Run a campaign

Pick a campaign, tick the brands, and let Mestra build every format from your master.

Before you start

• You need the Editor or Owner role. Viewers can’t start runs.
• Install the Mestra app for your design tool and sign in. See Install.
• Set up at least one brand and one campaign. See Set up a brand.
• Check the master first. InDesign needs the master document open, with no missing or modified links, all fonts installed, and the same ruler units (px, mm or pt) both ways.

1. In the web app, open Setup > Campaigns, then select New campaign. Skip this if the campaign already exists.
2. A new campaign needs a Key first. It is a short id, shown above the cards. Use letters, numbers, dots, dashes and underscores, up to 64 characters, starting with a letter or number. Then, in the Campaign card, enter the Name, choose the Format set, and switch on each of the Brands it covers. Add the copy in the Copy card, then select Save. Save is the same for a new and an existing campaign. It is off until you change something, and “Saved.” shows after.
3. Open your master in the design app:
   • InDesign: open the master document. Mestra uses page 1.
   • Figma: select the master frame, a top-level frame.
   • Canva: open the master page.
4. Open the Mestra app and sign in. InDesign or Figma: select Sign in. In the browser, choose your organisation and select Allow. Canva: an owner links your Canva team once. See Connect Canva.
5. Choose your Campaign.
6. Tick the brands to build. The plugins label this list Centres.
7. Start the run:
   • InDesign: select Generate formats, then choose a folder to save into.
   • Figma: select Generate {n} formats · {m} centres.
   • Canva: select Read master, then Generate.
8. Watch the progress. Each format moves through Planning, Building, Checking, Exporting and Reviewing. Select Cancel to stop. Formats not yet planned don’t count; formats already planned do.
9. When the run settles, read each format’s status: Built, Reviewed, Needs a look or Failed.

Each ticked brand is its own run. A campaign with three brands and eight formats builds 24 formats. Mestra counts a format once, when its layout is planned successfully. A failed format isn’t counted.

If something goes wrong

You see	What to do
“Open the master document first.” (InDesign)	Open the document, then try again.
“Preflight failed:” followed by a missing link or font	Fix the link or install the font, then start again.
“Select a master frame” (Figma)	Select one top-level frame.
“Tick a centre.”	Tick at least one brand.
“This campaign has no formats”	Add a format set with formats to the campaign.
“Your role (viewer) can’t start runs.”	Ask an owner to make you an Editor. See Invite your team.
“Your trial has ended. Subscribe on the Billing page to keep making formats.”	An owner needs to subscribe. See Plans and billing.
“This run would go over your monthly overage cap. Raise the cap or upgrade on the Billing page.”	An owner raises the cap or upgrades.
“A run is in progress - wait for it to finish.”	Wait, or cancel the running run.
Failed on one format	Select Try again under it.

The full list of messages is in the app.

What’s next

• Fix a flagged format when a format says Needs a look.
• Export and hand off to get the files out.
• Masters, formats and runs explains what each step does.