Project identity
Include a stable job, client, or date element when camera sequence numbers could repeat across assignments.
Filename continuity
File Naming Workflow for Client Proofing
Keep stable photo identifiers from source files through client proofs and final exports so every selection maps back correctly.
- Create unique identifiers before client proofing
- Preserve the base name across exports and versions
- Test the client view before collecting selections
Quick answer
A dependable client-proofing filename stays recognizable from the local source through the uploaded proof and final export. Use a unique project-aware base name, preserve its sequence identifier, add only controlled version suffixes, and test the client-facing label before sharing. GalleryDock preserves the filename that you upload, but it does not automatically reconnect a proof to local RAW files or manage your version history.
Naming contract
Create an identifier that survives the workflow
The name does not need to describe every visual detail. It needs to stay unique, sortable, and traceable across the systems you actually use.
Padded sequence
Use consistent leading zeros so files sort predictably and identifiers remain the same length.
Controlled suffixes
Add proof, retouched, print, or web markers only when the team has one documented meaning for each suffix.
Safe characters
Prefer a simple cross-platform convention without ambiguous punctuation, changing spaces, or accidental duplicate extensions.
Four-step continuity check
Keep names stable from source to final
Test the complete path before the client makes choices. A naming mistake discovered after selection creates manual reconciliation work.
01
Resolve source collisions
Check duplicate camera counters, second-shooter files, and imported folders before assigning the proof identifiers.
02
Export proofs predictably
Preserve the base identifier and add only the approved proof marker without silently renumbering the set.
03
Inspect the client gallery
Confirm that the displayed filename is readable, unique, and consistent with the list you will use for matching.
04
Match and export finals
Use the confirmed identifiers to locate sources, apply finishing, and retain the base name in the delivered version.
Failure prevention
Catch the naming problems that break selections
The highest-risk errors are not ugly names. They are duplicate or transformed identifiers that point to the wrong source file.
Duplicate camera counters
Two cameras may both produce IMG_0001. Add a project or camera distinction before those files enter one proof set.
Automatic export renumbering
An export preset can replace the identifier the client later reports. Test the actual preset, not just the catalog name.
Suffix drift
Inconsistent labels such as final, final2, edit, and retouched make version status difficult to automate or audit.
Lost local mapping
Keep the selection list or collection in your production system; the online gallery is not an automatic link to your RAW archive.
Comparison
Filename strategies for client proofing
The best convention is the simplest one that stays unique and reversible in your real production workflow.
| Approach | Best for | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Original camera counter only | One camera and one isolated shoot | Counters can repeat across cameras and jobs |
| Descriptive sentence filename | Human context | Long, inconsistent, and hard to automate |
| Fresh proof renumbering | A clean client sequence | Needs a reliable map back to sources |
| Random platform identifier | Internal system uniqueness | Poor communication outside that system |
| Project base plus stable sequence | Traceable proof-to-final workflow | Requires an agreed naming convention |
Multi-camera wedding
Project and camera-aware identifiers prevent repeated counters from pointing to different photographs in one proof gallery.
High-volume headshot day
Stable subject and sequence identifiers connect employee choices to the correct source and delivered portrait.
Outsourced retouching
The same base name follows the client selection into the retoucher manifest and back into the final export set.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about this workflow
What is a good filename format for client proofing?
Use a unique project-aware base and padded sequence, such as a date or job code plus 0001, then apply only documented version suffixes.
Should I keep the camera filename?
You can when it is guaranteed unique in the project. Multi-camera and repeated-counter workflows usually need an additional project or camera identifier.
Can I rename files after the client selects them?
You can, but only with a reliable mapping. Preserving the base identifier is usually safer than replacing it after choices arrive.
Does GalleryDock preserve uploaded filenames?
GalleryDock preserves the filename supplied during upload. Verify the client-facing display and your local matching process before publishing the proofs.
Does GalleryDock link proofs to local RAW files?
No. Your catalog, manifest, or production process must maintain the relationship between the uploaded proof and the local source file.
How do I handle proof and final versions?
Keep the same base identifier and add one controlled suffix or version field so the relationship stays obvious without overwriting the source.
Related resources
Create a traceable retouching handoffCarry stable identifiers into the production manifest and returned files.Separate selection and approvalUse filenames and versions to make each decision stage unambiguous.Plan the complete proofing workflowConnect file preparation, client choices, confirmation, and final delivery.Prepare a client gallery uploadCheck export naming, image set, and client view before publishing.
Pricing
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- Your own shop for digital sales
- Sell print products in your shop
- Only 10% shop fee per sale
- Your own profile in client galleries
- Password-protect client galleries
- Use your own logo as a watermark
- Let clients select images and mark favorites
- Control photo and video downloads
- Embed galleries on your own website
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- Use your own logo in galleries
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- Photos & videos
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- Your own shop for digital sales
- Sell print products in your shop
- Only 5% shop fee per sale
- Your own profile in client galleries
- Password-protect client galleries
- Use your own logo as a watermark
- Let clients select images and mark favorites
- Control photo and video downloads
- Embed galleries on your own website
- Hide GalleryDock branding
- Use your own logo in galleries
For regular client delivery
Keep every client choice traceable
Prepare stable proof filenames, verify them in GalleryDock, and preserve the same identifiers through retouching and final delivery.
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