TIPS ON PROOFING

We can spell check and look at formatting, but you are the expert on your content.  So as the customer, it is important to meticulously check your proof for any possible errors.  Why is this so important?  As soon as the proof is approved by the customer, the artwork will go into production.  If you have not checked the proof thoroughly enough, many small errors could slip through and you will either be left with an incorrect product or forced to spend extra money on reprints.  This article will lay out some of the more common errors made during the proofing process and help you to avoid them.

Before you start proofing, take note of the job number.  This will help you later if you have to call with any questions regarding your order.  Follow these tips on proofing, and you can save valuable time and money.  These are some of the things we do when proofing that you might want to do as well.

Layout:

• Look at the design as a whole.  Do you like the overall look and flow of it?
• Is the size and shape correct?
• Does the proof have the correct number of pages?
• Are the pages in the correct order?
• Are all page numbers in a consistent location?
• Are all margins consistent?

Type:

• Are all fonts correct?  If your company requires a specific font, make sure it has not been replaced.
• Did you check the spelling of every word?  Spell check may not catch all errors.
• Is all grammar correct?
• Is punctuation used correctly and consistently?
• Are capital letters used correctly and consistently?
• Are all abbreviations used correctly and consistently?
• Check all contact information, such as names, phone/fax numbers, and email/web addresses.

Images:

• Do you own the rights to all images and logos being used?
• Is the correct version of the logo used?
• Are all images and logos in the correct location?
• Are all images and logos the correct size?
• Do all images and logos have high enough resolution?

Color:

• Does your company require that you use exact color matches?
• Are all colors correct?

Brand Consistency:

• Is this design consistent with all other marketing collateral used by your company?

Corrections:

• Did you ask for any corrections to be made?  Were they done correctly?
• Are any new corrections needed?  Mark them immediately to avoid forgetting about them.

It is vital to be thorough while checking proofs.  We recommend having at least two people check the proof.  A second person may catch an error the first person missed.  Finally, if anything looks even remotely incorrect, mark it and ask about it.  It is better to ask and be certain it is correct than to ignore it and be stuck with an inferior product or be forced to spend extra money on reprints.