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Module 04 · Client-Ready Deliverables

File Delivery Standards: Formats, Sizes, and Print-Readiness

15 minfocused lesson7practical steps4grounded questions5source links
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On this lesson

Course outline

Delivery is part of the design. A client should know which file to use, be able to open it, and receive evidence that screen and print outputs were checked. Sending an editable link and a folder called final-final-2 is not a delivery system.

By the end of this lesson, you will build a clean handoff package with masters, exports, a file guide, rights notes, checksums, and a print handoff that asks the vendor for real specifications.

// concept

Match the Format to the Job

Use the smallest sensible set:

NeedTypical formatCheck before delivery
Editable vector masterSVG, AI, EPS, or agreed sourcePaths, linked assets, fonts, effects
General document/print proofPDFPage size, bleed, fonts, image resolution, transparency
Web transparencyPNG or optimized WebPPixel dimensions, alpha edges, file size
PhotographJPEG or WebPCrop, color, compression, metadata
Simple scalable web markSVGViewBox, text converted or fonts handled, unsafe content removed
Office usePNG and PDFWorks without design software

Formats are not interchangeable. A PNG does not become print-ready because it is placed inside a PDF. An SVG can contain text or linked resources that render differently on another machine. Keep the editable master in the tool’s native format when the agreement requires it, and export stable versions for everyday use.

// concept

Ask the Printer, Then Preflight

Before final production, request the printer’s page size, bleed, safe area, color mode/profile, preferred PDF standard, image requirements, finishing marks, and black setup. Do not teach a universal 300 DPI + CMYK slogan as if it solves every process. Large-format viewing distance, digital presses, offset work, spot colors, fabric, and flex signage have different requirements.

Check:

  • final dimensions and orientation;
  • bleed and safe area against the vendor specification;
  • effective image resolution at placed size;
  • font embedding or approved outlining strategy;
  • overprint, transparency, and rich-black rules from the vendor;
  • missing links and hidden objects;
  • spelling, phone numbers, URLs, dates, prices, and QR targets;
  • one physical or contract proof before a costly run.

In Canva, use the current download and print guidance and confirm plan-gated options on the official help pages. If the vendor supplies a template, import or rebuild against its actual measurements and return a proof for confirmation.

// concept

Package for Humans

Use predictable names:

// prompt — copy me3 lines
Client_Project_Asset_Variant_Size_v01_2026-07-19.ext
TheekGhar_Identity_Logo_Primary_RGB_v01_2026-07-19.svg
TheekGhar_Print_BusinessCard_90x50mm_v03_APPROVED.pdf

Suggested folder structure:

// prompt — copy me8 lines
01_READ_ME
02_MASTERS
03_LOGOS_PRINT
04_LOGOS_SCREEN
05_SOCIAL_TEMPLATES
06_FONTS_AND_LICENSES
07_PROOFS_AND_APPROVALS
08_ARCHIVE

The README states intended use, color space, dimensions, editable-source terms, font/stock/AI asset rights, contact point, and anything the client must not do. Include a SHA-256 checksum list for high-value packages if you need to prove which archive was delivered; a checksum proves file identity, not design approval.

// worked_example

Worked Example

The corrected package separates the editable identity master, SVG/PNG screen logos, printer-approved menu PDF, lightweight menu proof, social masters, license notes, and signed approval record. The shop-sign folder includes the fabricator’s dimensions and a labelled proof, not a fake assumption that the social artwork can be enlarged.

The designer opens the ZIP on another machine, tests SVG and PDF output, scans the QR code, and checks the printed phone number against the approved brief. The printer returns a proof showing a thin cream line will disappear in production. The line is increased and the revised proof receives a new version; the old approval is not silently reused.

// failure_cases

Failure Cases to Diagnose

7 cases to diagnose

  • Everything is delivered as JPEG

    supply the editable and scalable formats promised in scope.

  • A PDF is assumed print-ready

    inspect its dimensions, links, fonts, images, and vendor-specific production rules.

  • Font files are shared without permission

    include license information and only redistribute what the license allows.

  • A Canva link exposes other work

    use client-specific folders and verify access in a private window.

  • A QR code was never scanned

    test the final exported and printed-size version on more than one phone.

  • The approved file is overwritten

    preserve versioned proof and approval evidence.

  • The ZIP works only on your computer

    extract it elsewhere and open every representative format.

// pakistan_angle

Pakistan Angle

Local print vendors may ask for CorelDRAW, PDF, or another shop-specific workflow. Ask what their current equipment actually accepts, then retain your own standards-based master. Never hand over the only editable source on a USB without a backup. For flex, embroidery, stamps, and economical photocopying, request a proof because thin details and subtle colors often behave differently from a phone screen.

Large email attachments and cloud links can fail on mobile data. Provide a lightweight review package and a separate production archive, record the archive size and checksum, and confirm receipt. Remove private customer lists, phone screenshots, CNIC images, and unrelated client assets before sharing a folder or Canva workspace.

// hands_on

Hands-On Exercise

7 steps

  1. Select one authorized identity or campaign project.

  2. List every intended screen, office, and print use.

  3. Ask a real or simulated vendor for explicit production specifications.

  4. Export only the formats required by the use table and name them consistently.

  5. Create the folder structure, README, rights notes, and approval archive.

  6. Extract the package on another machine or account and test representative files, links, QR codes, and access permissions.

  7. Create and record a SHA-256 checksum for the final archive.

// completion_rubric

Completion Rubric

6 checks — tick as you verify

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// sources

Sources

5 official sources — check every claim yourself

// check_yourself

Check yourself

4 questions · answers and options are taken word-for-word from this course

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  1. 1 / 4 · diagnose

    Your work shows this failure mode: “A PDF is assumed print-ready.” What does the lesson tell you to do about it?