GridIron Software has just announced today that their new visual workflow manager “Flow” is shipping and available. Key features include:
- Workflow Maps – Visual interface shows all project files and how they are connected
- Share Maps – Allows multiple users to view the same workflow map across the network
- Adobe CS4 Flow Flash Panel Provides access to GridIron Flow directly in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign or Flash
- Real-time Asset Tracking – Tracks the connections between project files in real-time
- Visual Versioning – Accesses the complete history of a file and allows the user to revert to any version
- Visual Search – Finds any file, even if it’s offline, and shows how it fits into a project
- Foolproof Packaging – Gathers and updates all files automatically, keeping the package current
- Time Tracking – Automatically records how much time was spent on a file or project
Looks pretty impressive, and at $299 it’s fairly affordable for professionals and pro-sumers alike. See all the details of the product on their Flow page, including a guided tour and signup for free trials.
Not sure if this is today’s big announcement or not.
Flow is the best thing to happen to the graphics community since the Creative Suite. I’ve been working with it since early in the beta test cycle, and the evolution of the app from great idea to superb finished product was an amazing experience. Many ideas that came from the beta testers, based on the kinds of things we saw that could just take it over the top in terms of day-to-day usefulness were incorporated into the final shipping application.
John Nack said it right when he described Flow as “transformative.” It really does change the way we work and speeds the workflow immensely. I’ve been an evangelist for Flow since the first time I ran a beta test, and it’s way better than that now. If you’ve CS4 apps installed, beware: the embedded Flash panels will have you drooling on your keyboard. 🙂