they will see the matching tag as soon as they open the corresponding file reference.

How many tags are needed to demonstrate our claims?

All tags are at an organization's discretion. There isn't a required amount.

How detailed do the tags need to be to support our claims?

All tagging is at an organization's discretion but we recommend keeping it simple. 

• Make finding the claims as easy as possible. 
• Page numbers work for single document claims.

Can you put multiple tags in one comment or do there have to be multiple comments?

Evaluators will see all text entered in the location in the file field so they know where to look in the supporting documents. 

• If there is a text match, they will see the matching tag as soon as they open the corresponding file reference. 
• If there are multiple text tags, the match might fail.

How do I add more tags to the Tag Legend?

The Tag Legend only applies to the core project details in the Company assets because this data is the most reusable. 

• The tags selected for "Performance Factors" are given to the evaluators to guide them to the correct locations in the documents.
  • The Tag Legend itself is not modified. Users can find the Tag Legend in Tagging Documents for Submission.

What is the File Reference Tag in parentheses: TCV, POP, COSTS? Are we supposed to use those in our tags?

Those are recommended tags for Core Project Details that Symphony will automatically guide the evaluators to look for in the documents. 

Tags aren't required but we are trying to standardize them.

How do I tag or annotate documents in Symphony?

1. Tag documents outside Symphony with the Comment or Notes function in a document or PDF (Portable Document Format) application. 
2. An organization can identify what Symphony should look for in the "Location in File" field after uploading the documents to projects and claiming the Performance Factors in a proposal.

How will evaluators see and use offeror-unique tags/tag names established in Symphony, but outside of the 10 tags/tag descriptions provided by the portal?

The Evaluators will see all text entered in the location in the file field however the tag (Comment) becomes a guide to each occurrence, starting with the first occurrence in the comments within the document(s).

Are tags required to include page numbers in the location in the file field?

No. All tags are at an organization's discretion. Page numbers are optional but work best for single-document claims.

How do I tag specific claims for an individual proposal?

If a solicitation has unique elements an organization wants to highlight, users can use a dash (-) or underscore (_). 

1. Tags could then be identified for the solicitation by the name of the specialty and the element that an organization wants to be scored. 
2. Evaluators could then look for anything that starts with the solicitation name when evaluating that proposal. 

The simple pattern becomes easily recognizable.

Are you required to tag or highlight every data field you are referring to in each uploaded document or can you upload the file and write the page number, and paragraph reference in the "Tag" box?

• Tags are not required. 
• The tags guide the evaluators to where they should look. It gives them the ability to cross-reference claims with the supporting document(s). 

Should I provide one copy of a file that has every tag referenced for all sections in that one document, or do you want multiple versions of the same file that is named for each section with only the tags applicable to that section?

We recommend one copy with multiple tags. 

• If an organization wants separate documents, users can upload them to Symphony with the knowledge that the project documents are available in each submission since they are uploaded at the My Company level.

If I highlighted separate PWSs for separate proposals and named them appropriately, can those be uploaded separately for each applicable submission? Or must offerors combine all highlights/tags in a single PWS for all submissions?

Symphony allows an organization to upload as many files as needed to support the claims but all Project Documents are uploaded at the My Company level so that they are available across all proposals. 

If I post two documents for proof, how do I differentiate in the tag window which tags map to which uploaded file? 

This is why we recommend simple and overarching tags. An over-arching tag is an all-inclusive tag. 

Is it possible to edit tags inside a document that has already been uploaded?

No. If an organization makes changes, upload the revised document and then update the file references to the new one before deleting the outdated document.

If I have to make a change to an already uploaded file and I need to make a small change (like add a tag), can I replace the file in the document library (using the same name)? Or do I have to delete the file and re-attach it everywhere I previously referenced it?

1. Add the updated document to the place where it needs to be referenced for ease of use. 
2. If an organization makes a lot of changes, upload the new document and then swap out the file references needed before deleting the outdated document. A slightly different name will help to tell them apart.

Are there any tagging requirements for Systems, Rates and Clearances, Certifications, or Responsibility documents?

No. There are no tags for business factors, only for project claims.

Which browser will the evaluators be using to validate (check) tags? 

Symphony allows evaluators to view documents within the portal without having to download the documents. 

They do not view the documents in the browser outside Symphony.

Is there a way to test the tag to see what evaluators see when they click the reference?

Use the comments pane in Adobe or another application to see what is available when using the information from the location in the file field.

Why do I need to hand-enter this data - can't Symphony find our tags in the file?

Entering tags is not required in Symphony but when the text from an organization's comments is entered in Symphony, that text becomes a link for the evaluators to the documents that support the claims. 

• The tags guide the evaluators to where they should look. 
• Tags also help to cross-reference the claims with the supporting document(s). 

How does the tag locator work with multiple tags in one document? Can I use the same tag multiple times?

Yes. The phrase becomes a guide to each occurrence of it in the comments within the document(s). 

It works like "Find > Next".

Can you explain how the link that evaluators will click will take them to the specific place within the document that was tagged?

Tags guide the evaluators to where they should look. The tag (Comment) becomes a guide to each occurrence, starting at the first occurrence of the comment within the document(s). It gives evaluators the ability to cross-reference the claims with the supporting document(s). 

If there are multiple files associated with a factor should I consolidate all of the tags for each file in the "location in the file" field?

Yes, if there are different comments then Evaluators will see all text entered in the location in the file field so that they know what to look for when verifying claims.

Can you confirm that the text/tags we provide in Symphony will simply perform a ‘Find …’ function across the document?

Confirmed. Evaluators will see all text entered in the location in the file field and can use it to "Find" the supporting evidence.

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