We want to shine a light on a few recent updates, so you don’t miss out on something that could improve your workflow just because you didn’t realize it was there.
So here are a few of the more significant, non bug-fix improvements we’ve made to the platform in the last couple months.
Duplicate product image editing specifications to quickly create new variants.
Duplicate Specification
It's now much easier to create variations of an existing specification; you can simply duplicate it and then edit the duplicate.
For example, you can set up a master specification with all of your shared base settings, and then duplicate it for minor tweaks between categories, lines, or for special projects.
You access the Duplicate function within the spec: "Specification" > "Edit Specification" > "Duplicate Specification."
Also, don’t forget: we do have an “additional output” option. So if you have an image you want edited in two or more different ways—like multiple crops, or with and without background—you can set that up within a spec for a discounted rate.
Duplicate a spec when you have different images you want processed in similar, but slightly different ways. Use additional output if you have one image you want processed in multiple ways.
Guided Specification Setup now brings best practice editing style guides to one spec at a time.
Guided Specification Setup
We've updated the process previously named "Onboarding" for use on an ongoing basis. You now create one specification at a time, and there's more fine grained control over your specifications.
When we originally created the “Onboarding” flow, the idea was to quickly generate a set of best practice specifications for new users based on an automated question and answer flow. And it worked!
But for users who continued to want access to automated product-specific best practice guidance, it wasn’t ideal to generate sets of specifications every time. And regular users understand the spec system well enough to want more granular control over creation.
So the refactored “Guided Specification Setup” creates one spec at a time, and more closely resembles the “edit specifications” page used to fine tune the spec after its creation. This creates a tighter, more connected, more controlled experience.
Size, cropping, and color settings have been added to the specification summary view.
Spec Summary Additions
Size, cropping, and color settings have been added to the summary quick view.
When you’re on the “Specifications” page of your account, you can press the eye icon to get a quick summary view of the spec’s settings. Due to popular demand, we’ve expanded the summary to include more common differentiators.
Create job profiles and control permissions at a user level.
Notification Settings Access
We've fixed a few minor bugs around access to notification settings. All users should now have access to their own settings. As a reminder, notifications can be controlled at the user level (for example, accounting can receive different messages than your photographers or retouchers).
Notifications are just one of the many different settings that can be configured at the user level. If you’re not yet familiar with “Users,” you can create profiles with permissions sets and then add individual users with those settings. It’s a good way to keep an Accountant from accidentally deleting a specification, for example, or keeping payment settings away from non-Accounting button mashers.
Reduce giant invoices to a single line based on filters.
Image Report & Invoice Customization
Are thousands of line-items making your invoice indecipherable? If you contact Support, we can reduce invoice lines from one line per order to one line total, which in some cases reduces invoices from hundreds of pages to a single page.
As a reminder, you can use the Image Report to filter and export billing information based on date range, invoice number, specification, order id, product id, image name, folder, and more. It's a great way to see whether an image is part of an invoice or not.
Access it by clicking the report icon next to a line-item at "Account Settings" > "Billing Statement."
Basic retouch (product cleanup) is now part of the SOLO spec creation process.
More Retouching Access for SOLO
The “Basic Retouch” package was made available to SOLO customers some time ago, but it was easy to miss because it was only available via the “Manual” specification creation flow. We’ve now added it to the “Step-by-Step” process.
Basic Retouch is a step that will perform removal and cleanup of problems like loose threads, fingerprints, dust, scratches, dirt, and other unsightly marks.
Communicate QA needs by drawing directly on a delivered product image.
Markup Interface for QA on Delivered Images
PROFESSIONAL clients are now using our Markup interface when communicating with Pixelz around quality control of delivered images. That means the ability to draw right on an image, with color coded commenting, pin drops, and additional features.
If you would like to use the Markup interface for pre-production comments, like for one-off special editing requirements for an individual image, you may enable Markup via the Extensions Store.
Learn more about giving instructions visually with Markup.