From approved artwork to print: a packaging supplier handoff checklist
The artwork is approved. Someone now needs to send it to the printer, converter, or label supplier. That handoff may look administrative, but it still involves decisions: which file is authoritative, which component it covers, which production conditions apply, and who can authorize a change?
When the answers are scattered across messages, the supplier has to interpret the request. An approved proof may arrive alongside an older PDF; a technical adjustment may happen after sign-off; the lid may be released while the carton is still under review. Delivery needs to turn approval into a clear instruction.
The checklist below is a suggested workflow for brand, design, and prepress teams. Adapt the criteria to the component and agree on technical requirements with the supplier before release.
1. Identify exactly what is being released
Record the customer, brand, SKU, variant, market, language, and component. “Product packaging” is too broad when an item includes a front label, back label, carton, and insert. Each piece may have a different supplier and deadline.
Imagine a product sold in two sizes. Approval of the 500 ml label should not automatically release the 1 litre version, even when they look similar. Include the internal component code and an unambiguous version identifier. A filename helps, but it must match the project record.
2. Separate sign-off from production authorization
Define who approves the content, who confirms technical requirements, and who authorizes delivery. Marketing sign-off may close the visual review without resolving a prepress issue. Record which stage each person is completing.
The workflow described for eyeView Brands separates approval, making artwork current, and publishing. When considering this workflow for your team, confirm the module's availability for your organization.
Also establish a rule for later changes: if the supplier needs to modify the file, the new version should return to the people designated for that type of change. Keep an informal instruction from replacing the recorded sign-off.
3. Attach the specifications to the delivered file
Provide a short specification sheet covering format, dimensions, substrate, printing process, spot colors, finishes, and the die reference where applicable. Identify which elements are printed and which represent cutting, creasing, varnish, or other operations.
The Ghent Workgroup works specifically on packaging PDFs and processing steps. Use technical references to start a conversation with the supplier, rather than assuming one configuration fits every job.
Turn vague requirements into answers that can be checked. Instead of “use the brand blue,” specify the agreed reference and how it will be assessed. Avoid universal values for bleed, resolution, or ink coverage: ask for limits appropriate to the process and record where the specification came from.
4. Preflight the version that will actually be sent
Run the technical inspection after the final export. Checking the design file does not establish that the delivered PDF preserved the same conditions. Record the profile used, the inspection date, and anything requiring manual review.
Adobe's documentation on preflight profiles explains that an inspection depends on the criteria defined in its profile. Select checks based on the requirements agreed with the supplier.
If a correction or another export happens afterward, repeat the relevant inspection and compare the result with the approved version. Keep the report with the handoff. Give alerts explicit owners and decisions so that an accepted exception cannot be mistaken for an overlooked problem.
5. Check the barcode in its packaging context
If the artwork contains a barcode, confirm the expected data and review its placement. Consider nearby folds, seals, or curved surfaces, and agree with the quality owner on how to check the printed sample.
GS1's guidance on barcode quality includes dimensions, quiet zones, contrast, and positioning among its considerations. Use it as a reference when defining the review.
Record what was assessed in the file and what still needs checking during production. A scan during digital review should not be treated as a guarantee across all printing conditions. Making that distinction gives the recipient a clear next step.
6. Build an unambiguous delivery package
Bring together the production PDF, approved reference, technical sheet, and relevant reports. Identify each document's purpose. If a proof is for reference only, say so explicitly and highlight the file authorized for production.
Use a standard delivery message: component and version, supplier, release date, instructions, outstanding items, and contact for questions. When several components are included, record each one's status. A piece awaiting approval must not appear released simply because it is in the same folder.
7. Close the loop with confirmation of receipt
Ask the supplier to confirm the component, version, and conditions received. Store the response in the project. This creates a checkpoint before preparing plates, starting adjustments, or scheduling production.
If a discrepancy appears, record the question and pause the affected release until it is resolved. Then retain the previous delivery as history and identify the version that replaces it. The team can reconstruct the decision without relying on participants' memories.
A simple routine for your next handoff
Before the next delivery, choose one component and walk through these seven steps with the supplier. Find duplicated information, unclear responsibilities, and files without an approval reference. Improve the workflow around those gaps.
To organize files, comments, versions, and decisions in the same review workflow, explore eyeView. A well-prepared handoff begins with an approval the team can find, understand, and connect to the correct file.
