Confirm the job before designing
Start with where the design will be used. A post, brochure, pack and outdoor sign each need different files. For print, ask the vendor for final dimensions, bleed, the confirmed dieline and finishing instructions before you build the layout.
Save those specifications with a date. If the dimensions change later, create a new version and check every panel again. Resizing an old file is not always enough.
Lock copy and hierarchy
Get the copy approved before the final export. Check names, pack quantities, contact numbers, prices and required declarations. The client’s relevant specialist needs to approve technical or regulatory wording.
Look at the artwork at its real size. Can you read the small text? Does the heading make sense? Is the contact detail easy to find? A large mockup on screen can make tiny text look more readable than it is.
Check colour and assets with the vendor
Use the approved logo file, ideally a vector. Avoid rebuilding it from a screenshot. Ask the printer about CMYK, spot colours and finishes; the colour you see on a screen is not a print proof.
Ask for a physical or digital proof when colour and fit matter. Check image resolution and make sure the vendor has the fonts and linked assets needed to open the job correctly.
Make the final review specific
Compare the export with the approved master. Check front and back panels, folds, safe areas, barcode placement and the space reserved for batch details. Ask the vendor to test barcode readability for the actual size and material.
Choose one final approver and keep the approval with the version it refers to. A date and version number are easier to track than a folder full of files called “final”.
Deliver an organised package
- Approved export in the agreed format
- Editable source files if included in the scope
- Confirmed dimensions and finishing notes
- Linked assets and font information where permitted
- A preview for orientation, clearly separated from print artwork
- Version number, approval date and vendor contact
Keep a copy of the approved master before making later changes. An organised handover helps avoid confusion, but the printer still needs to complete its own technical checks.
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