Start with one page you can check properly. The goal is not to beat a timer: it is to know where your story goes, how to correct the layout and which file you are approving. This guide follows the recordings published on 18 August 2026; controls may move in later versions.

Prepare the story before opening Studio

Keep an approved headline and body, the reporter’s name, a photo you have permission to use, and its caption together. Write down the edition, page and publication date. If the page carries an advertisement, keep the original artwork and booked dimensions beside you. A story that still needs reporting is not made ready by fitting it into a template.

Put your own copy into the workflow

At 0:57 in the detailed recording, Story Desk introduces the article workflow. Add Article appears at 1:14; photo, byline and style controls follow. At 2:09 the presenter assigns edition, page and date. Before generating, check that your item is scheduled for the intended page. A missing story may be a scheduling mistake, not a layout problem.

Book the advertisement separately

The Ad Manager sequence starts at 2:36. The presenter uploads the creative and sets its size, edition, page and date. Compare the resulting placement with the booking. A legible advertisement on the wrong date is still an error. Do not stretch supplied artwork merely to occupy spare space.

Generate, then inspect the hierarchy

The short video shows the Studio-to-page sequence. Check which story leads, which photograph is used and whether smaller stories remain readable. Choose a headline that preserves the approved meaning. Read the first and last lines of every story to catch missing or repeated copy.

Work through a real layout correction

The detailed video deliberately shows a gap at 3:54. At 5:10 the presenter extends the body frame; at 5:26, Choose Best & Fit adjusts the copy. The editor is saved at 5:57 and the preview appears at 6:06. Watch that correction step by step. Compare changed wording with the approved story, then inspect the saved preview. This is an editing example, not evidence that an unreviewed page can go straight to print.

Approve the exported file, not just the screen

The short recording reaches export options at 1:42. Use the settings agreed with your printer, then open the actual PDF. Check page dimensions, complete stories, tiny notice lettering, photo crops, the edition date and imprint details. Our separate sample PDF review shows why this matters: it contains live text and image-based notices, so one DPI label cannot describe every element. That sample is not the final file from the video.

Keep a clear handoff

Save the approved filename with its edition and date. Tell the person sending it to press which version was checked. If you change a story, advertisement or date after approval, export again and review the affected areas before sending the replacement. Do not assume the printer has received your latest version.

The videos and PDF are free to inspect; product use is paid. Read the software and pricing guide before choosing a workflow.

Your first XLR8 Print page: a practical editing checklist