How to keep proof approvals out of email confusion

The hardest approval to interpret is often a short email saying “looks good.” Which attachment did the customer open? Did the reply cover both sides? Was it written before or after the last correction? A reliable proofing process makes those questions easy to answer.

Give each review a clear subject

Create one artwork record for the item being reviewed. Use the job number, product and variant in its name. Keep a revised file in the same artwork record so the team can follow the change from one version to the next.

In AutomatePrint, each uploaded artwork version keeps its own file, comments and decisions. Add a short version note such as “Updated barcode position and ingredient panel.” That gives reviewers a useful starting point without asking them to reconstruct a conversation.

Send the correct version

A proof link belongs to a version. After correcting the file, share the new version's link with the reviewers who need to make a decision. Older links remain useful for reading the record, but superseded versions cannot receive new approval or rejection decisions.

This matters when a customer forwards an old email. The old proof should explain that a newer file exists, rather than letting a late approval appear to authorize the current artwork.

Separate feedback from authorization

Use comments for questions and specific corrections. Ask the responsible reviewer to submit the approval decision when the checks are complete. A comment about one panel is not necessarily permission to print the whole job.

Before releasing work, confirm the artwork version, the decision, the required reviewers and any unresolved instructions. If the artwork changes after approval, send another version for review.

Make the next action obvious

A useful proof message names the product, explains what changed and tells the recipient what to check. “Please check the revised barcode and approve version 3” is easier to act on than “See attached.”

Read the version guide and reviewer instructions to set up the process in AutomatePrint.