When using JobBoard Proof Automations, Hoops evaluates proof approvals and rejections using the concept of a Batch.
Understanding how batches work is important when building automation workflows that update Job statuses, trigger notifications, or progress Jobs through artwork and production stages.
What is a Proof Batch?
A Proof Batch is the group of proofs that are sent to a customer together for review.
When proofs are sent, Hoops creates a 'batch' containing only the proofs that are in the Awaiting Approval section at that time. This batch is then used by proof automations and approval conditions.
A batch is not every proof on the Job. Proofs that have already been approved or rejected are excluded, and any proofs uploaded later become part of a new batch when they are sent to the customer.
Understanding the Proof Automation Trigger
The purpose of a Proof Automation is to evaluate the outcome of a Batch and update a JobBoard Status column.
For example:
ALL Proofs Approved → Update Artwork Status to Proof Approved
SOME Proofs Approved → Update Artwork Status to Some Proofs Approved
ALL Proofs Rejected → Update Artwork Status to Proof Rejected
The Proof Automation itself only performs the status update.
That updated JobBoard status can then be used as the trigger for additional automations such as:
Email notifications
SMS notifications
Production workflow updates
Internal team notifications
Additional Job status changes
This approach creates a clean automation structure where Proof Automations determine the approval outcome, and Status Change Automations handle the resulting actions.
Understanding the ALL Condition
The ALL condition is met when every proof within the current Batch receives the same outcome.
For example:
Proof | Result |
Proof A | Approved |
Proof B | Approved |
Proof C | Approved |
Because every proof in the Batch was approved:
ALL Proofs Approved = TRUE
The automation can update the Artwork Status to Proof Approved.
Similarly:
Proof | Result |
Proof A | Rejected |
Proof B | Rejected |
Proof C | Rejected |
Because every proof in the Batch was rejected:
ALL Proofs Rejected = TRUE
The automation can update the Artwork Status to Proof Rejected.
Understanding the SOME Condition
The SOME condition is met whenever the Batch contains a mixture of outcomes.
For example:
Proof | Result |
Proof A | Approved |
Proof B | Rejected |
Proof C | Rejected |
Because the Batch contains both approvals and rejections:
SOME Proofs Approved = TRUE
This commonly results in the Artwork Status being updated to Some Proofs Approved.
The SOME condition indicates that customer feedback has been received but the entire Batch has not yet achieved a consistent approval outcome.
Example: Multiple Revision Cycles
The easiest way to understand Batch behavior is through a real-world example.
First Proof Submission
You upload and send:
Proof 1
Proof 2
Proof 3
These three proofs are currently awaiting approval and therefore form the Batch.
Customer responses:
Proof 1 = Approved
Proof 2 = Rejected
Proof 3 = Rejected
Result:
SOME Proofs Approved = TRUE
The Artwork Status could be updated to Some Proofs Approved.
At this point:
Approved Section = 1 proof
Rejected Section = 2 proofs
Second Proof Submission
The two rejected proofs are revised and uploaded again.
The Job now contains:
Original Approved Proof
Original Rejected Proof
Original Rejected Proof
Revised Proof 2
Revised Proof 3
Although there are now five proofs visible on the Job, only the newly uploaded proofs are awaiting approval.
The new Batch contains:
Revised Proof 2
Revised Proof 3
Customer responses:
Revised Proof 2 = Approved
Revised Proof 3 = Rejected
Result:
SOME Proofs Approved = TRUE
The Artwork Status could remain as Some Proofs Approved.
Third Proof Submission
The remaining rejected proof is revised and uploaded again.
The Job now contains multiple historical proofs, but only one proof is awaiting approval.
The Batch contains:
Revised Proof 3 Version 2
Customer response:
Approved
Result:
ALL Proofs Approved = TRUE
The Artwork Status can now be updated to Proof Approved.
Why Batches Work This Way
Batch processing allows customers to approve artwork progressively without requiring previously approved proofs to be reviewed again.
Benefits include:
Maintaining a complete artwork history
Preserving rejected proof records
Supporting multiple revision cycles
Allowing approvals to occur incrementally
Creating predictable automation outcomes
Without Batch logic, every historical proof would need to be re-evaluated every time artwork was revised, making approval workflows significantly more complex.
Recommended Automation Structure
For most workflows, the recommended approach is:
Use Proof Automations to evaluate the Batch and update an Artwork Status column.
Use JobBoard Status Change Automations to react to those status changes.
Send Emails, SMS notifications, and workflow updates from the Status Change Automations.
This creates a clear separation between:
Determining the proof outcome
Responding to the proof outcome
and makes automation workflows much easier to build and maintain.