Prepare a clear print delivery with the requested PDF settings, artwork checks, revision names, and job notes before sending large files online.
Published · Updated November 2, 2026 · 5 min read
A successful print delivery starts with the printer's specification, not a generic export preset. Confirm what the production team needs, prepare the approved artwork, and use FileFlap to send the final package with clear job instructions.
Confirm the finished size, page count, binding or finishing method, and whether the printer wants individual pages or spreads. Ask for its preferred PDF settings, bleed requirements, color handling, and any template specific to the product. A business card and a folded booklet can need very different preparation.
Do not add crop marks or convert colors simply because a tutorial says to do so. Follow the printer's instructions and keep an editable source copy so you can make corrections without rebuilding the design.
Inspect the exported artwork
Open the exported PDF rather than checking only the design document. Look for missing images, shifted text, unwanted blank pages, and incorrect page order. Inspect small text and important graphics closely. If artwork should reach the edge, check that its coverage matches the requested bleed area.
Confirm the page dimensions and orientation.
Review spelling, dates, contact details, and version-specific content.
Check that images remain clear at the intended printed size.
Inspect any special finishes or separate production layers with the printer.
Make sure the filename identifies the approved revision.
A screen preview is useful for layout checking, but it is not a guarantee of the final printed color. Agree on the proofing process when color, material, or finishing is important to the job.
Separate production files from reference copies
Place the final production PDF in an obvious folder and label reference images or mockups separately. If the printer asks for native files, use your design application's packaging workflow and include only resources you are permitted to distribute. Explain any missing or restricted dependencies.
A short job note should include the project name, quantity, finished size, revision, and production contact. For example, identify Brochure_Print_v05.pdf as the production file and Mockup_Reference.jpg as a visual explanation rather than printable artwork.
Confirm receipt before production begins
After uploading, send the link and ask the printer to confirm that the correct file opens. Keep approval separate from delivery: downloading a file is not approval to print it. If you send a correction, use a new revision name and explicitly withdraw the earlier version from production.
Should I compress the PDF to make delivery easier?
Keep the production quality the printer requested. Aggressive compression can remove useful image detail. A transfer link lets you deliver a larger approved file without reducing it just to fit an email attachment.
Use one production authority
When a designer, account manager, and printer are all involved, decide who can approve the final artwork. A comment from one reviewer should not accidentally become permission to start production. Put the revision number and approval status in the delivery message, and make the printer's next action explicit: inspect, proof, or produce.
If the job includes several items, list them individually. A brochure, insert, and packaging label may have separate quantities and finishing instructions. Match each instruction to an exact filename. Do not bury a quantity change in a general message about uploading new artwork, where the production team might overlook it.
Review the proof as a separate step
Compare the proof with the approved artwork rather than relying on memory. Check page order, trim-related placement, small text, and any special finishing indicators. If a physical proof is part of the agreed workflow, record what it is intended to establish. A layout proof and a color proof answer different questions.
Gather corrections into one clear list where practical. Conflicting messages from several reviewers increase the chance that one change is missed. After corrections, check the replacement proof against both the previous version and the change list. Approval should refer to the specific revised proof, not a general statement that the earlier comments were addressed.
Handle late changes transparently
If production has already begun, contact the printer before sending another file and assuming it will replace the current one. Identify the affected job and revision immediately. The printer needs to tell you whether the change can still be incorporated and what it means for the schedule or material already produced.
For changes made before production, issue a new complete artwork revision when that is the clearest approach. State whether all earlier files are superseded. Keep the previous release for reference, but do not leave several competing production files in a folder labeled approved without explaining which one is active.
Archive the actual production package
After the job is complete, retain the files that were actually used, the corresponding specifications, and the approval record. Working design documents alone may not reproduce the final export if fonts, linked images, or settings later change. Store the approved production PDF separately from experiments and drafts. For a repeat order, confirm whether the same specification still applies and whether any content needs updating. A previous successful print is valuable evidence, but a new order still needs a clear filename, quantity, and confirmation of the intended version.
When you send files to clients, include the purpose of the delivery and identify the file to open first. FileFlap provides the handoff; your instructions give the package context.
