Mastering the Digital Proof: Ashore 2 vs. Ashore 3
Last updated on by Cody Miles
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When humankind decided to take the proofing process online, this transition did not come without some growing pains – pains we still experience and, through innovation, work to overcome. Taking a manual process to a virtual environment is not a direct translation, and we have to adapt to the change of location. We know that when we get the online proofing process right, each digital proof will be better for it, and creatives and approvers will be all the happier. We just have to get there.
At Ashore, we’ve worked tirelessly over the years to master digital proofing, and we’ve come a long way. Our biggest leap forward came when we rebuilt Ashore 2 from the ground up. This new iteration, Ashore 3, applies all the knowledge and experience we’ve learned along the way.
How have we improved the proofing process, though? Well, to know that, you have to know what this reengineered version of Ashore is capable of.
Ashore 2 vs. Ashore 3
For each digital proof, there are two groups of people a proofing software must consider: the creatives and the approvers. On both fronts, Ashore 3 blows Ashore 2 out of the water.
User Experience
Creating and Sending Proofs
Previously, in Ashore 2, you could only create and send a proof in one of two ways:
- To an individual email address
- To a previously created workflow
Now, with review links, the process can be much more open-ended. You can immediately share a review link to begin getting your proofs reviewed, or append a workflow to the proof. If a proof is a special case, you can create or modify a workflow for just that instance.
Approver Workflows
- Before: Each stage of a workflow could only have one approver.
- Now: Multiple approvers can be added to each stage. You can also customize the email message for each stage (previously only possible for the entire workflow).
Workflow Reset
When you send a new version of a proof, you can choose which stage to send it to, and:
- Send to all in that stage
- Send to none (for review links)
- Send only to unapproved approvers in that stage
From there, the proof proceeds as normal.
Automatic Reminders
- Before: Limited to daily, every other day, or weekly; no message customization.
- Now: Set specific days and times, with account default and custom settings for individual approvers. Emails can be customized with template variables for quick composition.
Metrics and Data
Ashore 3 introduces:
- Approval rates
- Average revisions per proof
- Average reminders per proof
This helps identify bottlenecks, track timelines, and evaluate proofing efficiency. Ashore 2 only provided a basic proofs sent vs. proofs approved comparison.
Proof Timeline
More centralized data, including:
- Email delivery status
- Approval checklist per approver
- Itemized approvals per file
Approvers Page
A new page where you can:
- View/modify approver settings
- See what proofs each approver is attached to
- Control reminder settings
- Automatically add anyone who reviews via a link
Approver Experience
A proofing software is only as good as its usability. Between Ashore 2 and Ashore 3, we’ve refined the interface to encourage actionable review and feedback.
Comments
- Moved from on-top overlays to a sidebar for a cleaner proof surface
- Selecting a comment takes you to its location
- Attach files directly to comments
- Mention other users
Approving Files
Approvers can now approve individual files within a proof instead of all-or-nothing approvals.
What Makes Ashore the Best it Can Be?
You.
With every proof sent, we continue optimizing and building features that matter to our users. No software can innovate without a strong user base, and Ashore is no exception.
If you want to see how our community has shaped a platform that:
- Streamlines the proofing process
- Fosters actionable feedback
- Improves overall project success
Sign up for a free trial of Ashore 3 today!