Automation tutorial

[mint cape]

Finally got into the playtest today and enjoyed most of it, some teething problems that I eventually sorted out for UI things others have already noted.
I just want to mention, I don't see how to automate jobs on the farm or forest or mine. If there was a note, I can't find it in townpedia and I'm honestly just lost.
I added a garbage thing and then maintenance people but it's still trash everywhere and that doesn't trigger the farm people to do anything. What am I missing?

Might just need to add that to the tutorial slice before letting people off free as I enjoy the loops of doing stuff but am lost how to proceed on automation without searching here- maybe a little test town before they start building to show you the basics e.g. you're shadowing a mayor and then you can do your own town properly once you've got a handle on what building placement does etc. I unlocked all the eco tech but alas nothing appearee on the farm itself to indicate how to automate and I couldn't see any new menus... Did get the courier working but no clue on automation.

Thinking more about it, is there a Manage X button on signpost at the farm, mine, forest I missed, they could really behave similar to the shops for assigning workers where you walk up to a point of interest in area to manage, and that made perfect sense to me straight away when I was creating my first couple shops.
Thinking of Song of Evertree where same method of access at the door of the library as to any house made it easy to know to search for a little signpost to edit if you were just walking around.
Alternatively a menu in the phone app where you can review + assign workers, and assign them to houses like in Song of Evertree could work

[crisp crane]

Thanks for this, it's super helpful—since the tutorialization is something we really want to get right (and a key part of this beginning of the game)

In case you haven't found it yet - you have to unlock automation for each "zone" - mining, fishing, farm - and then once you do, build a time clock where you can assign workers (once you've built them a house in town) - that's the "manage" button

I think it didn't get brought up earlier because we had the time clocks pre-installed so folks "knew" --- BUT we want to be making the experience for new players free of roadblocks, and clearly can make this a smoother experience, so seriously thank you for bringing it up!

[mint cape]

Oh I didn't realise I needed time clocks, I thought that was just for optimising them once they were working but that makes sense now you say it.
Definitely need something to explain that mechanic as it's not that obvious!