If you’ve ever watched an email campaign crawl through endless rounds of feedback, you know how painful review and approval can get. Too many cooks, not enough clarity, and suddenly you’re fixing typos the night before launch. If you’re using Emailonacid and want to avoid the usual mess, you’re in the right place. This guide’s for email marketers, designers, and anyone who needs to wrangle a team through the gauntlet of email QA—without losing your mind.
Below, you’ll find practical steps for setting up collaborative reviews in Emailonacid, real talk on what works (and what’s just noise), plus a few shortcuts to keep things moving.
Why bother with a structured review process?
You might wonder: do we really need a formal process? The truth is, if you’re a solo act, probably not. But as soon as you’ve got a team—even just one other person—things get complicated fast:
- Typos and broken links sneak through.
- Design breaks on some email clients.
- Feedback gets lost in email chains or Slack threads.
- “Final” means nothing. There’s always “one last change.”
A structured, collaborative review in Emailonacid won’t solve every problem, but it will cut down on preventable mistakes and keep everyone on the same page.
Step 1: Set up your Emailonacid project right
Emailonacid is built to catch rendering issues and streamline feedback, but it’s only as good as your setup. Before you even start a review:
- Name your project clearly. “Newsletter_v4_FINAL2” isn’t helpful. Use real dates or campaign names.
- Upload the right version. Don’t waste everyone’s time reviewing an outdated file.
- Pick your target clients and devices. No need to test every obscure email app unless your audience actually uses it.
- Set a realistic review deadline. If it’s due tomorrow, say so. If you can’t make the deadline, flag it early.
Pro tip: Save your test profiles for common campaigns. This saves you from re-selecting the same devices every single time.
Step 2: Invite the right reviewers (and only the right ones)
Here’s where things usually go sideways. Too many reviewers = chaos. Too few = missed mistakes.
- Limit the core review team. Aim for 2–4 people: usually one designer, one copy editor, one marketing owner, and maybe a developer.
- Don’t invite everyone “just in case.” If someone’s feedback is optional, send them the final version later.
- Clarify roles up front. Who gives final approval? Who’s just providing input? Spell it out in your invite.
What to ignore: Don’t bother with “FYI” reviewers at this stage. They’ll slow things down and often don’t respond anyway.
Step 3: Use Emailonacid’s commenting tools—don’t fall back to email threads
It’s tempting to drop your feedback in a group email or Slack. Don’t. Use the built-in commenting and annotation features:
- Leave comments directly on the email preview. This cuts down on “What did you mean by this?” later.
- Tag team members if something’s urgent or unclear. Keep discussions focused and actionable.
- Summarize feedback if you’re the project owner. At the end of each round, post a comment with the key fixes so no one’s guessing what’s next.
Caution: Don’t try to use Emailonacid as a project management tool. Use it for review and feedback, not for tracking overall project status or deadlines.
Step 4: Run feedback in clear rounds
Rolling, endless feedback is a killer. Instead, set up defined rounds:
- First round: Everyone reviews and drops comments.
- Owner triages and assigns fixes. Not every comment needs action—use your judgment.
- Second round: Quick re-check to confirm fixes and catch anything new.
-
Final sign-off: Only the decision-maker(s) approve at this stage.
-
Close each round explicitly. “Round 1 is done, here’s what’s changing.” This helps keep momentum.
- Don’t let “just one more look” drag things out. If feedback comes in late, it rolls to the next version.
Real talk: You’ll never get 100% consensus. Set a cutoff, make the call, and move forward.
Step 5: Tackle rendering issues and QA, not just opinions
Emailonacid shines at catching weird rendering bugs—take advantage of it:
- Check previews on key clients. Focus on what your real audience uses (e.g., Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail).
- Use the checklist feature for links, images, and accessibility. Don’t just skim—actually click through.
- Assign someone (not everyone) to own the technical QA. Otherwise, everyone assumes someone else is checking.
What to skip: Don’t bother chasing pixel-perfection across every obscure email client. Focus on major issues that affect usability or branding.
Step 6: Keep approvals simple and transparent
The “approval” button in Emailonacid is straightforward, but the politics can get muddy:
- Decide who has final say before you start. Make it clear who’s giving the green light.
- Document the approval. The tool logs this, but a quick comment (“Approved by Jane, 6/10”) helps.
- Lock the version after approval. Don’t let anyone sneak in “quick fixes” post-approval.
Pro tip: If you need a legal or compliance sign-off, get it before final approval. Retroactive changes after the fact are a recipe for pain.
Step 7: Archive and share the results
Once you’ve got approval:
- Export the proof or save a PDF of the final render. This is your “source of truth” if issues crop up later.
- Share the final version with stakeholders who weren’t in the core review loop. Now’s the time for FYI.
- Archive your project in Emailonacid for easy reference. Don’t just delete old campaigns—you’ll want to look back when something breaks.
What works, what doesn’t
Works: - Tight, focused review teams - Comments in context (not buried in email threads) - Defined review rounds with clear deadlines - Prioritizing real rendering issues over nitpicking design tweaks
Doesn’t: - Endless feedback loops (“just one more tweak”) - Inviting everyone from marketing “just in case” - Trying to use Emailonacid for overall project management - Chasing perfect rendering on every possible device
Keep it simple, and keep improving
You don’t need a 20-step workflow or a fancy playbook. The best collaborative reviews are the result of a clear process, the right people, and a tool that keeps things visible—like Emailonacid. Start small, see what actually moves the needle for your team, and don’t be afraid to tweak your process over time. Most importantly: get the email out the door and move on.