Workfront Proof vs Google Docs for Copy Approval

[DonnaBr4]

Would love to hear best practices when it comes to how best to address copywriters that work in Google Docs and how to get it in Workfront? It gives me heartburn to see feedback and informal approvals in the Google Docs rather than in my project inside proof.

Would love to know how other marketing teams are dealing with this issue.  Help!

[Madalyn_Destafney · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

The best way to handle document reviews/edits/approvals comes up for a lot of orgs. It's pretty common to have copy execution handled outside of WF proof bc it can be very tedious to provide edits on a proof instead of something more real-time like a Google or Sharepoint doc. And I think that's fine - execution doesn't always have to be in WF (think of all the designing that is executed in creative cloud). It's the APPROVALS that it sounds like you're after to have in WF. Definitely have tasks to do the work in WF and can execute in Google or other platforms, and you can perhaps use document approvals for docs that live in other platforms. I recommend you look at using the native Google Drive document integration so you can at least tie the docs with respective tasks and have them in the project, and can put document approvals on them. 
More on native document integrations here.

More on document approvals here (this references enhancements you may not have yet and if so, there are other articles on doc approvals).

[DonnaBr4]

Thanks Madalyn, very helpful!!

[RandyRoberts]

I agree with @Madalyn_Destafney's take on this and would add one question you should answer first: Are you comfortable with all the comments in Google docs and not with the project/proof in Workfront?

If you ever have to go back and cover yourself and reference a comment, it won't be as easy as just going to the project in Workfront. You can always use the Gdocs/WF integration but if the doc disappears from Google for whatever reason, you're out of luck.

I'm assuming you're using sanctioned company Google accounts, right? If not, there may be bigger problems.

[DonnaBr4]

I would prefer to have all approvals in WF, so that there is one source of truth.  However, it appears I've lost the battle at this point.  So, now I'm looking for pros and cons to having approvals in Google Docs over WF.  The point you made is valid and I'll add that to my list.  And yes, they are using a sanctioned company Google account.  If you have any other cons you would like to share, I'm all ears!  Thanks for taking the time to comment!