File versions and proof versions: how to keep them straight

Saving a new file and requesting approval are related actions, but they are not the same action. A file library records the material your team holds. A proofing workflow records which version someone reviewed and what they decided.

Store the revision first

When artwork changes, keep it with the existing file history instead of creating another unrelated copy. In AutomatePrint Files, a same-name upload in the same folder becomes the next version. Earlier content remains available for inspection or recovery.

Use a note that describes the change. A future operator needs to know whether the revision changed dimensions, color, text or only an internal instruction.

Decide whether the revision needs review

A new file version does not automatically mean the customer has approved it. If the change affects the artwork under review, send that version through Approvals and make the request explicit.

AutomatePrint can show when a newer Files version is available for an approval artwork. Sending it for approval creates the corresponding review version and keeps the relationship clear.

Check the version of the link

Reviewers may open an old email or switch between versions to compare changes. The link still identifies the version they were asked to review. AutomatePrint ties comments and decisions to that version and prevents new decisions on superseded artwork.

This lets the team retain the record without treating an old approval as permission to print a newer file.

Release one known production input

Before output, confirm the stored file, the approval version and the file used by the production job. If they differ, investigate the reason rather than assuming the latest timestamp is enough.

A useful handoff states the artwork version and the selected production plan. That small habit makes later questions about changes much easier to answer.

Read about Files versions and their connection to Approvals.