The Proofing Page

Proof Summary

This section sits at the top of the Proofing page, and lists the DA and QC assigned to an order. When picking up a proof, it's good practice to start by refreshing the page and double-checking that you are the assigned DA. It's possible to pick up a proof at the same time as another DA, so refreshing the page helps check who is actually assigned to the order. The QC should never QC their own DA work.

Note: The example above is taken from a training order and lists the same DA/QC. On a live order, the DA and QC should always be different.

• Preferred DA - The order is targeted to the first DA who assigned it to themself.

• Preferred QC - The order is targeted to the first QC who assigned it to themself.

• Preferred Team - The order is targeted to a specific team, set by your Lead or Shift Manager.

• Skill Group - The product kind queue.

• Due In - The SLA or the customer’s expected deadline for this order.

Order Summary

Lists important information about the order. For a description of each section, scroll through the Image Carousel above and compare to the list below:

1. SKU - Links directly to the customer-facing Product Details Page (called PDP internally). This can be a helpful resource for DAs when researching a design.

2. Brand/Designer - Can be useful when answering customer questions.

3. Color Scheme - Lists the color scheme chosen by the customer.

4. Foil/Gloss Color - If the item includes foil, the foil color will be listed here.

5. Backer Option - If the customer included a backer, it will be noted here.

6. Format Customization - Lets you know if you are working on a flat or folded card.

7. Paper Customization - Lists the paper type chosen by the customer (occasionally customers will ask to confirm their paper type).

8. Shape - If the customer included a die-cut shape, the shape name will be listed here.

9. Item - If the customer ordered multiple items, the item type will be listed here.

10. Queue - Lists the proofing queue the order belongs to (ex: Standard, Wedding, Etc). We will talk more about proofing queues at a later time.

11. Collection/Design - Lists the design collection an item belongs to.

12. Description - Provides a brief description of the item type.

13. Alternate Greeting - Some designs offer multiple greeting options (Ex: Holiday, Religious, or New Year greetings). This section lists the greeting type chosen by the customer.

14. Proof State - Lists the current proof state of the order. Ex: Pending Assignment, Proof Accepted By DA, Proof Accepted By QC, Etc.

15. Order Date - Lists the date the order was placed.

16. Proof Due Date - Lists the estimated due date of the order.

17. Proof SLA - Lists the Service Level Agreement in days (called SLA internally). The SLA is the estimated proofing timeline provided to a customer when placing an order.

18. Order Number - Lists the proofs associated order number, and links directly to the Order Details page.

19. Customer Info - Lists the customer name and email (not used by DAs).

20. Phone - Lists the customer phone number (not used by DAs).

21. Proof ID - Lists the proof ID, used for tracking and finding proofs.

22. PROD ID - Lists the PROD ID, used for tracking and finding PRODs.

23. Printer - Lists the printer the item will be processed by.

24. Processing Flag - If the order has been flagged or escalated in any way it will be indicated here.

Color Bars

At the top of the proofing page, there could be a color bar. The color bars show the DA special alerts to pay attention to. The common types of color bars are:

1. BLUE
   Other Proofs in Order

2. ORANGE
   VIP Silver, Gold, and Platinum

3. PURPLE
   Custom Foil Text

4. RED
   Escalated order, for the domestic teams only

Processed Flags

If the order has been flagged or escalated in any way it will be indicated here. Each flag is used to indicate different states of a proof. DAs typically only use red, yellow, green, or purple flags.

RED

The DA found a problem with the order and CS needs to contact the customer. The DA cannot currently proof the order.

ORANGE

For circumstances falling outside of other Processing Flags.

YELLOW

CS has contacted the customer and is waiting for a reply.

GREEN

Any issues have been resolved and the order is ready to move forward.

PINK

MBO, Engineering, or customer technical issue is preventing an order from moving forward.

BLUE

Order is on hold because there is an issue with the Affiliate Photographer or the photo is being worked on by the photo editors

PURPLE

Order is parked on extended hold.

Artwork - Original Image

Shows a thumbnail of the original Minted design. This can be helpful to reference when the Customer Preview and Web To Proof previews (below) don't generate correctly. This is also a good reference when deciding if a proof honors the aesthetic of the original design.

Customer Preview (Left) and Web To Proof (Right)

The Customer Preview provides a preview image of what the customer sees on their end when they placed their order.

The Web To Proof preview provides a preview of the editable design templates automatically generated by MBO. Below the Web To Proof preview is a series of green links "PDF JPEG AI/INDD". DAs use the "AI/INDD" link to download and work from the editable files.

Back of Card Previews

Customer and Web To Proof Previews are also available for the Back of Card (BOC). If a customer orders a folded card, there will also be previews and downloadable files for the interior. This example is a flat card and does not include interior previews.

Text Customizations

The Text Customizations are where you can find all customized text entered by the customer (as well as the font, size, and color used).

Type

Under ‘type’, there’s a column listed for where a text box is located:

• base: FOC

• backer: BOC

Text, Size, and Font

When reviewing the customer’s text, always be sure to proofread and check for stock text, which is placeholder text from the original design.

• Comparing the customer’s text to the Original Image preview at the top of the page can be a quick way to check for stock text.

Color

In the last column is the color for each text box. Below each color swatch are the CMYK values. It’s important to make sure that the CMYK values in the WTP file match what you see on the proofing page.CMYK values should be whole numbers. If the WTP file has CMYK values with a decimal, round up the number).

Order Notes

Order Notes are internal notes left by Customer Support, DAs, QCs, and occasionally other teams. It's always important to check the order notes for updates from Customer Support, or a DA/QC who previously worked on the order.

DAs can also use the Order Notes to upload editable files for complex recolors or photo edits, which is very helpful when working on reproof rounds.

Design Requests

Lists any special requests made by the customer. Typically, these requests are for changes that the customer cannot accomplish themselves with the tools in the customizer (CU4). DAs and QCs should always double-check this section and be sure to incorporate any requests the customer has made.

Uploaded Photos

If an order contains photos they will be included here. DAs and QCs should pay special attention to the following sections:

1. Use Original Photo - Generally selected by customers who have worked with a professional photographer, and do not want any edits made to their photographs.

2. Missing Photo Print As Is - The customer has intentionally left the photo blank on a photo design.

3. Low Res Photo Print As Is - The customer is aware their photo is low resolution and would like to proceed with the order anyway.

   1. If the photo is particularly poor quality it is important to leave a Note to the Customer addressing the photo a second time. We will review Notes to the Customer in a separate lesson.