Customer Section

Location: /Customer/ (multiple pages within this section)

Navigation: Log in as a Customer, Core Requestor, Core Supervisor, or Supplier user. The main navigation menu displays options based on your assigned role. Customers see Projects, Cycles, Add Project, and Approvals menu items. Core Requestors see the Request a Core option. Core Supervisors see the Core Requests management link. Suppliers see Request Art and Previous Requests options.

Overview

The Customer Section serves as the dedicated portal for external clients, their employees, and partner suppliers to interact with the creative services workflow. Unlike the internal staff interface designed for project management and production work, the Customer Section provides streamlined, role-appropriate views that enable external stakeholders to submit project requests, track artwork progress, approve deliverables, review cost analysis, and participate in specialized workflows like core label design requests.

The section accommodates four distinct user profiles, each with tailored functionality:

Customers represent the primary client contacts who oversee creative projects. They can view all projects for their organization, submit new project requests when authorized, track project status, add internal notes, review cost analysis reports, and access the approval workflow for reviewing completed artwork.

Core Requestors are customer employees specifically authorized to submit core design requests—standardized label designs that serve as templates for product line variations. These users can create, edit, and track core requests through the approval and production process.

Core Supervisors are senior customer personnel (typically marketing managers or brand managers) who review and approve core design requests submitted by requestors within their organization. They assign official artwork numbers and provide oversight before core designs enter production.

Suppliers are partner organizations that provide packaging, printing, or other production services. They can submit requests for core artwork files needed for production and access their submission history.

This segregation of functionality ensures that each user type sees only relevant options, reducing complexity while maintaining appropriate access controls and workflow integrity.

Business Value

Why Does This Matter to the Company?

Client Self-Service Capability - By providing customers with direct access to project status, cost analysis, and submission capabilities, the portal reduces the volume of status inquiry calls and emails that would otherwise require staff attention. Customers can find answers independently, freeing project managers to focus on production work rather than fielding routine questions.
Streamlined Core Design Workflow - The specialized core request and approval workflow addresses a specific business need: managing the creation of standardized label designs that will be used across product variations. By formalizing this process with defined roles (requestor, supervisor), the system ensures proper oversight while maintaining efficient throughput.
Cost Transparency - The Cycles Report provides customers with detailed cost analysis by project complexity, demonstrating the value delivered and supporting informed discussions about pricing, budgeting, and project scoping. This transparency builds trust and reduces billing disputes.
Supplier Coordination - By giving suppliers direct access to request core artwork files, the system eliminates delays caused by email-based requests and ensures production partners have timely access to accurate source files.
Documentation and Audit Trail - All customer interactions—project submissions, core request approvals, cost inquiries—are logged within the system, providing complete records for compliance, dispute resolution, and relationship management.
Professional Brand Presentation - A dedicated customer portal with role-appropriate functionality projects operational sophistication and demonstrates investment in client experience, differentiating the agency from competitors relying on email-based client communication.
Workflow Integrity - By requiring customer agreement acceptance before accessing the system, requiring supervisor approval for core requests, and enforcing purchase order validation, the system maintains business rules that protect both parties and ensure contractual compliance.

Business Benefits

For Customers (Client Contacts)

Project Visibility: View all projects for your organization with current status, timeline, and details without contacting your project manager
Status Filtering: Quickly find projects by status (Waiting, In Process, Completed) with date range controls for historical projects
Search Capability: Find specific projects by ID, reference number, artwork description, or packaging details
Client Notes: Add internal notes to projects that your team can see for coordination purposes
Project Submission: Submit new project requests directly when authorized, reducing turnaround compared to email-based requests
Cost Analysis: Review detailed cost reports by project complexity to understand spending patterns and value delivery
Approval Access: Direct link to the approval portal when involved in artwork review workflows

For Core Requestors

Streamlined Submissions: Submit core design requests through a structured form that captures all required specifications
Specification Capture: Define core type, brand/color combinations, width, languages, and other parameters in one organized interface
Reference Upload: Attach reference artwork files and translation documents to support the design request
Request Tracking: Monitor pending requests and see when supervisor review is complete
Artwork Number Assignment: Assign official artwork numbers once supervisor approval is received
Edit Capability: Modify pending requests before supervisor review to correct errors or update requirements

For Core Supervisors

Request Queue: View all pending core requests from your organization requiring approval
Specification Review: Review all request details, reference files, and client information before approval
Artwork Number Assignment: Assign official artwork numbers (RD numbers) that identify designs in the production system
PO Validation: Receive warnings when purchase orders are missing, supporting procurement policy compliance
Notes and Communication: Add supervisor notes to guide the production team on specific requirements
Client Filtering: Access only requests from clients within your authorized scope

