When a repeat packaging order changes, the revision may seem minor: a logo file is updated, an insert
gains a language, a case color changes, or a new product variant is added. But a purchase order can
contain several products and several printed or assembled components. If the email says only “use the
latest artwork,” a buyer and supplier may not know which file applies to which line or which order should
use it. A small change log turns that instruction into a traceable decision: what changed, who approved it,
and when it takes effect.
Keep product identity separate from artwork version
Start from the ordered item, not the attachment name. Record the buyer’s SKU or model, colorway,
relevant lens or finish option, packaging component, and purchase-order line. Then identify the artwork
revision separately. A product identifier describes what is being ordered; a file revision describes the
content to print or include. Combining them in one free-text label makes repeat orders harder to compare.
For eyewear, a line-by-line eyewear SKU and colorway matrix can help identify the product configuration.
Use the change record to say which carton, case, cloth, label, sleeve, or insert is affected. If one
component is common to several SKUs, list each affected line rather than assuming the supplier will infer
the scope.
Log one change at a time
Give each request a unique ID and capture a few fields: component, previous revision (or “first issue”),
requested revision, reason, requester, approver, date, affected SKU or purchase-order lines, and intended
first order or lot. Add a file reference to the source artwork. Keep original and revised files distinguishable;
avoid naming both merely “final.”
If three changes arrive together—new care wording, a logo adjustment, and a barcode update record
them as separate entries, even if they will be released in the same proof. This makes it possible to
approve the wording while holding the logo, or to understand later which decision changed. Record
whether each entry is requested, under review, approved, rejected, or superseded. An attachment should
not silently change its status.
Make approval specific
A proof can show placement, copy, dimensions, or layout, but approval should state exactly what was
checked. For example: “Approved for text and placement on the digital proof; color and physical fit not
evaluated.” That keeps a narrow review from becoming a broader claim. If color, material, fit, assembly, or
barcode verification matters to the order, assign that check to the right person and record the result
separately. Do not imply that a digital proof confirms a printed result.
Before release, confirm that the approver has authority, the selected file matches the change record, and
open comments are resolved. When a buyer supplies translated or approved copy, preserve its source
and approval owner rather than silently rewriting it during layout.
Set the effective order
Approval date and effective date are not always the same. A file may be approved after some packaging
has already been ordered or printed. State the first purchase-order line, shipment, or lot that should use
the new version, and agree what happens to work already in progress. Do not assume leftover cartons
can be reused or must be discarded; that decision depends on the buyer’s instructions and the item. If the
cutover is uncertain, mark it as a hold and ask for direction before production release.
A supplier’s receipt of the release is another useful record. Note who received the approved file and when.
This acknowledgement closes the gap between “approved” on the buyer’s side and “available” to the
people preparing the order.
Close the handoff
Before a repeat order moves forward, keep a compact release pack: current product-line matrix, approved
artwork files, change log, proof status, sample status if applicable, effective purchase order or lot, and
unresolved exceptions. Mark obsolete files as superseded without deleting the history. A short handoff
summary can point to the current versions and name the owner for questions. This helps when different
people handle buying, artwork, quality checks, and dispatch.
A change log will not prevent every mismatch. Its purpose is to make applicability and approval visible
before they become assumptions: which component changed, which product lines are affected, what
evidence was reviewed, and when the new version begins. That small discipline gives both sides a clearer
starting point for the next repeat order. Keeping that record current also makes later questions easier to
answer without relying on someone’s memory of an old email.