Best Practices for closing out proofs

[Tracy_Parmeter]

Our company uses automated proofing. The PM creates the proof and uses the appropriate proof workflow. The last stage of every proof is the file owner. They do this so they get notified when the proof is finished going through review and they then mark each comment resolved when they make the edits in the art file. Unfortunately this last stage isn't getting a decision made on it and it leaves the proofs open forever and keeps these approvals on their worklists. I considered changing their stage to reviewer but know the proof won't show up on their worklists if they are only a reviewer. We have been pushing training to get them to make a decision closing out the proof.

Another issue is when a proof gets abandoned in the middle of a review. For whatever reason it gets decided they are not proceeding with that proof. Any stages that had been activated will show those proof approvals on the users worklists.

We are trying to determine the best practice to close out these proofs. We could have the PM delete any stages that do not have a decision which would remove it from their worklists and consider the proof complete. Or the PM could make decisions for those stages.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how they handle this? Having the file owner upload the proof or being the proof owner is not an option for us. I appreciate any suggestions.

[Sheri_Whitten]

This is a problem for us too - people either don't set-up the proof correctly, don't make a decision, or change people's roles from approver to reviewer, which still leaves that proof to show as needing a decision. I have a weekly report sent to me that shows all proofs and I go through all the open proofs on closed projects and make all the missing decsions using a decision called "Acknolweged - correcting proof workflow." Not the best option, but doing this every week keeps the list of proofs I have to fix relatively low. I'm curious to know how others are handling this situation. If this idea was implemented it would solve a lot of my headaches: Prevent project from being marked complete when proof decisions are pending

[Lyndsy-Denk]

I upvoted the idea—thanks!

And I'll add to my list of admin ideas to create this proof maintenance report. I'm planning on building a better dashboard for project owners to monitor all the things associated with them to help both them and me. This sounds like a great addition, even if it's not the ideal solution.

[TracyHu2]

Hey there - I'm curious how you set up a report to view all the outstanding proofs? Can you provide some intel? With thanks

[Sheri_Whitten]

Sure, check out this thread Proof Report ? 

[Kurt_Jones · Accepted solution]

I'm not sure if this would help or hurt based on your users.  Putting a task on the plan for the Reviewer to approve/close out the final Proof would keep a project open unless that task is complete.  If projects are monitored by mgmt and teams there will be some pressure to keep a project moving. Now the person may just click 100% and move on without touching the proof but it would remind them via task notification they need to close it out approval on the proof.    Just a thought.  Proofing is an issue for all of us at some point.

[SarahWilkersonCA]

We have old proofs dating back to 2019 that were never properly completed.  Now we have to do a clean-up to close them but also make sure people don't get notifications on hundreds of old proofs.  Like the others, I don't want to mark the proofs as completed, because they weren't, but I want to close them (as abandoned? or canceled?).  I'm not quite sure the best way to tackle this in the background without unneeded disruption.

[Lyndsy-Denk]

@SarahWilkersonCA You could make the case that the undue noise serves a purpose to remind people to stay on top of closing out work properly. That said, it's worth announcing the upcoming noise with something along the lines of, "We're conducting system maintenance that could result in a number of notifications for you. We apologize for the inconvenience, but feel confident that this will improve your overall Workfront experience." For those managing new proofs, you might have them be on extra alert to notify proof participants so their time-sensitive work doesn't get swallowed.