Define the approval package
Bring the product list, quantities, relevant variations, branding proof and packing configuration into one referenced package. Each file should have a clear name or version identifier. If a separate name list controls personalisation, identify that list explicitly rather than attaching an unlabeled spreadsheet whose contents may change later.
Clarify the boundaries of the decision. Approving a visual layout does not necessarily approve a quotation, delivery arrangement or substitution. Record which items are accepted and which remain open. This prevents a design sign-off from being interpreted as permission to proceed with every commercial or operational assumption in the project.
Review details at the right scale
Ask reviewers to check names, spelling, language order, logo version, placement and relevant dimensions. Where possible, review a proof that communicates actual size rather than relying on a small screenshot. A design that looks balanced on a phone can still contain text that becomes hard to read on the finished item.
Assign one person to consolidate feedback. Different departments can contribute, but the production contact should receive one resolved instruction set. If comments conflict, keep the decision open until the responsible approver resolves them. Silence in a group conversation should not be treated as approval unless a clear agreed process explicitly establishes otherwise.
A hypothetical version-control problem
Imagine a company reviewing sixty personalised notebooks. Version one has the correct logo but an outdated department name; version two fixes the department but accidentally uses an earlier recipient list. This is a hypothetical example, not an actual production case. Approving “the latest design” would still leave uncertainty about which name list should be used.
The coordinator creates a final package identifying the corrected proof and the checked recipient-list version. The approver confirms both references and the quantity in one record. Earlier versions are marked superseded. If a later spelling correction arrives, the coordinator records the change and requests confirmation of its effect before replacing the approved package.
Keep the record useful after production starts
Store the accepted package where the responsible team can retrieve it, with access appropriate to any personal data. Record the approver, date and any conditions. Keep subsequent changes as new entries rather than silently editing the original record, so the team can understand why the final item differs from an earlier draft.
A Brandkom catalogue shortlist can supply product references for the package, while the final proof and scope confirmation complete the approval. At receipt, use the same accepted references for inspection. This connects selection, production and handover, and gives repeat orders a clearer starting point without assuming that old prices or availability remain current.
Before you move forward
- Identify every file in the approval package.
- Separate approved details from open conditions.
- Consolidate feedback through one responsible owner.
- Record the approver, date and accepted versions.
- Keep later changes visible as separate decisions.
Common questions
Is approval of a product picture enough?
Usually it leaves important details unresolved. Include the exact product, variation, branding proof, quantities and relevant packing or personalisation references in the decision.
What if someone requests a change after approval?
Record a new change request and confirm its effect with the responsible parties. Do not silently overwrite the accepted version or assume production can absorb the change.
Ready to turn the brief into a shortlist? Explore the catalogue or start a project in Brandkom’s free Gift Design Studio.