Artwork Approval Software - Esko

Is It Time for Artwork Approval Software?

Investing in artwork approval software may seem like a big commitment. But, if you’re utilizing a manual, time-intensive approval process that relies on emails and spreadsheets, this may be the answer to your problems.

Save time, stress, and money by utilizing artwork approval software and take advantage of the efficiency it creates.

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No More Digging through Your Emails or Hunting Down that Feedback. There Is a Better Way!

Label and packaging artwork approvals are one of the biggest challenges for manufacturers and brands of all sizes across a wide variety of industries. Why is this?

Many teams communicate via email and instant messaging (IM). And while email and IM have numerous benefits, the truth is they hurt the label and packaging artwork approval process by opening the door to mistakes, inefficiencies, and inconsistencies. Time and time again, the approval process has shown that it better serves the end user when bolstered by a software solution.

Why You Should Ban Approvals from Your Inbox


How Are You Handling the Complexities of Artwork Versioning Control?

When it comes to artwork versioning control, brand teams have a lot of questions.

How do you track versions in a “constant change” environment? How do you ensure localized versions are kept in sync with the masters? How do you manage overlapping regulatory requirements? How do you manage versions within versions?

Most importantly, why is artwork versioning control so complex? Clearly, the answers to these questions are reflective of the potential for mishaps to occur between design and placement of the product on the shelf.

The Complexities of Artwork Versioning Control



The Benefits of an Online Artwork Approval System

Collect Feedback Quickly

Even in the most basic of markets, packaging labels and artwork typically require approvals from at least three or four stakeholders. In more complex scenarios, as many as 15 people may need to approve packaging labels and artwork at various stages of development.

This includes packaging coordinators, quality assurance professionals, packaging engineers, health authorities, printers, design agencies, and others responsible for technical, regulatory, and compliance approvals.

Unfortunately, some companies still use email to route label and artwork approvals, or worse, they manually distribute physical documents.

At its core, artwork approval software changes the way approvers perform their functions. Instead of hunting through a cluttered inbox, they simply open the workflow management tool.

A list of tasks to complete awaits them – with supporting documentation attached and available for review. The tool also enforces deadlines by automatically sending reminders and flagging an approval that is overdue.

Store All Files and Feedback Centrally

If you’ve been using a manual process, especially one centered around email approvals, you know how, challenging it can be for a designer to synthesize feedback and ensure each action item is accomplished.

An online artwork approval software assures all relevant information is stored centrally and the most recent version of a file is available. No more digging through email chains in search of crucial feedback.

Improve Audit Readiness

Automated workflow management helps companies maintain audit readiness and improve compliance through efficiency, consistency, and documentation.

Your company has clearly defined internal controls, and automated workflow management ensures those controls are followed every time, with the added benefit of signature-level proof.

Beyond the functional attributes, automated workflow in a label and artwork management solution also preserves historical records and associated evidence.

This reflects documented proof that all the right people have been involved during reviews, adjustments, and approvals to ensure preparedness for the inevitable internal or external audit.

Quickly Trace Approvals

Automated workflow management enables companies to trace multiple iterations of an approval.

Documentation is producible for each step, and the resulting transparency and traceability supports root-cause analysis when delays occur.

It also pinpoints bottlenecks and shows where an item is in the approval process at all times, enabling efficient follow-up or highlighting opportunities for process improvements.

Track Rejection Reasons to Identify Consistent Problem-Areas

Do you know the most common artwork rejection reasons for your brand?

With approval software, you are able to catalogue rejection reasons and identify the areas of the process that are responsible for the most concern. Knowing this helps you mitigate those problems in the future.

Save Your Team Time, Stress, and Money

Artwork approval software allows for data to be collected and shared in a fraction of the time.

At the end of the day, this is a benefit designed to make you and your team’s life much easier.

No more wasted time worrying about your colleagues’ progress and if their tasks are completed.

Your brand will develop a better, more efficient process that ultimately allows you to spend more time on revenue generating activities.

How Esko Can Help

WebCenter from Esko enables your team to collaborate and approve artwork content faster from anywhere, anytime.

Multiple reviewers can provide feedback and annotations from a single online source, helping you streamline your processes and identify bottlenecks with ease.

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