If your process for proofing documents still involves lengthy email chains, messy PDF markups, or scribbled annotations in the margins, you’re not alone.
Many teams are still trying to make do with these kinds of methods for reviewing documents, whether PDFs, Word docs, presentations, or otherwise. And doing it this way has impacts beyond mild frustration. It can be a real drag on your team’s efficiency.
A purpose-built document proofing software can help everyone collaborate more efficiently, clearly, and with a lot more zen.
Where Many Document Proofing Methods Fall Short
Here are some common pitfalls you’ll probably recognize if you are using non-specialized tools for proofing documents.
Emails Deliver Messy Feedback
Gathering feedback via email is less than ideal. The feedback becomes fragmented and difficult to keep track of. Things can easily be overlooked. Important stakeholders can be left out (or even worse, the wrong person gets cc’d). And despite your best intentions, email threads get way too long.
Version Confusion
Proofing by marking up decentralized files comes with its share of problems. When everyone is working individually from local versions, comments get lost or are contradictory. With no version control, the wrong version gets reviewed by mistake. When a new version does make it through the chaos, there’s no efficient way to compare it with previous versions.
The Consistent Ability to Track Feedback
We all use Word or Google Docs to track changes. And it definitely has its role. But when it comes to larger or more complex documents (with images, layouts, or design elements), you need something more robust.
Too Many Communication Silos
However you are gathering feedback, having multiple reviewers working in silos (i.e. different spaces, including meetings, offline, email, notepads, etc.) will inevitably create a messy creative workflow.
Every Format in a Different Platform
Finally, what about those images, videos, websites, and other assets your document project might involve? How do you ensure the files are being reviewed in the context of the project as a whole?
Document Proofing Software 101
Document proofing tools give teams an intuitive platform where documents like PDFs, presentations, packaging files, brochures, catalogues, and other assets like video, images, and web can be reviewed and approved.
Unlike non-collaborative file sharing tools, feedback in a proofing tool is centralized and synced in real-time. Feedback isn’t buried; suggestions aren’t duplicated; conflicting feedback can be worked through quickly.
Online proofing software for documents also has tools specifically designed for gathering precise feedback. The markup tools are responsive and optimized for the file format. Markup features (for both text, images, or video) enable users to leave clearer feedback. And any necessary clarification happens in context, with threaded comments. Versions are also collated and comparable side-by-side, eliminating file confusion.
All of these features facilitate better collaboration across teams (and anyone else involved, like creatives or clients), especially in remote or hybrid environments.
Streamlining Approval Workflows for Better Collaboration
When approvals are straightforward, it’s easy to tell at a glance what’s been approved, when, and by whom. There is greater accountability and clarity.
Additionally, the best online proofing tools provide the option to set up creative workflows with automated reminders and approval stages. This reduces time lost to coordination and project management tasks, leading to faster turnarounds.
Finally, the fact that all the feedback and approvals are consolidated creates a more consistent and controlled process. It gives a more intuitive approver experience and makes it much simpler to deal with packaging, legal, or branded docs where compliance is crucial.
Who Benefits from Better Tools for Online Document Proofing
Traditional offline or non-synchronized methods can work; that’s why so many teams are still using them. The problem is, as soon as your project starts to expand in scope or scale, and multiple files, versions, and stakeholders come into play, those systems start to break down. That’s where online proofing comes into its own.
Creative collaborators and marketing teams will find that a document proofing solution can streamline the process of reviewing presentations, brochures, reports, and whitepapers.
Likewise, teams can use it to proof design-heavy PDFs and design files. Accompanying assets, like videos or images, can be proofed from the same platform, making it more straightforward to manage campaigns, product launches, or rebrands.
Software that facilitates text proofing for packaging design helps ensure regulatory and brand accuracy. The same tools can also provide an invaluable overview for legal or compliance reviewers who need annotation logs and audit trails.
An important factor for many teams, there’s also the impact on cross-functional collaboration. For agencies working with clients or project managers who need the input of multiple stakeholders, it makes sharing with various reviewers and approvers much easier and more secure.
The Document Proofing Features Your Team Needs
Here are some key features to look for in an ideal online proofing system for proofing documents, PDFs, and other assets.
Support for Different File Formats
Choose a proofing tool that supports all the formats you work with, beyond PDF or Docs. Look for support for formats like PSD, PPT, XLSX, images, video, and HTML. That way, you can use the same tool for all of your proofing and approvals, and keep creative review centralized.
Precise Markup Tools
You need markup and annotation tools optimized for the types of formats you work with. For example, if your files are text-heavy, you’ll need features like text highlighting, text-replace, and strikethroughs. You may also benefit from more advanced PDF proofing features like ReviewStudio’s color separation feature, which enables you to leave feedback on individual color layers of a PDF.
Support for Multi-Page Documents
Navigating and reviewing multi-page documents is an important feature. For instance, ReviewStudio has a two-page side-by-side view (particularly useful for brochures, magazines, and catalogues) and page rotation (useful for packaging dielines).
Version Control and Comparison
Being able to see versions of a file side-by-side and highlighted differences between them can be invaluable to reduce version confusion. This helps people grasp where, why, and even when revisions have been implemented. You can ensure necessary amends have been made from one version to the next.
Threaded Comment Discussions
Seeing feedback conversations in the context of the files rather than separate email threads or channels gives clarity. Any confusion or lack of alignment can be quickly resolved.
Guest Access
A tool that gives you a high level of control over access, including for guests, is crucial. For instance, ReviewStudio enables easy file sharing for reviewers (with nothing for them to install, update, or download) and controlled access-permissions by user roles.
Approval Workflow Features
Intuitive approval controls mean your documents and creative assets can move through the process without friction. The ability to set automated reminders and approval deadlines also keeps things on track.
Precision Tools for Proofing Documents
Whether you’re reviewing a 2-page PDF, a 40-page board presentation, next season’s catalogue, a new whitepaper, or a packaging layout, your document review process shouldn’t include delays, frustration, or messy feedback.
With a purpose-built document proofing software, you can streamline your creative workflows and boost the accuracy of your review. It’s a win for productivity and peace of mind.
