What is Bench

There has been a major recent power-up to how you can manage freelancers in Communo, we call it Bench.

It's powerful, convenient, and easy to use. We are so excited to be able to teach you about this new feature.

In this article, allow us to show you some Bench functionality and how you can use it to create a centralized dashboard of contractors. 

# How to access Bench

When you are signed in, you can go to your profile image in the top right and bring out your dropdown menu.

You can access your Bench by clicking "Lists" in the dropdown menu, as seen in the image below.

# Adding to your Bench

There are two different ways in which you can add people to your bench:

1. Through the use of "Invite"

This can be found after you click on your Bench.

Maybe you've found a handful of amazing Graphic Designers on Communo, or you have a list of graphic designers that you know who are not yet on Communo. Through "Invite" you can add them all to your Bench. One of the major benefits of having your Bench filled is that you can 'Save them for later.'

2. Individual profile avatars, as seen on Members page or the User's profile page

You will see a small folder-like icon at the top of every freelancer's profile avatar. By clicking this you will see a pop-up that allows you to add them to your bench.

# Creating Lists

Do you have freelancers you enjoy working with?

Lists and Bench are a great way to keep tabs on your strongest talent if you are an agency or business. It also helps you group your friends and co-workers if you are a freelancer and keep them easy to reach whenever you need to chat or to sub-contract someone.

In order to start creating your lists, please go back to your Bench landing page, under "Lists" in your dropdown menu. Then, click "New List".

It's just that easy! You can add people to your Lists the same way you add people to your Bench.

You can also post work directly to your Bench or a specific list --> Post work to your Bench

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We hope that this article gave you some insight into Bench functionality.

The way you choose to use Bench is entirely up to you!

Let us know if this was helpful or how we could improve your experience inside Communo.