PSD Layer Comps: Match Exports to Approved Designs

An opening file can still export the wrong design

If one PSD contains several poster designs and exported images mix an old heading with another design's product position, first check the relationship between layer comps and the current image. Once visuals generated in Flux Art (https://flux-art.net/en) enter Photoshop, organizing multiple designs is an external editing workflow. Mixed-up exports do not require regenerating the product image. Treat the approved design, layer comp and final file as three separate objects, each with a version record. A correct current screen establishes only the current document state, not that every saved comp has been updated.

List approved designs instead of guessing from comp names

Keep an approved preview for every required design. List the product version, heading, price or other approved wording, key positions and items that must be hidden. A comp named Final does not necessarily match the latest approval; similar comp names particularly require content comparison. Save a PSD copy first. Do not update every comp in bulk or delete old comps just to tidy the list. Unapproved explorations may remain in the working file, but explicitly exclude them from the final export list so the export tool does not treat every state as finished work.

Know which properties a comp records and which it does not

Adobe explains that layer comps can record layer visibility, position, appearance and the layer comp selection within Smart Objects. The properties selected at creation determine what is saved. See https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/desktop/create-manage-layers/create-layer-compositions/create-and-manage-layer-comps.html . A comp is not a complete backup of arbitrary editing history, nor does every comp have an entirely independent set of pixel assets. Check the properties actually selected and retain source-file versions. The table below lists review fields, not actual software-test results. Mark unknown property states as awaiting evidence.

Apply each comp before comparing it with approval

Start by applying one comp and compare the product, heading, background, badges and hidden helper layers with that design's preview. Do not rely only on the thumbnail or selected row; inspect the image actually restored. If positions or styles do not change as expected, check whether they were recorded and whether shared content changed afterward. Identify the specific comp and mismatched property before correcting a copy. Repeatedly clicking different designs until the image happens to look right does not establish a reproducible state.

Update only the state you have confirmed

Identify the comp to update, make the approved changes, inspect the current image and then update that record. Changes to shared layer content may affect several designs, so list the affected scope and recheck each design, not just the one being edited. If designs require truly independent content, address that through the project's editing structure; comp names do not guarantee isolation. Preserve the pre-change PSD and approved previews so errors can be traced back to a known state instead of repeatedly overwriting one file until the starting point is lost.

Hypothetical example: an old comp restores an old layout

Suppose a designer moves a product to the right, obtains approval and then exports all layer comps directly. One comp restores the original position. This is not a test or a real customer record. Check whether the movement was saved to that particular comp and whether the comp records position. Do not conceal the mismatch by manually renaming exports, or rename a different correct comp and call the problem fixed. After correction, reapply the target comp and confirm that it produces the approved content without temporary manual adjustments before exporting.

A cleared warning does not prove complete restoration

Adobe's documentation notes that deleting, merging or converting layers referenced by a comp may trigger warnings, and the original state may no longer be fully recoverable. Record the specific issue first and consult the corresponding source and approved preview. Clearing a warning is not an automatic repair. Missing content must be restored after confirmation, or a responsible person must approve a new state. Leave unsupported designs pending. For nested Smart Objects, also check the actual internal comp selection rather than only the outer document name, so the internal design matches the external layout.

Verify exports against designs, not just file counts

Export approved designs to a separate output directory and record the PSD revision and comp behind each result. Open every final file and check the heading, product, hidden layers, boundaries and dimensions. Confirm that no old price, review box or unapproved version has slipped in. Equal numbers of files and designs are insufficient: two identical images can have different filenames. Work backward from each output to the design list, recording missing items, duplicates and mismatches separately. Keep unverified exports apart from approved final assets.

Retain state evidence with the delivery records

Keep the source, approved previews, comp names and recorded property scope, final files and exception records. When delivering an editable project, separately check links, fonts and other dependencies. This topic addresses multi-design states only; it cannot replace project-integrity acceptance. Flux Art-generated content can be used commercially. Confirm rights to input materials and fonts separately. This article does not claim that the platform outputs native PSDs or includes layer comp management. Without an actual customer-project test, record only the method and cases awaiting execution; do not portray comp export as a guarantee of zero rework.