September 29, 2023
3 Reasons Why Your Approval Cycles are Going Wrong
Taking a product to market can be a long, complicated process with multiple setbacks. Nowhere is this more true than during the file approval stage. Cross-functional teams may derail the collaboration process due to issues such as time zone challenges, different work locations, or disjointed approval chains involving multiple stakeholders with varying levels of access. If any of this sounds familiar, don’t worry. Here are 3 key reasons why your approval cycles may be faltering.
1. Communication Methods
Traditional methods for communicating artwork changes introduce inefficiencies and confusion. Email, for example, is not an ideal tool for tracking changes effectively. Managing emails sent to all reviewers at each stage of the review process can be cumbersome. Moreover, compiling all customer remarks is time-consuming and prone to errors if there is no way to ensure you are consistently working with the most up-to-date version.
2. There is No Single Source of Truth
Traditional approval methods make it challenging to maintain and manage change requests. Viewers and reviewers typically examine their own versions of a file, usually sent to them as PDFs via email. This approach lacks version control, making it difficult to determine if customers are using and viewing the latest file. Additionally, it hinders stakeholders from reviewing comments made by others and verifying the accuracy of requested changes.
3. Subpar Viewing Experience
There are a plethora of tools available for opening and viewing PDF files, each with its own settings. Consequently, files can appear differently to individuals using various applications at different times. Without user-friendly controls or tools for annotating files, the risk of misinterpretation or oversight during the review cycle is high. Furthermore, most viewing applications lack 3D viewing capabilities, even though packaging is a three-dimensional experience. The inability to view packaging in 3D can results in critical insights being lost, as viewers cannot see how the finished product will appear.
So What’s the Solution?
It’s simple. Share & Approve from Esko is your free solution for streamlining file sharing and jumpstarting approval cycles. Elevate external collaboration by inviting anyone to view and mark up a 3D design in the cloud. Simply upload a file and invite reviewers to approve, reject, or provide feedback—and save valuable hours as approvals effortlessly return to you. All of this is accomplished from a single, shareable workspace, and it's included as a standard feature with your Share & Approve free account. No credit card or implementation required - all core features are included. It's free forever, with 50 complimentary transactions available each month.
Take complete control of your approval cycles by seamlessly connecting your prepress operations with your customers using our free software.
