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Guide · 5 min read · updated 2026-10-23

Artwork approval form: free template and fields

An artwork approval form is the customer’s written yes to one version of a proof. It protects both sides: the customer knows exactly what will be made, and you have a record if the finished item is questioned. Below is a free template you can copy, what each field is for, and when a form stops being the right tool.

Free artwork approval form template

Copy it into a document, an email or your order notes. It works on paper, as a PDF, or pasted into a reply.

ARTWORK APPROVAL FORM

Order number:            ______   Line item: ______
Customer name:           ______
Product and variant:     ______
Quantity:                ______
Artwork size:            ______   Position: ______
Colours / material:      ______   Finish: ______
Proof version:           v__      Date sent: ______

Please check spelling, colours, size and placement.
The item will be made exactly as shown in this version.

[ ] Approved as shown
[ ] Changes requested:
    ____________________________________________

Approved by: ______   Date: ______

What each field is for

  • Order number and line item. An order can hold several custom items. Naming the line stops one approval being used for the wrong item.
  • Product, variant and quantity. The customer approves the item, not only the picture. A proof that is right on a mug can be wrong on a poster.
  • Size, position, colours and finish. These are the details most often disputed after production, so they belong on the form in words, not only in the image.
  • Proof version and date sent. Everyone can name the version they mean. A change creates a new version and a new form.
  • The approval statement. One plain sentence that says what checking the box means. Keep it short enough that people read it.
  • Decision and change notes. Approved or changes requested, never both. Notes go with the version they refer to.
  • Name and date. Who said yes, and when, so the approval can be matched to the right version later.

How to use it, step by step

  1. Prepare the proof. Show the artwork as it will be made, in its final size and position.
  2. Fill in the form for that version. Order, line, product details and version number.
  3. Send the proof and the form together. One message, one version.
  4. Wait for a clear decision. “Looks great” is not an approval; a ticked box or a written “approved, version 2” is.
  5. File it with the order. Production should be able to find the approved version from the order alone.

The full workflow, including what to check before production, is in a proof approval workflow for custom orders.

When a form is not enough

A form works well for a few orders a week. It gets harder when many small jobs arrive each day: forms are sent as attachments, replies land in different threads, and someone has to match each yes to the right order line by hand. That matching is where mix-ups happen, usually when a revision crosses with an older approval.

At that point it helps to keep the approval where the order is. Upproof does this inside Shopify: the customer uploads on the product page, you publish the proof to that order line, and the customer approves a version on a private link without an account. A new version retires the old link, and the approved version is checked against the order before production. If you are comparing apps, read artwork proofing for Shopify stores first.

Questions

What is an artwork approval form?

A one-page record that the customer has seen a specific version of a proof and agreed it can be made. It names the order, the product details, the version and the decision, so there is no argument later about what was approved.

Does an artwork approval form need a signature?

For most custom-product shops a dated, written approval of a named version is enough: an email reply, a ticked box on a proof page or a signed PDF. Larger or regulated jobs may need more; check what your own terms and customers expect.

What should happen when the customer asks for changes?

Make the change, send it as the next version with a new form or link, and treat the earlier version as closed. An approval only ever applies to the version it names.

Can I use the form with Shopify orders?

Yes. Put the Shopify order number and the line item on the form so each approval belongs to one item. With Upproof the same record is kept for you on the order line, and the customer approves on a private link instead of a document.

Keep reading

Upproof adds artwork upload and versioned proof approval to Shopify product pages. See it in the Shopify App Store or read how approval works.