Print Design Process
Last Updated: 05/08/2026
- Initial Contact
- Design Request comes in
- Assign the base ticket to yourself (you are responsible for the total completion)
- Create a folder titled "Custom Design - OA" in the customer's graphics folder if one of the current year doesn't already exist.
- Create a folder in this folder "2026 [project title] Design" where you will store all related files to this project
- Contact customer to gather information of request, asking for any assets, components, or content we don't have.
- This may require setting up a meeting with them
- You should ask what printer they have in mind, and if their print has a template file you can put the design on to have it print right
- Also ask if they have content for it (if it's a projec that requires it), or if they need us to provide content for it, recommending they provide us what they want.
- If they do not provide specifications for their print, or a printer, you can let them know we will use our standard size (documented below) for that project
- If customer does not provide content for the print material, and it requires it, from the ticket, create a task titled: "[Company Name] - Graphic Design Reqest, content"
- This task should have a description of what content is need with pretty strict specifications (like "need 2 pargraphs about importance of furnace maintenance for this flyer design")
- This task should also have any details about the company or this project that would be helpful for writing the content
- Content
- Assign afformentioned task to content dept, @ commenting them with the details.
- If you can, start creating the base design, ready for when content returns.
- Write the content, send task completed back, @ commenting the designer that assigned it
- First Draft
- If the customer provided a template file, use this to place the design on
- If the customer did not provide a template file for the design, use one of the standard OA print templates (in file server "Graphics" > "Designers" > "Print Design Templates"
- Using one the templates, create your first mockup(s) for the project
- Send your mockup(s) to the customer for next steps
- Mockup should be in jpg or other lossy format, perhaps with a watermark, not a high res or raw file
- Customer Feedback
- After feedback from customer, create edits, and further the design as discussed
- Contact customer with the changes, may require setting up a sort of meeting with the customer on zoom or a call.
- Repeat until the customer agrees to the final design
- Finalize and Submit
- Once customer has approved design, finalize the design.
- Create a "finalized" folder in the project folder
- Make sure to embed the images to the file (Window > Links > Embed Images)
- Save the raw file (.ai) in the project folder
- Save the finalized file in the proper format (.pdf/.tiff/.svg) and any other version of the file that the customer should have.
- If saving as svg or pdf, outline the text in the file (Save a copy before doing this, so there is a version with editable text)
- Make sure all components used and files created for the project are it its project folder in the file server.
- Check the list at the bottom of this page for the required specifications of the project
- Send final email to customer with the raw and finalized file(s), and close the ticket.
Designer
Designer
Content Dept
You may start this if you are waiting on content for the Design
Designer
Mascots and Logos should have 3 options presented as the first draft.
Continue communicating with customer to get resolved designs
Designer
Designer
Import notes
Printable files need the following:
(Such as postcards,brochures,etc.)
- CMYK color profile
- 300 minimum dpi (dots per inch)
Emroidery file need:
(mainly for uniforms)
- Usually need svg format
- No gradients
- No small/tiny text
Standard Size
6in x 4in
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front & back]
Standard Size
11in x 8.5in (Z-fold)
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front & back]
Standard Size
24in x 18in
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front & back]
Standard Size
n/a: mockup only, need specifics from customer's printer to make
Spec
RGB, .png/.jpg, [front, back, left side, right side, + additional angles]
Standard Size
n/a
Spec
RGB, .svg/.ai, [3 initial mockups]
Standard Size
n/a
Spec
RGB, .svg/.ai, [2 initial mockups]
Standard Size
3.5in x 2in
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front & back]
Standard Size
8.5in x 11in
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front]
Standard Size
8.5in x 11in
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front & back (if requested)]
Standard Size
3in x 2in
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front]
Standard Size
3.5in x 8.5in
Print Spec
CMYK, 300dpi, .tif/.pdf, [front & back]
Standard Size
n/a: specific to what article of clothing is requested
Print Spec
If screen print: CMYK, .tif/.pdf
If Embroidery: CMYK, .svg/.pdf