Next Gen Workflow

Please follow the recommended practices outline later in this article to ensure a smooth and efficient process. Inaccurately shot photos demand additional design time. Our turnaround estimates pertain to business days, excluding weekends and holidays.

This table shows the processing time for proofs, where you will have the option to review a set of graphics:

New Order for Proofing

This is the turnaround time for editing the whole job after you approve the samples:

Job Finished After Proofing

A. Create a new job in GotPhoto.

• Select a sports type when you select your job type. 
• Use QR tagging with a list of names in your job settings as your tagging method.
• In case you don't have a names list available and use the Pre-registration for picture day feature, please refer to this article. It includes instructions on how to pre-create albums to prevent customers from entering custom team names.
  
  

B. Upload your roster to the job. 

Make sure to match your team names with the group column in GotPhoto. This is especially important when you request team composites. The fields First Name, Last Name, and Group (=Team) are mandatory for a Next Gen job. 

The information uploaded in the group column is critical, as it will be the team name used for your composites, e.g., "Hurricanes." 

In situations where a coach or athlete is involved with multiple teams, it's important to ensure that the roster includes separate entries for that subject on each team, rather than combining both team names within a single entry in the group column for that athlete.

Adding the division is helpful if you have teams with the same name. (e.g., U6 Tigers, U12 Tigers).

If you don't want the division used on the templates, enter the information in the Special Instructions that you will see during checkout or add a comment when you proof the final graphics. 

In addition to these fields, you can also use the Identifier column and add the Jersey number there. The data in this column will also be transferred to Next Gen. This is just an option, not a mandatory data field. 

C. Create QR-cards. If you prefer our barcode workflow with Entagged, please review this article.

Check out the following articles for essential information regarding getting the right photos for extraction:

A. Best Practices For Great Extractions

B. Best Practice For Consistent Scaling and Lighting

C. Best Practices For Individual Posing

In total, you can upload up to 6 images of the athlete for your Next Gen graphics:

• The first individual photo of each athlete will be their pose for the team composite. Save time by photographing the athlete's team pose first. This way, you won't need to move the photos around later manually. f you want to use the same image for both individual and team simply duplicate the file and assign it a unique file name in the gallery. Example: The filename 1 is Abigail123; you should duplicate that image and assign a new filename such as Abigail_123.
• For best results, match your backdrop tone to the Next Gen template you plan to request for the job: Use a grey backdrop for dark designs and a white backdrop for bright, airy ones. This is especially important with translucent fabrics, as background tones can bleed through, helping the subject blend naturally into the final design.
• Besides the team photo, up to 5 other individual photos can be uploaded and used for additional sports graphics. 
• Siblings and Buddy photos handling: Please note that multi-tag buddy images are not currently supported in Next Gen. Include buddy shots as part of one individual’s gallery (within the 5-image limit), send them through the Next Gen editing process, and afterward manually tag the edited graphics with the second access code.
• There is no need to crop the photos. Next Gen will take care of this when they extract the backgrounds.

1. Upload your photos to GotPhoto with one of the faster upload methods. Please upload your photos in sRGB mode and ensure you only upload JPGs and no PNGs.  

• Please follow the steps in this article to sort the images based on the group column before activating the access codes.
  
  

⚠ Important: Please ensure ALL galleries have been sorted into their respective team folders. If some are still in the upload folder, please add/correct your subjects' data and resort to the images again based on the group scheme. Use the option under Manage individuals within your album, and select Resort photos to albums.  

The image that follows the image of the QR card will be automatically starred after you have activated the access codes. If you use barcode tagging, your starred image will be the first photo in the gallery. This starred image will be your team pose. You can upload up to 5 individual or buddy photos for each access code. If you are wondering if the metadata will be kept when the background is extracted, yes, that's the case. The barcode will still be saved in the photo's metadata.   

If you'd like to change the athlete's team pose, simply click the image of your choice, then tag it as your favorite image on the right side of your screen.

Your selection will now show a different star icon, indicating that this image will be used for the team graphic.

• Please note: Whether or not to create team images is a job-level choice (i.e. if you request a team image for one team in the job, you will receive team images for all teams in your job).
• We recently added a sorting option to the Review page so you can easily filter for galleries with issues.
• Double-check the accuracy of the data, including names and team information.
• Ensure that the order of images in individual galleries aligns with your preferences.
• Ensure that the starred image is the image you want to be used for the Team Photo
• Ensure all images you want to be sent across to Next Gen are unhidden, as any hidden images will not be included.
• Ensure that each athlete and and also each coach has a unique access code, and photos should not be tagged with more than one code. If galleries include sibling or buddy photos, the system will show these images in the mapping view in only one athlete’s gallery. Once graphics are returned from Next Gen, they will be sent only to this athlete’s gallery, even if they appeared in both galleries before the graphic service was requested.

1. Access the photo editing tab within your photo job, where the Next Gen integration is available. Under the Next Gen area, click Continue.
   On the next screen, you will find the link to the training under Step 1. After completing it, proceed to Step 2 and take the quiz. The training and quiz together should take no more than 45 minutes. Upon completion, confirm your training completion and click "Continue" to see how your photos will be integrated into Next Gen.

Review how the data, such as first names, last names, team names, and images, will be sent to Next Gen.

Make any necessary changes to names or team data directly from the photo editing tab:

Click "Request Editing" once you are satisfied with the setup. GotPhoto will prepare the data and get ready to send it to Next Gen.

Then, Click the blue "Checkout" button. It can take a few seconds before you will be promted to the next screen. Please note that due to our technical settings, you must finalize the checkout process within 5 days of initiating your order. If the checkout is not completed within this timeframe, we cannot process your order. In such a case, you will need to cancel the existing request and submit a new one to proceed with your job. 

