Streamlined workflow for distributed studio - many photographers, external editor?

[0800-grizzly]

Hi,

Trying to get a small but distributed photo studio a streamlined workflow. So far the only photographer uses Lightroom Classic and Photoshop, and raw images are sent to an external editor via Google Drive. After editing the PSDs are sent back via Google Drive, pasted into the same directory as the original raw files. LrC then syncs itself with these, so that the raw files and their edited PSDs are stacked and easily manageable. Before this the photographer LrC laptop is used for culling and image selection with clients.

We are now expanding so that different people would take on different parts, and there will be many photographers. We have earlier investigated collaboration in LrC but learnt that that is a dead end.

Now we have spent some time investigating the Lightroom (CC?) approach. The following is a rough description of our current hypothesis for a new workflow. 

With the risk of submitting a too big question, I would like to invite feedback, criticism and solutions to the following idea :).

IMAGE FLOW and detailed questions:

1. Canon camera(s) -> image.canon -> Lightroom (Photographer account)
       - can one name different cameras, have images sorted accordingly?
       - can images automatically be placed into albums per shoot?
2. Lightroom one album per shoot, share with Editor(s) (Photographer comp)
      - Lightroom Album -> LrC Collection?
      - must one always write out the full e-mail address?
3. Edit in Photoshop from Lightroom (Editor comp)
      - why does edited image not stack up on the original?
4. Photographer reviews edited images in Lightroom (Photographer comp)
      - why do original and edited image(s) not stack up?
      - “Versions” should show versions, but always says “original”?
5. Potential revision loop Photographer -> Editor
      - comment “fix XYZ”, filter on commented images?
6. Final edits Lightroom Classic -> Photoshop (Photographer comp)
      - how to “move” to proper catalog from the “All synced images”?
7. Post production and end storage Lightroom Classic (Photographer comp)
      - how to remove sync when done, store only in LcR? (delete empty from cloud)
8. How to deal with potential re-edit requests?

I have tested the rough steps with two different accounts and "Photography plans". The idea is that each participant would have an own license, but just for what's needed. 

My perhaps main concern is robustness. Will this break due to sync unclarities? Will the co-operation between editor and photographer become chaotic, neither knowing what the other party expects or what has been delivered? Looked at filtering options and thought they could be used, but are they enough?

Also of concern is this statement by Adobe that “Syncing between Lightroom Classic and Lightroom for desktop isn’t recommended.” (https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/sync-faq.html). Isn’t that what the whole syncing topic is about???

Expected volumes are 10-20 shoots per week, 200-300 shots pers shoot, 20-30 images to be edited per shoot.

Sincere thank you in advance.

Rgds,

Carolina