For Suppliers

Direct File Requests: Request core artwork files directly through the system rather than email
Request History: View previous submissions and their status
File Downloads: Access approved files through secure download links
Reduced Wait Time: Self-service access eliminates delays waiting for manual file fulfillment

For the Agency

Reduced Support Volume: Client self-service capabilities decrease routine status inquiries
Workflow Enforcement: System-enforced approval chains ensure proper authorization for core designs
Complete Records: All client interactions logged for compliance and relationship management
Onboarding Control: Agreement acceptance requirement ensures clients acknowledge terms before system access
Cost Visibility: Detailed reporting supports value demonstration and pricing discussions

Usage Scenarios

Scenario 1: Viewing Project Status

A brand manager needs to check the status of several packaging redesign projects. After logging into the Customer portal, they navigate to Projects in the main menu. The Projects list displays all their organization's projects, grouped by invoice group for easy navigation. They use the status filters to show only "In Process" projects, then expand individual projects to see current status, artwork details, and project team notes. The search function helps locate a specific project by entering the product SKU number.

Scenario 2: Adding Client Notes to a Project

A customer project coordinator reviews a project and needs to note that internal stakeholders have requested a schedule change. In the Projects list, they locate the project and click to expand its details. The Client Notes section allows them to add a note that will be visible to their internal team. This note is timestamped and associated with their user account, creating a record of internal coordination around the project.

Scenario 3: Submitting a New Project Request

A marketing director has been authorized to submit new project requests directly. They click "Add Project" in the navigation menu, which opens the project submission form. They select the appropriate client account, enter project details, upload reference files, and specify requirements. Upon submission, the request enters the agency's project queue for assignment and scheduling. The customer receives confirmation and can track the new project in their Projects list.

Scenario 4: Creating a Core Design Request

A core requestor needs to create a new core label design for a product line extension. They navigate to "Request a Core" and complete the structured form: selecting the core type (brand/color/width combination), specifying the reference artwork to base the design on, entering the date needed, selecting required languages (English, French, Spanish), adding PM notes with special instructions, and uploading any translation documents. They enter the purchase order number and submit the request, which routes to their organization's core supervisor for review.

Scenario 5: Supervisor Reviewing and Approving Core Request

A core supervisor receives notification that a new core request is pending their review. They navigate to "Core Requests" and see the pending request in their queue. They click to review the full details: core specifications, reference artwork, requestor notes, and client information. The system warns that no purchase order exists for this project (per company policy, POs should be in place before work begins). The supervisor contacts the requestor to resolve the PO issue. Once resolved, they assign the official artwork number (e.g., "RD-2024-0847") and add supervisor notes clarifying any special requirements. Upon acceptance, the request advances to production.

Scenario 6: Requestor Assigning Artwork Number After Supervisor Acceptance

After the core supervisor accepts a request, the requestor receives notification to complete the artwork number assignment. They return to the Customer portal and locate the request, which now shows accepted status. They enter the official artwork number that will identify this design in the client's asset management system. This number becomes the permanent identifier for the core design.

Scenario 7: Reviewing Cost Analysis with Cycles Report

A procurement manager needs to analyze creative services spending for budget planning. They navigate to "Cycles" and access the Cycles Report. The report displays projects organized by complexity rating (2-3 days, 2.6-3 days, 3-3.5 days, etc.), showing the count of artworks in each category and average costs. They can drill into specific projects to see individual artwork details, alterations (charged vs. not charged), and client notes history. This analysis supports informed discussions with the agency about pricing structure and helps identify opportunities for process efficiency.

Scenario 8: Supplier Requesting Core Artwork Files

A printing supplier needs the latest core artwork file for an upcoming production run. They log into the Supplier portal and navigate to "Request Art." They specify the core design needed (by artwork number or description) and submit the request. The system retrieves the appropriate file and provides a secure download link. The supplier can access their Previous Requests list to see past submissions and download previously requested files.

Scenario 9: First-Time Customer Accepting Agreement

A new customer user logs in for the first time. Before accessing any functionality, they are presented with the Customer Agreement—the terms and conditions governing use of the portal and the business relationship. They must read and accept the agreement before proceeding. Once accepted, this acceptance is recorded with their account, and they gain full access to their authorized features. This requirement ensures all customers acknowledge the terms before engaging with the system.

