A Practical File Intake Checklist

Overview

File intake is where schedule risk is cheapest to remove. A short, consistent checklist catches the failures that cause reprints: wrong trim, missing bleed, unembedded fonts, unexpected spots, low-res heroes, and finishing constraints nobody recorded.

The checklist should be fast enough for CSRs and thorough enough for prepress. Ideal intake takes minutes, produces a clear pass/fail/waiver, and attaches evidence when customers must revise.

Avoid turning intake into a second design review. You are not redesigning the piece — you are confirming the file can physically manufacture as sold. Content typos are a proofing concern; missing TrimBox is an intake concern.

Pair this checklist with preflight automation. Humans confirm job ticket alignment; software sweeps the PDF structure.

Step-by-step

1. 1. Match the job ticket

   Confirm page count, finished size, flat size, color (4/4, 4/0, spots), stock, and finishing against the estimate. File beauty cannot fix a wrong quote.

2. 2. Check geometry

   Trim size, bleed presence, safe area for critical marks, and consistent page boxes. Flag spreads that need special handling.

3. 3. Check fonts and type

   Embedded or outlined per policy. No missing fonts. Hairlines and tiny knockout type noted if risky.

4. 4. Check color and images

   Output intent / color spaces, spot list vs quote, and effective resolution on key images. Sample covers and product pages.

5. 5. Check finishing constraints

   Verify fold positions, drill clearance, glue lap, and binder thickness against equipment limits before promising the due date.

6. 6. Write the disposition

   Pass to production, return with numbered fixes, or conditional proceed with signed risk. Silence is not a disposition.

Common mistakes

• Only opening the PDF in a casual viewer. Viewers hide boxes, overprints, and separations. Use preflight or Production Assistant for intake-critical jobs.
• Skipping the ticket match. A perfect PDF for the wrong size still fails the customer. Always start with what was sold.
• Checklist theater. Long forms nobody reads are worse than five high-yield checks done every time. Keep the list short and enforced.