Step 4: Review the Layout

In this step, the Art Director will upload the created layout back into Collaborate, and this will show in the Review tab on the flatplan. Team members can then comment and add notes, while the Editor can accept or reject layouts.

Uploading Layout to Collaborate for Review

There are two methods you can use when updating layouts.

1. Uploading pages for Review via the InDesign Extension (recommended)

When the layout has been made and you want to upload it for review in Collaborate, select what Title and Publication you want to upload the layout to and then use the Upload button in the InDesign Extension (CC2014 and up). This can then be seen in the Layout tab in Collaborate:

The content uploaded to Collaborate is a PDF of each page using a specific set of InDesign export settings that is programmed into the extension.

2. Uploading pages manually to Collaborate for Review

Here’s how to manually upload your layout for review:

1. Go to the Review section at the top menu.
2. Click on the UPLOAD button located on the right-hand side next to Upload Layout.
3. In the pop-up window, you can choose which pages on the flatplan you want the upload to be applied to by specifying the start page and end page. For example, if you are uploading the layout for pages 2 through 5 of the flatplan, you will select 2 for start page and 5 for the end page.
4. After uploading, your page layouts will appear as In Progress on the status bar, and each will show the corresponding yellow-colored sidebar.

Collaborating on the Review process

Once you've uploaded your layout, your team can work on reviewing and approving it.

You will notice that the Review tab is just another view of the flatplan. The status bar is the same as on the flatplan, and the spreads can be moved and deleted here too.

If you would like to see the status for each spread, click on Show Status at the top. You will now see a colored sidebar next to each spread that corresponds to the status for that spread.

The Review tab facilitates the review process of your final layout. Members can comment, add notes and approve or reject spreads.

Reviewing the layout

When reviewing your layout you can:

• Open and review each page individually.
• Scroll to other pages of the publication.
• Zoom in for more detail.
• Download the source PDF if necessary.
• Preview the full two-page spread of the publication, with and without comments.
• Add notes and comments.
• See the layout history (all changes previously made in the review step of the current page).
• Specify whom you need to notify of your comment or note.
• Change status of the publication (can be changed by the Editor or Art Director)

Adding notes

Collaborate’s notes feature allows you to mark a relevant section of a page for a comment, and notify a team member about the comment.

To add a note to a page:

1. Open the page by mousing over it and clicking View.  
2. In the left-hand corner, click on Add Note. A comment box will appear on your spread.
3. You can mark the section to which the note is relevant by dragging the comment box around the spread.
4. Type your comment and specify whom you wish to notify. When finished, remember to save your note. Your note will appear as a box on the page and show the comment when you mouse over it.

Adding comments

When viewing a particular page, you'll see its layout history on the right-hand side. This history includes any changes made, notes and comments.

To add a comment:

1. Click on the Comment button located below the history.
2. Type your comment in the comment box and specify any members you wish to notify. Your comment will now appear as part of the layout history for that particular page.

Here’s a tip: You can easily move between spreads by using the Next and Previous buttons below the page being viewed.

Changing layout status

You can set the status of a spread on its layout history on the right-hand side by choosing from the following in the drop-down options:

• In Progress
• No Layout
• Completed
• Overdue

Here’s a tip: Changing the status to No Layout will delete the layout for the particular page you are reviewing.