Scenario 10: Searching Completed Projects by Date Range

A customer needs to find a project completed several years ago for reference in a new project. In the Projects list, they set the status filter to "Completed" and adjust the date range filter to "5yr" to include older projects. They use search to enter a keyword from the project description. The system returns matching completed projects, allowing them to access project details, artwork information, and associated files.

Industry Context

How Similar Functionality is Used Across Industries

Customer Portals in Creative Services

Client-facing portals have become standard in creative and marketing services industries. These systems address the fundamental challenge of managing external stakeholder involvement without overwhelming internal teams with status inquiries and access management complexity.

Common Industry Practices

Marketing Agencies: Client portals provide project dashboards, approval workflows, asset downloads, and campaign calendars. Self-service access to project status and deliverables is a baseline expectation for enterprise clients.
Packaging Design Firms: Specialized workflows for managing label designs, structural packaging, and print specifications require role-based access. Clients expect visibility into artwork status, and print suppliers need efficient access to production-ready files.
Brand Asset Management: Large brands manage thousands of creative assets across multiple agencies and production partners. Portals that enable self-service requests, approvals, and downloads reduce bottlenecks and accelerate time-to-market.
Translation Services: When creative work requires localization, specialized workflows manage the review and approval of translated content by client language specialists, similar to the core request supervisor review process.
Manufacturing Support: Suppliers and production partners increasingly expect direct digital access to specifications, artwork files, and approval documentation rather than waiting for manual fulfillment.

Core Design Request Workflow in Context

The core design request workflow reflects industry practices in consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies:

Core/Master Artwork Concept: CPG companies maintain "core" or "master" label designs that serve as templates for product variations. A core design establishes the brand block, regulatory information, and layout standards.
Variation Management: From core designs, variations are created for different SKUs, sizes, languages, and regulatory markets. This hierarchical approach ensures brand consistency while enabling efficient production of hundreds or thousands of label variations.
Multi-Level Approval: Core designs require approval from brand managers (for brand standards), regulatory specialists (for claims and compliance), and procurement (for budget authorization). The supervisor/requestor model mirrors this organizational structure.
Artwork Number Systems: Official artwork numbers (RD numbers, asset IDs) are critical identifiers that link designs to product databases, procurement systems, and production workflows. Formal assignment processes ensure proper integration with enterprise systems.

Industry Best Practices Implemented

Role-Based Access: Different user types see only relevant functionality, reducing complexity and error potential
Self-Service Status: Customers can find project status independently, reducing support burden
Structured Workflows: Defined request/review/approval sequences ensure consistent processing
Complete Audit Trail: All actions logged for compliance, dispute resolution, and relationship management
Terms Acceptance: Agreement requirement ensures contractual acknowledgment before system access
PO Validation: Purchase order checks support procurement policy compliance
Supplier Integration: Direct file access for production partners reduces fulfillment delays

Summary

The Customer Section provides a comprehensive portal for external stakeholders to participate in creative services workflows without requiring access to the full internal system. By organizing functionality around four distinct roles—Customers, Core Requestors, Core Supervisors, and Suppliers—the section delivers appropriate capabilities to each user type while maintaining workflow integrity and access controls.

For client organizations, key benefits include:

Project Visibility: Self-service access to project status, details, and history reduces dependency on agency staff for routine information
Cost Transparency: Detailed reporting by project complexity supports informed budget discussions and value demonstration
Streamlined Core Workflows: Structured request and approval processes ensure proper oversight while maintaining efficient throughput
Internal Coordination: Client notes capability supports coordination within client teams without burdening agency communication channels
Professional Experience: Dedicated portal access demonstrates agency operational sophistication

For the agency, key benefits include:

Reduced Support Volume: Client self-service decreases routine status inquiries and file requests
Workflow Enforcement: System-enforced approval chains ensure proper authorization before production
Complete Documentation: All client interactions logged for compliance and relationship management
Procurement Compliance: PO validation supports client procurement policy adherence
Supplier Efficiency: Direct file access for production partners eliminates fulfillment delays

For production partners (suppliers), key benefits include:

Direct Access: Request and receive core artwork files without email-based coordination
Request History: Track previous submissions and access fulfilled requests
Reduced Turnaround: Self-service access eliminates delays waiting for manual fulfillment

The Customer Section transforms external stakeholder engagement from scattered email and phone communications into structured, documented interactions that serve both operational efficiency and compliance requirements. By providing appropriate access to project information, cost analysis, and specialized workflows, the portal enables clients to participate effectively in creative services delivery while maintaining the controls necessary for business integrity.