NEW: On Next Gen's website, select the type of images you would like to create (Full Composite, Traditional, Traditional+):

For more information on creating Traditional Sport Graphics, click here. 

Next, select the type of team image you want to create. You can choose between the Standard and Virtual Riser Team Build. Learn more about the differences here.

You can now select your graphics for the athlete's individual gallery. 

Select your Team & Individual (T&I) template in the drop-down menu. Click View Designs to see all available designs.

• Three-quarter Templates: The subjects' feet won't be shown.

• Memory Mates are built on an 8x12 canvas; you can sell them as 8x12 versions, but please know that they are designed to crop to 8x10.  Many of the designs can be cropped to a 5x7 aspect ratio. However, we don't recommend it, as it may not result in a perfect fit.
• Important For Full Length Templates: If you select any template that includes "Full Length" in its title, please make sure to select either Drop Shadow, Image Reflections, or both services together. Reflection is recommended (in addition to Drop Shadow) for shiny surfaces like indoor courts, ice, etc. However, reflection may not be needed in templates where the subject is in grass or dirt.

Custom Template: If you have commissioned or paid for a template design by an external designer and want it added to your Next Gen account, please visit Kodi Buck at Offthetrail Graphics through their Next Gen Template Setup page for more details and ensure to submit the proof of purchase on their website. Your template will then be added to your Next Gen account for future use.

Custom Background: While the template includes the background, your text elements, ratios and formats that may be included, the background is the base of your graphic. It does not include any texts or other elements, it's simply the background layer. You have the option to upload your custom background (e.g. your school's field, court, gymnasium, etc.), the process is simple: 

• Take a photo of the field. Please consider the perspective and layout of your graphic when photographing the background. Edit the photo to your liking. 
• Upon checkout, select "Custom Background" from the template options.
• From there, choose one of the skins from the dropdown menu. The skins can be found here. 

Now, under "Extracted images," select how you want to receive your PNGs:

•  If you don't tick the box "Attach extracted images to access code," all extracted images will flow back to a new album in your GotPhoto job named "Unassigned." The extractions in this album will no longer be connected to your subjects. You can download them to your device or keep the album in the job. Parents won't see this album when they log into the shop. 
• If you tick the box, the extracted PNG files will be attached to your access codes. When you add backgrounds to your job's price profile, parents can purchase them in your shop. You can select only the team or individual PNGs, or extractions for both photo types. 

NEW (September 2024): PNG Cropping Services

You can now request your PNG extractions be cropped before being sent back to you as an additional service.

The available options are:

3/4 Crop (Commonly used in Sports photography)			Full-Length Crop (Commonly used in Dance photography)
			top-weighted	center-weighted	bottom-weighted (typically used)
	→					→

If you are not interested in cropping, select No Cropping.

Next, continue with the other selections on your checkout screen.

At the bottom of the page, you will see a breakdown of the costs for this job:

Accept the terms of service and enter your payment details.

Color correction is offered as as an add-on. It includes exposure, white balance and a touch of sharpening. 

After completing checkout, you will be redirected back to GotPhoto. 

• Allow a few days for Next Gen to complete the production work.
• You will receive an email update from Next Gen, allowing you to proof all team images and the individual images/graphics for one athlete.
  
• In proofing, you can comment to the design team and send the images back for another round of editing.
• Any edits made to the individual graphic in proofing will be applied to the graphics of all team members.
• In the online proofing process, eight graphics are produced for individual images. Hence, you will see all eight graphics in proofing, regardless of your selected graphics in the Next Gen checkout process.
• It is important to be as clear and specific as possible to avoid any misunderstanding or misinterpretation by the production team. We want proofing to be as efficient as possible and add as little extra time as necessary.
  
  
  
• If you have added any comments, press Changes Required. Click the checkbox "Send me an email confirmation", so you will be notified and can check the corrected proofs once they have been adjusted.
• Once everything looks OK, press "Approved."
• After approving the images, you will receive another email that notifies you that the job is now completed.
  
• Go back to your job's Photo Editing tab and review the photos by pressing the blue Review Photos Now button.
  

1. Decide whether to delete the original images or keep them. 

   
   

   Decide how GotPhoto should reorganize the new graphics back into your photo job.
   1. Remove Originals - Ideal for Full Composite jobs where originals won’t be sold. 
   2. Keep Originals - Recommended for Traditional or Traditional+ jobs where originals will be available for purchase. 
   3.  Sort by Group - All graphics are organized by team name. (Most common option)
   4.  Isolate Memory Mates - Graphics are sorted by team name, with all Memory Mates placed in a single album together.
2. 
   
   • Our system will automatically add a file extension (_MM) to all memory mate graphics when releasing them to your job. In GotPhoto, these images will be marked with a purple icon, indicating that these photos are composite photos. When working on a job, you can assign a different price to these composite photos while keeping them in the same gallery as your other graphics. It's important to note that the composite feature is not yet available for prepay jobs but only for proofing jobs.  
3. Please know that all images will be tagged as composite photos. Going forward, we will look into ways to give you the option to select only specific graphics (e.g., Memory Mates) for this photo type. 

⚠ Please note that this explanation is for Proofing jobs only.

• Select a price profile that contains the composite photo type.
  
• Set up your coupon settings, communication profile, and archiving settings under your Job Settings. Save all settings.
• Adjust your Advanced Job Settings, if needed.
• Set your job to Selling.

>We have updated our system to accommodate Next Gen Jobs in GotPhoto, even when the number of photos differs from the original editing request. Now, if there are either fewer or more photos, a message will be displayed in Photo Management. This message will detail which files are unexpected or missing. 

That's it! You've successfully integrated GotPhoto with Next Gen and created virtual sports graphics for teams and individuals.