Nadia Petrov
Nadia Petrov Customer Education Writer at 4OVER4.COM
Question

What is a hard copy proof and how does it work in the ordering process?

Answer

A hard copy proof is a physical sample of your order that is mailed to you for review and approval before production begins, and it plays a specific role in the ordering flow. It is typically offered as an add-on option when you place your order.

  • The online proof posted to your account is used to approve the hard copy proof itself.
  • The hard copy proof is then printed on the real stock and mailed for your in-hand review, typically going out by the next day.
  • You check it in person for print quality, color output, content, and file accuracy, which catches issues while they are still easy to fix.
  • After you approve it, you return it to 4OVER4 for color matching before the order moves into production.

This extra step gives you a real sample to check and a matched reference for the final run.

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