Client Requests Changes After Approval: What to Do Next

When a client requests changes after approval, first establish what has already happened to the approved file. A request before a print job is released is different from one received after production has started.

Download the change-request record (PDF) · Download the editable record (RTF)

The record keeps the original decision, new request, production status and revised proof connected. It is a workflow aid, not a replacement for your agreed terms.

Start with this decision path

• Has the job been released to production? If no, confirm with the person responsible that it is held while the change is assessed.
• Has it been released, but you do not know whether work has started? Contact the supplier immediately. Ask for current status and whether a pause is possible; do not assume your email has stopped the job.
• Has production started or finished? Ask what options remain and what they mean for cost and delivery. Confirm the client’s choice before arranging further work.
• Will the file change? Create a new version, make the agreed edit and obtain a decision on that exact version before treating it as approved.

Supplier procedures differ. For example, Printing for Less asks for an electronic record of changes and explains that some changes become unavailable at particular production stages. Check the actual job rather than applying another printer’s policy.

1. Preserve the approved file and its decision

Keep the original file unchanged, along with the approval record and specification. A later change does not erase what was previously approved. Avoid replacing the contents of a file named “final.pdf” while leaving its old approval attached.

Use a new filename or revision identifier that the team can distinguish. The artwork approval form shows which references to retain.

2. Write down the requested change

Ask the client for the exact wording, image, page or element to change. Record who requested it and when. If the request is “use the other logo”, obtain the actual logo file and confirmation of which version is intended.

Separate the request from the decision to proceed. The client may want to know the impact before choosing, and a designer may need a production contact to confirm what remains possible.

3. Confirm the practical impact

Record the supplier’s response and the next action. Depending on the job, the change could require another proof, fresh production work or a revised delivery commitment. Give the client confirmed information rather than an estimate presented as a promise.

If the team needs to agree additional work or a changed schedule, capture that agreement through its normal process. Keep the commercial discussion distinct from approval of the revised artwork.

4. Issue a fresh proof with a change summary

Name the revised file and list the edits. For example:

Revised proof: sample-cafe-menu-v04.pdf. Page 1 lunch price changed from £12 to £13 at the client’s request. Please check the price and the full proof, then confirm the decision for this version. The previous approval relates to v03.

This is a fictional example. It shows how a small wording change can be made traceable without a long explanation. For larger rounds, use the design revision tracker.

5. Record the new decision and release instruction

Once the appropriate reviewer approves, save that decision with the new file. Tell the person handling production which version to use and what has been agreed with the supplier. A proof approval and an instruction to resume production are related steps, but they may have different owners.

If more edits are requested, keep the proof in review. “Approved if you change…” still leaves a changed file that has not received an explicit final decision.

A reply you can send to the client

Thanks for flagging the change to [file/version]. I will confirm the current production status with [supplier/owner] and whether the job can be held. Please send [specific detail needed]. Once the options and any cost or delivery impact are confirmed, we can agree the next step. If we revise the artwork, I will send a new proof for approval before treating that version as signed off.

For the next review message, use the revised-proof email template.

Build this exception into your normal process

Agree at the start who can request changes, who authorises them and who communicates with production. A clear artwork approval workflow makes the original decision easier to locate when an exception arrives. It also makes it easier to explain what the new decision needs to cover.