Print proof approval checklist

Before releasing any print job, verify six things in order: the job identity and proof version, the artwork and copy, the technical prepress setup, the color specification, the finishing and construction, and the approval record. Work through them in that sequence — each stage assumes the one before it is settled, and checking copy on a proof that turns out to be the wrong version is wasted effort.

1. Job identity and version

1. Job number and customer name match the order.
2. Proof version is the current one, and every earlier version is clearly superseded.
3. Quantity on the proof matches the quantity ordered, including any agreed over- or under-run.
4. All components of a multi-part job are present — every SKU, size, language and variant.
5. Delivery date and address are correct and achievable from this release point.

2. Artwork and copy

1. Every printed surface is shown: front, back, all panels, inner surfaces if they print.
2. Copy has been read in full against the approved source, by someone who did not typeset it.
3. Names, job titles, addresses, phone numbers, emails and web addresses are current.
4. Prices, dates, sizes, weights and volumes are correct and consistent between panels.
5. Logos are the current approved versions at correct clear space and minimum size.
6. Legal, regulatory and certification text is present, complete and in the required position.
7. Barcodes and QR codes are correct, scannable, with adequate quiet zone and contrast.
8. Variable or personalized fields are shown as placeholders and the data source is confirmed.

3. Technical prepress

1. All images are high enough resolution at final reproduction size.
2. Bleed is present on every trimming edge to the required amount.
3. No live text or critical element sits inside the safe margin.
4. Fonts are embedded or outlined; no substitutions have occurred.
5. Color space is correct for the process — no stray RGB or unintended spot channels.
6. Rich black and registration black are used appropriately; small text is not four-color.
7. Overprint and knockout settings are deliberate, especially on white and light elements.
8. Trapping is appropriate for the process and substrate.
9. Total ink coverage is within limits for the stock and press.
10. Dieline, crease and perforation layers are correct, on their own layer, and set to non-printing.

4. Color

1. The ink build is stated explicitly: process colors, spot colors by Pantone reference including the coated or uncoated variant, and any special inks.
2. Spot colors intended to convert to process are identified, and the customer has been told.
3. Where exact brand color matters, a contract proof or physical sample has been supplied and signed.
4. The customer has been told in writing that on-screen and digital proofs represent appearance, not calibrated contract color.
5. Any known color limitation of the substrate or process has been flagged before approval.

5. Finishing and construction

1. Substrate, weight and grain direction are confirmed and available.
2. Coating or lamination type and sides are specified.
3. Spot UV, foil, emboss and deboss areas are shown with their exact coverage, not merely noted.
4. Registration between print and embellishment has been checked where they interact.
5. Folding, gluing and assembly have been reviewed on an assembled view, not only on the flat.
6. Special features are confirmed: windows, inserts, ribbons, magnets, perforations, seals.
7. Packing and delivery format are agreed.

6. The approval record

1. A named individual with authority has approved — not an unattributed "the client".
2. The approval is tied to a specific, retrievable, unchanged proof version.
3. The approval is timestamped.
4. The scope of approval is stated: what it covers, and explicitly what it does not.
5. All requested changes were either implemented and re-proofed, or formally withdrawn.
6. The record is stored against the job where anyone who needs it can find it.

The final release check

One last step, and it is the one shops most often skip under deadline pressure: confirm that the file going to plate, press or output is exactly the file that was approved. Check the filename, the modification timestamp and the version marker. If any edit was made after sign-off — even a "tiny" one — either re-proof it or record explicitly that the customer authorized that specific change. Every check above depends on this one being true.

How to use this checklist in a shop

Split it by role rather than running it end to end as one person. Prepress owns sections 3 and 5, customer service owns 1 and 6, and the customer owns 2 and the color decisions in 4. Then have one person do the final release check as a distinct, deliberate act — not as part of preparing the files. Separating "prepare" from "release" is a small structural change that catches a surprising number of late errors.

Related reading

Use this alongside what a proof sheet should contain, how to approve packaging artwork online and how to document customer sign-off. For the reasoning behind it, see how artwork approval prevents reprints.