Packaging teams need more than Trello — here’s why

Trello is great—until your packaging project gets real. If you’ve ever tried managing a packaging design workflow with Trello or other general-purpose project tools, you’ve probably hit a wall. Trello is popular because it’s simple. But packaging artwork creation is anything but.

This article explains why Trello and similar task boards fall short for packaging teams—and what kind of packaging workflow software you actually need to succeed. If you’re in marketing, packaging development, or design management, this will save you time, money, and headaches.

The Reality of Packaging Projects

Beyond Task Cards: Why Packaging Is Unique

Packaging design is not just another creative task. It’s a regulated, multi-stage, multi-stakeholder process where one missed detail can cause a launch delay, a compliance issue—or worse, a recall.

Let’s break down why:

• You’re working across multiple product lines, often in different sizes, flavors, or languages.

• Each market has its own regulatory rules for labeling and product information.

• You must align with external partners, like design agencies and print vendors.

• Multiple teams are involved: marketing, legal, R&D, logistics, printers, suppliers.

• Your final deliverables must be print-ready and technically correct across substrates, print techniques, and packaging types.

This is far beyond what Trello was designed to handle.

Where Trello Falls Short for Packaging Teams

1. No Built-in Workflow for Artwork Approvals

Trello doesn’t understand packaging. It has cards and columns—but not structured approval stages, version control, or regulated checkpoints.

Approvals in Trello often mean endless comments, attachments, and “who-said-what-when” confusion. And there’s no way to compare different versions of an artwork file side by side.

2. Lack of Specialized File Handling

Packaging artwork files are often complex: multi-layer PDFs, AI files, 3D renders, or even print production-ready formats. Trello can’t handle previews of most of these.

You either download them and review offline (risky), or bounce them across platforms via email, Slack, or WeTransfer—creating silos and confusion.

3. No Compliance or Print Readiness Checks

Trello doesn’t know if your artwork meets GS1 standards, or if the file is print-ready for flexo vs. gravure. It can’t track if the design fits the dieline or complies with market-specific labeling regulations.

In short: it’s not made for packaging.

4. Scattered File Management

Packaging teams need centralized artwork storage, with clear access permissions, references (not duplicates), and full visibility across all projects. Trello can’t store, structure, or share files at scale like a true Digital Asset Management (DAM) system.

What Packaging Teams Actually Need

Just like finance teams use accounting systems and logistics teams use supply chain platforms, packaging teams need dedicated tools. Why? Because artwork development is a workflow of its own—with dependencies, revisions, legal checks, and file reviews.

To manage packaging effectively, you need a system that supports:

• ✅ A packaging-specific approval workflow

• ✅ Visual feedback and side-by-side revision comparisons

• ✅ Centralized file storage (including 3D pack shots, prototypes, and layered artwork)

• ✅ Collaboration between internal teams and external partners

• ✅ Compliance-ready outputs and print checks

That’s where Cway® comes in.

How Cway® Is Built for Packaging Teams

A Smarter Collaboration Tool for Packaging Artwork

Cway® is the purpose-built solution for managing packaging design, artwork approvals, and version control in one place.

Project Management That Reflects Real Packaging Workflows

Built-in workflows match how packaging is actually made. Define tasks, set deadlines, assign roles, and move artwork through a structured, reviewable process.

Centralized File Library (Media Center App)

No more hunting through folders. Cway®’s Media Center App is a digital asset management system where every artwork, pack shot, or design file is accessible, searchable, and shareable—without duplication.

Powerful Viewer and Approval Tools

Open complex artwork files in-browser. Compare revisions side by side. Leave precise, time-stamped comments. Keep a clean audit trail of who approved what, when.

QuickShare for External Partners

Need to send a file to a printer or agency? Drag it into QuickShare and send it instantly. No login or folder access required.

Practical Tips for Moving from Trello to Purpose-Built Tools

Here are some packaging design workflow tips for making the switch:

1. Map Out Your Current Process

Before switching tools, write down your current approval stages, stakeholders, and file types. This will help you configure your new software to match real-world needs.

2. Use a System With Role-Based Access

Cway® allows you to assign roles like supplier, approver, sub-approver, receiver—so everyone sees what they need to, and nothing more.

3. Connect Projects to a Single Source of Truth

Unlike Trello, Cway® integrates projects with your artwork archive. You can start a packaging project from the Media Center, and sync finished files back into it—automatically.

4. Consolidate Feedback

In Cway®, all feedback lives within the file viewer—no scattered comments in email, Slack, or card descriptions.

Conclusion: Trello Wasn’t Built for Packaging — But Cway® Was

Trello is a fantastic general tool—but it simply doesn’t meet the needs of packaging teams dealing with artwork approvals, print specs, and regulatory oversight.

Cway® is the packaging workflow software that brings your entire process—files, feedback, timelines, and people—into one controlled platform. No more guessing, no more scattered cards, no more misprints.

If you’ve outgrown Trello for packaging, it’s time to upgrade.

To keep improving your packaging workflow and collaboration, check out these helpful reads. Learn how to send large files without hitting email limits, explore why a compare tool is essential for packaging artwork revisions, and discover the best online proofing software features in 2025 to ensure you're using the right tools for efficient, accurate approvals.