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Review and flags

After building each format, Mestra checks it and notes anything worth a look. It first checks the layout against the rules. It then looks at the exported image. Fixes that are clearly safe are applied automatically, and the format then reads “Review changes applied”. A change that would make the page worse is thrown away.

A flag is a note that something still needs a person. A format with a flag shows To check in the web app and Needs a look in the design plugins. In the web app, a format with no flag shows “Reviewed” or “Built”. A format that couldn’t be built shows “Failed”.

Flags fall into groups. Each group below says what to do.

GroupExampleWhat to do
Text“Some text doesn’t fit”Shorten the copy (a format’s Copy overrides can do it for one size), then run again.
Position“A shape sits on text or the logo”Nudge the shape or the text in the file.
Brand“No logo for this brand; the master’s logo was kept”Upload the brand’s logos in Setup > Brands. (InDesign: set the logo paths on the brand’s Advanced tab.)
Size and units“Built at {n} dpi (page size limit)”Very large formats are built at a lower dpi or pixel size, and the flag says so. Check the export before printing.
Master or rebuild“A source element wasn’t found in the master”Check the master for the missing element, then run again.
Review“Review didn’t complete”Press Try again in the design app.

The full list is in the app.

A failed format gives one reason: no layout worked for this size, the layout took too long, or the layout service had a problem. Press Try again in the design app. The first three re-plans of the same format in a run are free. A retry that succeeds on a format that never built counts as one format.

Mestra fixes what is safe and flags the rest. Some problems need a judgement call, such as whether to cut a headline. Those are yours to make, so Mestra tells you instead of guessing.

A flag stays on the format. There’s no way to dismiss a flag yet. Fix the file in your design app. If the format failed or its review didn’t finish, press Try again.

In the design plugins, each format has a Show review notes link. It lists what the visual review found. Each note has a severity of Minor, Medium or Major, and a kind such as “Overlap” or “Orphaned word”. Only Medium and Major issues are applied automatically. Minor ones are listed but left alone.

The web app doesn’t show severity or kinds. It shows the flag notes and “Review changes applied”. The layout-rule flags have no severity.

You can set a format’s review to Always or Skip when clean.

  • Flags come from runs. Home lists formats that need a look.
  • Brand flags are fixed in brand setup.
  • Viewers can see flags. Editors and owners can retry.