Printing Job Order Process: From Enquiry to Delivery

A printing job goes wrong when a detail is missing at the start. The customer wanted 300 GSM and the press used 250, or the quantity was agreed by phone and nobody wrote it down. A fixed job order process, whether on paper or in software, solves most of these problems. Here is a process you can adopt in any press.

Step 1: Capture the enquiry properly

Record the customer name, phone number, and what they want in plain words. Ask for the finished size, the quantity, the paper, the number of colours, any special finish such as lamination or numbering, and the date they need it. If the customer has an old sample, note it. Five minutes here saves hours later.

In Nepal many enquiries arrive on WhatsApp. Save the message against the job so the exact wording is never in doubt.

Step 2: Prepare an estimate

An estimate adds up paper, plate or setup, printing, finishing, design and delivery, plus your margin. Keep the estimate with the date, because paper rates move. State what is included, how many proofs, and how long the quote is valid. Mention VAT at 13% clearly if it will be added, so the customer is not surprised on the invoice.

What a good estimate lists

• Size, paper type and GSM
• Quantity and colours
• Design charge, if any
• Finishing such as folding, binding, lamination or die cutting
• Delivery or pickup
• Advance required and balance terms

Step 3: Approval and advance

Do not start until the customer confirms in writing, even if it is a WhatsApp reply. Take an advance for larger jobs, especially for custom paper or work you cannot reuse. Once approved, the estimate becomes the job order with a unique job number that follows the work everywhere.

Step 4: Design and proof

Attach the artwork and ask the customer to approve the proof. Spelling mistakes in Nepali names and addresses are the most common reprint cause, so ask the customer to read every line. Record who approved the proof and when. A reprint caused by an approved error is the customer's cost, while an error you introduced is yours, and the record shows which is which.

Step 5: Production and stages

Break production into stages your team recognises: plate or film, printing, cutting, folding, binding, packing. Update the status at each step. This gives the counter an instant answer when the customer calls, and it shows the owner where jobs wait. Note the paper actually used and any spoilage so stock stays accurate.

If part of the job goes to another press for die cutting or foil, record the vendor, the date sent and the date back. Outsourced work is the stage where jobs most often go missing.

Step 6: Delivery and billing

Print a delivery challan and get a name and signature on receipt. For partial deliveries, record what went and what remains. Then issue the invoice, adjust the advance, and show the balance. If the customer takes goods on credit, the amount belongs in their ledger immediately.

Special cases that need extra care

Some jobs deserve extra fields on the job card. Repeat jobs should link to the earlier order so the same paper, colour and size are used, and the customer's sample should be kept physically with a job number written on it. Rush jobs need an agreed price for the faster delivery, written on the estimate, because overtime and lost machine time are real costs. Jobs with customer supplied material, such as paper or garments for printing, must record exactly what was received and in what condition, so a damage claim can be settled calmly.

Seasonal peaks bring their own risk. During wedding season or before a major festival, dozens of orders arrive with the same deadline. A simple board of jobs sorted by promised date, with the status of each, lets the owner see early which jobs will be late and decide whether to outsource, add a shift or call the customer.

Handling changes after approval

Customers often change their mind after approving. Record each change as an amendment on the same job with the date, what changed and the extra charge if any. Do not overwrite the original specification. When the amended job is invoiced, the customer can see the reason for any difference.

Step 7: Follow up on payment

A job is finished only when it is paid. Review unpaid invoices weekly. A short WhatsApp reminder with the invoice number and balance is usually enough. Keep the tone polite and the figure exact.

Using software to enforce the process

All of the steps above can be done in a notebook, but notebooks cannot remind, search or total. Software holds the same record and adds job status, paper deduction, customer ledgers and reports. Our printing press software follows exactly this flow and can be configured to your stages. For customer reminders, see how bulk SMS and WhatsApp software can help you contact many customers at once.

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