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Artwork and approvals
Artwork lives on the order. Each order has one artwork record with numbered versions, a status, and a message thread. Approval is the gate: a job should not go on a press until the customer has signed off the proof.
The states
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Being prepared. The customer has not seen it |
| Awaiting client | Sent. Sitting with the customer |
| Change requested | The customer asked for something different |
| Approved | Signed off, with the approving version and who approved it recorded |
Uploading a proof
On the order, Upload artwork version:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Proof file | The artwork or rendered proof |
| Size (mm) | Printed dimensions, so the customer knows the scale |
| Print colours | Colour count, which should match the quote line |
| Designer note | Anything the customer should read alongside the proof |
Each upload is a new version. Nothing overwrites: V1, V2, V3 all stay, which is what you want when a customer says "the first one was fine actually".
Sending for approval
Send for approval on the order emails the customer a signed, time-boxed link, valid for 7 days, that needs no login and no account. It shows the real rendered preview of that version, not a placeholder.
The customer has two buttons:
| Button | Effect |
|---|---|
| Approve | Status becomes approved, the version is recorded as the approved one, the job moves on to your print queue, and a confirmation email goes out |
| Request a change | Status becomes change requested, with their note attached to the artwork thread |
Portal users can do the same thing from inside the portal, which is the path a regular trade customer will use. Both routes behave identically: same version snapshot, same stage move, same thread entry, same email.
The link is the whole trick
No-login approval is why proofs come back the same day. A customer approving on their phone from an email does not have to remember a password. Do not remove when you rewrite the approval template.
Handling a change request
- The order shows change requested, and the customer's note is on the thread.
- Fix the art, upload a new version.
- Send for approval again.
The whole conversation stays attached to the order, so anyone picking it up later can see what was asked for and what was sent.
Chasing an approval
Proofs sitting in awaiting client are chased automatically after 3 days by the artwork chase email, per tenant, with the waiting time in the message. You do not have to keep the list.
The dashboard's sitting at customer panel shows the same jobs with their waiting time, so you can chase by phone when the email has not worked.
Artwork export for production
Artwork export on the order produces the production-ready output for the approved version. Designs created in the customer designer export the same way, so a customer-built design does not need re-drawing before it hits the press.
Where designs live
Approved designs are kept per customer in the designs library on their customer record, and in the asset library. A reorder of the same kit does not need new artwork or a new approval.