A proof is a preview of exactly what will be produced: the final layout, words, colors and size. Proof approval is the moment the customer says yes to that preview, ideally in writing, with a name and a time attached. Until a proof is approved, nothing should be printed, cut or published.
A clear approval protects both sides. The customer gets a chance to catch a typo or a wrong phone number, and the business has a record of what was agreed if questions come up later. Approvals buried in long email threads are easy to lose, which is how wrong versions end up on press.
Say a print shop called Tidewater Tees sends a shirt design to a school booster club. Two parents need to approve it. With one shared email, it is unclear who said yes to which version; with a proof link per person, each approval has a name on it.
In aiKit, Customer Proofs gives each person a private link to pin comments on the exact spot and approve with a checklist and their typed name, saved with the time. No account is needed on the customer's side, and new versions go to the same people with a what-changed note.
Related terms
See it in practice
How to add bleed to a PDF for printing
Add 1/8 inch bleed to a PDF in plain words: aiKit extends the art past the cut, sets the print boxes, checks the file and gives you a proof to approve.
GuideHow to send a proof customers can approve from their phone
Send a design proof as a private link customers open on a phone, mark up with pins and approve with their typed name. No account needed for them.
Use casePrint-ready files for print shops: fix customer art by asking
Fix customer files by asking: add bleed, resize, check, set PDF boxes. Get a print-ready PDF, a file check and a proof link. Free to start.
Use caseOnline proofing for print shops: a clear, signed yes on every job
Send print proofs with cut and safe lines. Customers pin comments and approve by typed name from a phone, no account. Free to start with aiKit.
Use caseVirtual samples for promo products, in every color, with a spec sheet
Put a customer's logo on shirts, caps, mugs and signs in every color, check the decoration, and send a spec sheet and approval link. Free to start.