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Workfront Proof: Checkbox in-system to mark change as made

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CalvinFold
Level 10

11/22/19

We're currently having a row between our Project Management team and the Production/Proofreading team:


One the one hand, the PM team wants to go all-digital with proof routings, including the handling of corrections by the Production and Proofing teams.


However, the Production/Proofing teams for years have relied on a composite PDF of the changes from our previous system that takes advantage of Acrobat's "Comments checklist" functionality to make sure they methodically hit every change. This also serves as their digital record of the work.


(Personally, when I have complex annotated PDFs to go through, I like the checklist ability too...I think not having it and trying to work on corrections straight out of WF is asking to make mistakes...)


However, using the PDF button under Print Summary to get that checklist is cumbersome and takes at least six steps to generate, download, then re-attach to a new Task to get the work done. A huge time suck over our previous way of doing it.


The PMs aren't against the PDF per se, but since it takes so much time (and the generic email subject when you're doing dozens of routings per day doesn't help) they suddenly want to go all-digital to avoid it. But the Production/Proofreading team's time would increase as a result of trying to do it online combined with whatever workaround they'd probably try to do.


So: this would be easily solved if Workfront Proof had the same ability for an assigned person or persons to be able to checklist items. Ideally, this might mean each user has their own checklist tracked within the proof.

9 Comments

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AileenTa
Level 5

11/22/19

There is a checklist function in the Workfront Proof HQ. My designers use it to confirm that they have made all of the requested changes. Is that what you are looking for?

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LD_Sean
Level 6

11/22/19

Out of the box on WF Proof you can "resolve" comments (this put a checkmark on the comment and on it's contextual icon where you normally see a number). You can also make custom actions that can be applied to comments. For instance, I've made one called "Not Feasible", as a means to indicate you've addressed the change request, but didn't actually do it (they should leave a comment explaining why). You can filter comments in the proof viewer based off actions (e.g. only show un-resolved comments) which is a good way for designers to work and make sure they've addressed everything they need to.


From an idea exchange perspective, it would be great though if you could indicate when leaving a comment that it requires a follow up action, and assign that action to someone.

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LD_Sean
Level 6

11/22/19

The thing our production people still don't like though, is they can't stamp things like they could on paper. I had a idea for that, but like all new ideas, unless it's crazy hot they never get near the threshold.

https://experience.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSuuAAG/detail

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CalvinFold
Level 10

11/25/19

Aileen; that *is* what we are looking for, but how is it made available to people who aren't on the proof.? We don't assign Production and Proofreading to proofs, the notification clutter would be extreme. Can they get access via an additional stage and without admin access?

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CalvinFold
Level 10

9/14/20

We need this for Workers who perform the changes to the routed document. So technically…this isn't resolved. I tried it and a Worker who is not on the routing (but can view the locked, completed routing via URL), cannot use the resolution features.

The project owner routes the document, but Workers (NOT assigned to the routing) are making the changes.

We do NOT have our designers managing routings (or even on them, they don't have the "D"), and we do NOT have routing owners (planners) making changes.

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CalvinFold
Level 10

9/16/20

@Jeremy Flores

Adding artwork routings to the Designer's (workers) plate would be a drag on the time they can spend being creative. It's information they can't use until they get the Project Manager's (planner's) summary and feedback; so it's noise and fluff for them during the routing.


So basically a hard "no." The goal based on feedback from designers is to keep touchpoints in WF to a minimum for them.


Workers will continue to have zero routing involvement until the project manager reviews and provides instructions. At which time, then they involve the Worker; and that "way" has to be such that the Worker's name is not added in PHQ for paper trail reasons (there can be no insinuation that the worker had a "D" at any time).


This worked fine with offline annotated PDFs in our previous system, but PHQ doesn't output proper annotated PDFs (the thumbnail system is goofy). In lieu of the awkwardness of the current method of export/using PDFs from PHQ, we were hoping for something in-system and give the designers a choice of "type of awkwardness" they wish to use.

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