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Artwork & digital proofs
Understand customer artwork, supplied files, the proof’s placement tools, and what to check before approving a side.
Orders → open an order → item artwork → proof
Before you begin
- Use the artwork attached to the intended order item.
- Confirm size, quantity, printed sides, and whether placement or approval is locked for that order.
01Choose the artwork workflow
Open Artwork and storefront controls. For a custom banner, each customer supplies a design. Leave supplied artwork off in Media and print artwork; a gallery example is not the customer’s production file.
- Enable Require customer artwork. Set Printed sides to Front only; the default selection becomes Front only.
- Enable Size, Quantity, Product options, and Create design under Purchase form fields. Keep Material / product label on. Additional options can stay off because this example has no add-on groups.
- Leave Designer patterns off. Those are calibration/print patterns, not the normal customer design-template library.
- Select Save controls. If you want customers to design online, also enable the online designer in the store-wide Storefront Controls settings.
| Control | What it does | In this example |
|---|---|---|
| Require customer artwork | Uses customer uploads or saved designs to create the print artwork. Available for dimension-based physical products. | On |
| Printed sides | Determines whether the product supports a front only or a front and back. | Front only |
| Default selection | Sets the starting side selection when both sides are available. It cannot exceed the sides you offer. | Front only |
| Designer patterns / Patterns only | Offers calibration and print patterns, or restricts the designer to those tools. | Both off |
Check the resultThe Customer choices summary lists size, quantity, product options, and Create design, with front selected by default.
02Know which image you are changing
The same order can involve three different kinds of image. Changing one does not automatically change the others.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Product gallery | Shows examples to shoppers. It is marketing/presentation media, not the customer’s uploaded production file. |
| Supplied print artwork | A ready-to-print file attached to the product for customers buying that design. It cannot be enabled together with required customer upload. |
| Order artwork and proof | The file or saved design selected for a particular order, positioned for that order’s size and sides. |
03Upload and review the actual proof
A product image, an uploaded file, and an approved proof serve different purposes. The proof shows how the order artwork sits within the selected print size. Review the design itself before approving it.
- On an example order, upload the customer’s print file or use a saved design. Open its artwork proof after the preview has loaded.
- Confirm the correct side, 36 × 24-inch print size, and quantity 1. Inspect the actual artwork, not just the file name.
- Use Fit to show the whole design within the print area. Fill / crop fills the area and can remove content at the edges. Stretch changes proportions; avoid it when the design should retain its shape.
- Use the trim guides and zoom to check text and edges. If you change placement, select Save placement. If the design itself needs editing, use Edit in designer when available.
- Only select Approve front once the artwork and placement are correct. For products with a back, review and approve that side too.
Check the resultThe proof contains the correct artwork at the intended proportions. Placement changes are saved, and approval is given only after review.
04Understand the proof tools
Use tools only when the resulting placement is suitable for the ordered product. The print-area proportions and the design proportions are not always the same.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fit | Shows the whole design within the print area. A different aspect ratio can leave space around it. |
| Fill / crop | Fills the area and can crop part of the design. Inspect every edge afterward. |
| Stretch | Changes proportions to fill the area. This can distort artwork or text. |
| Center / Rotate 90° / Flip | Repositions or transforms the artwork. Check orientation and readability after using them. |
| Rotate print area | Changes the orientation of the print area. Confirm the resulting size/orientation is intended. |
| Show trim guides / Zoom | Helps you inspect the cut boundary and details. Zoom is a viewing aid. |
| Lock movement | Helps prevent accidental movement while inspecting the proof. |
| Undo / Redo / Reset | Revises placement edits. Save the final intended placement before approval. |
| Save placement | Persists a changed position or transformation. The button is disabled when there is nothing to save or editing is unavailable. |
| Approve front / Approve back | Approves that side after review. Check both sides when the product includes a back. |
05When editing or approval is unavailable
Available actions depend on the order’s state and permissions. Read the reason shown by the proof viewer before attempting to change it. If the artwork itself needs a revision, use the allowed replacement or designer workflow and review the updated proof before approval.
You’re ready when…
The actual artwork is visible, the right side and dimensions are selected, placement is saved, and approval reflects a deliberate review.
Common questions
Why is Save placement disabled?
There may be no unsaved placement change, or placement editing may be unavailable for this item. Check the on-screen status and restrictions.
Does the gallery image count as the proof?
No. The proof belongs to the order artwork. A product gallery image is an example for shoppers.
Do I need to approve both sides?
Review each required side. A front-only product uses one proof; a front-and-back product needs the corresponding artwork and approval for both sides.
Need help with something specific?
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