Filing incoming emails before production

[Maxie]

We have a system where the sales staff transfer emails to graphics, we have two or three designers working at the same time and don't know in advance who is going to work on a particular order.
I need a way to save incoming mail so that each designer can open the order they work on even though it was not sent to their mailbox.
I could open a gmail account and have everything go through there.
Any ideas?

[Lizard]

This is how we do it.  All incoming orders go into one in box.  From there order entry people drag the email into the orders folder.  All orders should have an identifier in the subject line such as po number.  When art gets the order they just need to look in the orders folder to find art and information about the order.  All proogs are sent out through our proof email so we only have to check that in box for approvals.  Everyone has access to the orders folder.  All art people have acces to the proof email.  Everyone is on the same page.

[Gilligan]

Would you mind elaborating?  We are trying to fine tune our processes and this is one place we have always struggled.

What system are you using?

Where is this "order folder"?

[Maxie]

Gilligan beat me to it.
Do you have a separate mail account for each of these with everyone having access?
Thanks for the info.

[Lizard]

All of our email accounts are IMAP.  email is stored on our web server.  The orders folder is in our general email as a created folder.  All computers (that need access) have the general email account.  Once the art comes into the general inbox and is printed/processed into an order it gets dragged into the orders folder in that email account.  Art guys search that folder for art.  When proofs are ready they send from that email back to the customer.  Art department computers are setup so when sending from this folder the email is going out from our Proofs@ email.  When proofs are approved or need changes the reply comes back into our Proofs@ email.  Every couple of hours our art guys scan through the proofs@ looking for responses to proofs.

This way our general inbox is always empty or close to empty and no orders get missed.  Any art person can find the art they are looking for.  Proofs inbox is only for looking for proofs and related information.  No emails ever get deleted and clutter is minimal.  Our production team rarely use their personal email.  Only if asking questions NOT pertaining to specific orders.

[Maxie]

is printed/processed into an order it gets dragged into the orders folder in that email account

Toby, thanks for the info, when you drag into the orders folder do you have one folder or do you open folders for each job?

[Lizard]

One orders folder in the email system. Art and proofs are in the customer's folder on the server.

[Maxie]

Is the customers folder on the server a mail folder or a graphics folder?
Do you have customer folders in the email account?

[Lizard]

No customer folders in email. Once art dept. downloads the art files it is organized on our in house s to ver by customer then another folder for each job.

[BRGtshirts]

We do it a little different...  Our order entry/sales people download the artwork files to our central 'Customer Art' folder on our in-house server. They note the folder location and then send the work order to the art department. Art dept. pickups up the job, goes to the networked folder and pulls up artwork. Customer info is on the work order and so artists know who to email. As long as the system is followed and good info sent to our network folder it works out very nice. 

Yes, artists have to type in the email addresses and manually open the artwork, but overall it keeps the two departments independent.