One platform to manage the entire publishing process.

Context

A publishing house with multiple imprints needed end-to-end control over the book lifecycle, from contract negotiation and budget through writing, translation, editing and proofing to final publication. The existing process was a patchwork of spreadsheets and email threads.

Problem

The lack of a coherent system produced predictable failure modes. Manual Excel updates and hundreds of emails per book left the actual status invisible. A schedule slip on one title cascaded into others without anyone catching it in time. Offer and contract documentation was scattered across drives and inboxes. External collaborators (translators, proofreaders, typesetters) lived in a different toolset from internal staff.

Solution

We designed and shipped a dedicated web application, deployable in cloud or on-premise, covering the MVP scope. A publishing calendar acts as the single source of truth for publication plans. A status workflow walks each title through a defined path on a visual timeline. Notifications fire automatically on schedule changes. The architecture is modular, ready for AI integrations via API.

Implementation

We rolled out in phases. First, a quick automation layer over the existing Excel files surfaced schedule changes by email, delivering value inside weeks. In parallel, workshops with end users (proofreaders, typesetters, editors) tested interface hypotheses. Then the full web application went live: when one date moves, the rest update automatically.

Outcome

Translators and proofreaders stopped switching between systems. A complete history of changes and file versions lived in one place. Manual status reporting was replaced by an always-current timeline view available to every team member. The architecture is ready for AI extensions: the next phase introduces automated proofreading and fact-checking modules through the API surface designed in from day one.