How do I prepare my print shop’s job tickets and customer proofs for a buyer?

Job tickets are the shop’s memory. A buyer reading them can see what you make, how you price and how often jobs go wrong. Start by checking that tickets, proofs and invoices line up. Gaps raise questions you would rather answer before the buyer asks.

Organize by customer first, then by date. Mark repeat jobs and note the specifications that matter: stock, size, colours, finishing and any special instructions. A new owner reprinting a customer’s brochure should be able to find everything needed without calling you.

Proofs carry sensitive material, because they can hold customer names, pricing and unreleased designs. Show the buyer a few examples with details removed at first, and hold the full set until you are close to an agreement. Take your customers’ expectations about confidentiality into account. Check that files are backed up and that you know where every one lives, whether in the shop’s system, a cloud account or someone’s own computer. Gather those into one place, with a short note on how it is organized. Note which customers often ask for rush work or last-minute changes, since those jobs show where errors creep in.

Key takeaways

• Make sure every ticket, proof and invoice can be matched.
• Share details-removed samples first and hold full customer files until the sale is firm.
• Collect files scattered across computers and accounts into one backed-up place.
• Keep a log of what you showed the buyer and when.