Delivery INC for Mac: Software Overview and User Guide

Source: Love Mac  |  Software download link: Delivery INC for Mac

Delivery INC is a digital asset management (DAM) and delivery tool designed specifically for creative professionals. It is deeply integrated into the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem, especially After Effects, aiming to automate and streamline the review, version management, and final delivery workflows for video and motion graphics projects. This guide will provide a detailed introduction to its core interface, complete workflow, and operational tips.

I. Detailed Explanation of the Software’s Core Interface and Workspace

The interface design of Delivery INC is clean and efficient, mainly divided into the following core areas:

1. Top Navigation Bar: Contains standard menu items such as “File,” “Edit,” “Project,” “Window,” and “Help,” as well as a display of the current project name.
2. Left Project Panel: Displays the complete hierarchy of the project in a tree structure. It typically includes:
   • Project Root Directory: Displays the project name.
   • Version Groups: Different iteration versions of the same shot are grouped and displayed together.
   • Submission Items: Specific video, image, or document files.
   • Annotations and Tasks: Feedback information attached to submission items.
3. Center Preview and Review Area: This is the core workspace, used for playing videos, viewing images, and zooming the canvas. The top features a playback control bar (play/pause, frame stepping, loop playback), and the right side usually displays frame numbers and timecodes.
4. Right-side Information and Annotation Panel:
   • Metadata Panel: Displays technical information about the selected file (resolution, frame rate, codec, etc.) and custom metadata.
   • Annotation Panel: Displays all feedback points in a timeline or list format. Each annotation can include drawing marks (such as arrows, circles), text descriptions, assignees, and status.
   • Task Panel: View and manage to-do items related to the project.
5. Bottom Status Bar and Output Queue: Displays processing progress. When performing batch exports or uploads, the queue panel pops up here, showing the status of each task.

II. Complete Workflow: From Creating a Project to Final Export

1. Create or Open a Project

Steps:

1. Launch Delivery INC. If this is your first time using it, you will enter the welcome screen. Click the “New Project” button.
2. In the dialog that appears, enter the project name, select a storage location (local or a connected server), and optionally set templates such as the initial frame rate and resolution.
3. To open an existing project, go to the menu bar “File” > “Open Project” (shortcut Cmd + O), then navigate to the project file (usually stored as a .deliveryinc or a specific folder structure) and select it to open.

2. Import Media and Create Submission Items

Steps:

1. In the left project panel, right-click the project root directory or target folder and select “Import Files” or “New Submission Item”.
2. A more common integration method is: after completing the composition in After Effects, use the “Delivery INC” panel (plugin required) to directly click “Submit New Version”. This will automatically render and import the current composition into the Delivery INC project as a new version.
3. After importing, the file will appear in the project panel. Click the file and the central preview area will load it for review.

3. Review and Add Annotations

Steps:

1. Play the video in the central preview area. Use the Spacebar to play/pause, use the J / L keys to rewind/fast-forward, and use the arrow keys (left/right) to move frame by frame.
2. Pause at the point in time where you need to add feedback. Click the “Drawing Tools” in the upper right corner of the preview area (such as arrow, rectangle, freehand pen) to mark up the screen.
3. After that, the annotation panel on the right will automatically activate. Enter your specific feedback text in the text box.
4. You can assign an owner to the annotation (selected from associated team members) and set the status (such as “To Do,” “Approved,” or “Needs Revision”).
5. Click “Save Annotation” or simply press Cmd + S, and the annotation will be pinned to the current timecode and displayed in the annotation list.

4. Version Management and Comparison

Steps:

1. When an updated version (e.g., V2) of the same shot is imported, Delivery INC will automatically group it with the previous version (V1) into the same “version group.”
2. Expand the version group in the project panel and select two version files at the same time.
3. Right-click and select “Compare Versions” or use the menu command to enter side-by-side comparison mode. You can view differences side by side or stacked, and scrub in sync.

5. Export and Delivery

Steps:

1. In the project panel, select one or more submission items you need to export.
2. Go to the menu bar “File” > “Export” (shortcut Cmd + E).
3. In the export settings window that appears:
   • Select the output format (e.g., QuickTime ProRes, H.264, image sequence, etc.).
   • Configure parameters such as the codec, resolution, frame rate, and color space. The software usually provides preset delivery templates (e.g., “Web HD,” “Theatrical Package”).
   • Specify the output folder.
   • You can choose whether to include a watermark or embed a notes report (generating a PDF containing all feedback).
4. Click “Export.” The task will be added to the output queue at the bottom, where you can monitor its progress. Once the export is complete, the file will be saved to the specified location.

III. Advanced Tips for Common Features

1. Custom metadata fields: In the project settings, you can create custom metadata fields (e.g., “Lens Number,” “Client Name,” “Production Stage”) to add structured information to each submission for easy searching and filtering.
2. Smart collections and filtering: Using the search bar and filters, you can quickly locate files by status, assignee, tags, or custom metadata. You can save frequently used search criteria as “Smart Collections.”
3. Deep integration with Frame.io: If your team uses Frame.io, you can upload submissions directly to Frame.io projects from Delivery INC, enabling seamless connectivity between local review and cloud collaboration.
4. Batch operations: Hold the Cmd key to select multiple non-contiguous files, and hold the Shift key to select a continuous range of files. Once selected, you can change statuses, assign owners, or export in bulk, greatly improving efficiency.

IV. Common Issues and Solutions

V. Keyboard Shortcuts Summary (Mac Version)