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 you can use. Anything you enter as a comment in your 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?

• You can highlight relevant information in the files and add the tags as comments within the highlights. 
• Anything to 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 you 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 your discretion. 

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

Is tagging the document the same as being searchable?

Somewhat. Tags are searchable in the Comment Pane within Adobe 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 your discretion and you do not need to tag an FPDS report.

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

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

You do not need to submit a separate list of all tags used. 

If you do, please upload the document to your project documents.

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 your 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 your discretion. There isn't a required amount.

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

All tagging is at your discretion but we recommend keeping it simple. 

• Make finding your 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 your 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 your Company assets because this data is the most reusable. 

• The tags you select for your "Performance Factors" are given to the evaluators to guide them to the correct locations in your documents.
  • The Tag Legend itself is not modified. You 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 your documents. 

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

How do I tag or annotate documents in Symphony?

1. Tag your documents outside Symphony with the Comment or Notes function in your document or PDF application. 
2. You can identify what Symphony should look for in the "Location in File" field after uploading the documents to your projects and claiming the Performance Factors in your 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 your comments within your document(s).

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

No. All tags are at your 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 you want to highlight you can use a dash (-) or underscore (_). 

1. Your tags could then be identified for the solicitation by the name of the specialty and the element that you want 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 your claims with your 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 you want separate documents, you can upload them to Symphony with the knowledge that your 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 you to upload as many files as you need to support your 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 you make changes, upload the new document and then swap out the file references needed 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 you make a lot of changes, please upload the new document and then swap out the file references needed before deleting the outdated document. A slightly different name will help you 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 your 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 of your choosing to see what you get when you use 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 your tags is not required in Symphony but when the text from your comments is entered in Symphony, that text becomes a link for the evaluators to the documents that support your claims. 

• The tags guide the evaluators to where they should look. 
• Tags also help to cross-reference your claims to your 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 your comments within your 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 your comment within your document(s). It gives evaluators the ability to cross-reference your claims with your 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 your 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" your supporting evidence.

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