A supplier sends a packaging PDF, you approve the design, and production begins. Before the finished packs leave China, you still need a way to confirm which version was printed and what checks were completed.
Give each approval a clear purpose. The design file records your instructions. A physical sample shows the manufactured result. A barcode report addresses the barcode submitted for testing. Keep those records connected to the product and batch you intend to ship.
Confirm the sales channel requirements first
Ask the intended retailer or distributor for its current packaging and product-data requirements before fixing the design. Record who supplied them and when. If the retailer requests a particular barcode report, confirm the report type and the material that must be tested.
Allocate responsibility for the barcode number and product details. Ask who will supply the number, check that it identifies the intended item and approve its use on the pack. Resolve these questions before the supplier builds a print file around information that is still provisional.
Approve one identifiable artwork file
Use a file name and revision number that everyone can refer to in writing. Include the product reference, approved dimensions, language, colour instructions and the date of approval in the order record. Name the person who can approve later changes.
QualityInspection.org's discussion of project communication recommends controlled documentation and formal records of changes between teams.
Ask the supplier to acknowledge the exact file. If a designer changes the barcode position after approval, issue a new revision and obtain a fresh confirmation. Keep the earlier version marked as superseded so it cannot be mistaken for a production instruction.
Separate design, printing and packing work
Ask each provider to name the work covered by its quotation. Preparing a print-ready file, making a physical proof and applying the finished packaging are separate assignments. Confirm which files or samples you receive and which changes are included.
Changing the sleeve dimensions may affect the print proof and assembly work. Identify which provider prepares the revised files, produces the proof and packs the goods. Record the affected work and ask for the revised cost or schedule before authorising it. Keep excluded design, printing or packing tasks visible in the order record.
Compare the printed sample with that file
Agree which physical checks you need and who will perform them. QIMA's inspection overview includes artwork and labels among its example checks. Your own inspection instructions should specify the work being requested.
The following is a fictional approval record for a printed storage-box sleeve. It illustrates a useful format, not a completed Jeton order.
| Item | Approved instruction | Result to record |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork | Sleeve revision 04 | File used for production |
| Finish | Matt finish on the reference sample | Finish on the printed sample |
| Product text | Buyer-approved wording | Any spelling or layout difference |
| Barcode | Buyer-approved number and position | Number and position on the sample |
Record photographs against the sample reference. If the finish differs, ask the supplier to explain the change and obtain a decision before approving the batch. A photograph approval should identify exactly what the buyer accepted.
Arrange barcode verification for the appropriate sample
GS1 South Africa describes checks of barcode size, colour, print quality and numbering. It prefers samples in their final form and provides interim or final reports depending on the material tested. See its barcode verification service.
Confirm the required submission with the verification provider. Keep the report alongside the artwork version and sample reference. If the supplier changes the print or packaging after testing, ask the provider whether the existing report still applies.
The person checking carton quantities may need different instructions and equipment from a specialist verifying barcode quality. Specify both assignments when both are required.
Close the approval record before dispatch
Check that the order file contains the accepted artwork, physical sample decision, any required barcode report and the supplier's confirmation of the production version. Write down unresolved differences and who will decide them. Link the accepted batch to the carton information used for China consolidation.
For buying support, send your product details, packaging file and South African destination. Prepare a buying enquiry while the artwork or testing arrangements are still being settled. Identify which design, printing or packing work you want included.