What this is
What is an artwork approval record?
What is an artwork approval record?
It is the sign-off gate that new or amended packaging artwork must pass before it is released to print, covering technical accuracy, practical print checks and commercial or customer approval. It sits upstream of the label verification carried out later on the line, which checks the printed result rather than the design.
Why is this treated as a singleton alongside the running product register?
Each product carries one current, live artwork approval, superseded by the next when a change is made. Keeping it as a maintained record rather than a one-off event lets later templates, including label verification, link back to a specific approved version instead of a point-in-time form.
What is the difference between technical and practical checks here?
Technical checks confirm the content is correct against the current recipe and regulation — ingredients, allergens, nutrition, claims. Practical checks confirm the artwork will actually work as a physical label — barcode scans, print legibility, date code position — which is a separate failure mode from getting the content right.
Scope
When is an artwork approval record required?
This is the pre-print approval gate for artwork, not the line-side check that the printed label matches it. Using it to cover the later check, or skipping it because a change looks minor, breaks the trail between what was approved and what actually reached the line.
Use this template when
- New artwork is being created for a product, or existing artwork is being amended in any way
- A recipe, legal requirement, customer request or design refresh has triggered a labelling change
- The workspace is being set up, or the register needs an artwork entry added or retired
- A linked change control record needs this approval to exist before it can close
- An old artwork version needs to be formally withdrawn and destruction of remaining stock recorded
Do not use it for
- Label Verification Record, which checks the label actually applied on the line against this approval, run repeatedly at changeover — this record only covers approval before print.
- Date Coding Verification, which is the dedicated check that date and batch coding is present, legible and correctly positioned on the running pack.
- Packaging Material Inspection, which inspects incoming packaging material for physical damage and print quality, not artwork content.
- Allergen Changeover Check, which manages segregation and cleaning at changeover — a different control from what the printed artwork itself declares.
- Anything outside KnowQuality, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process.
Compliance mapping
Which BRCGS cl.5.2 requirements does this satisfy?
BRCGS cl.5.2 requires that label and packaging content be verified and approved before use. Applied to artwork specifically, that means before print rather than after, which is what this template's sections are structured to enforce.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| BRCGS cl.5.2 | New or amended artwork is checked against the current recipe, not the specification alone | Technical check |
| BRCGS cl.5.2 | Allergen and nutritional declarations are verified before the artwork is approved | Technical check |
| BRCGS cl.5.2 | Claims are substantiated and legal review is completed before release | Technical check |
| BRCGS cl.5.2 | Barcode, print legibility and date code position are confirmed on a proof or printed sample | Practical check |
| BRCGS cl.5.2 | Technical and commercial approval, and customer approval where required, are recorded before release to print | Approval |
| BRCGS cl.5.2 | The superseded artwork version is withdrawn from stock once the new version is released | Approval |
| BRCGS cl.5.2 | Any nonconformance found during approval is actioned rather than waived through | Approval |
What it does not cover
- All Approvals Complete, which shows Partly, means artwork can still be released to print on an assumption that the missing sign-off will follow.
- Old Version Withdrawn From Stock, which shows Partly, leaves the previous allergen declaration available to be picked and used by mistake.
- Checked Against Current Recipe, which shows Against Specification Only, means the artwork was verified against a document that may already be behind the recipe in use.
- Customer Approval Received, which shows Pending while Released To Print shows Yes, sends artwork to print ahead of a sign-off the record itself marked as required.
- Legal Review Completed, which shows Partly, is not a lower-risk version of complete; it is an open legal exposure carried into every pack printed against this artwork.
Global
Artwork Approval Record requirements by country
The BRCGS clause is the same wherever this runs, but what an approval gap actually exposes downstream depends on where the artwork ships.
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, the Food Information to Consumers Regulation
Fixes the mandatory particulars — ingredients, allergens, nutrition, origin, claims — that Technical Approved By and Legal Review Completed exist to check before print.
An artwork approved against specification only, rather than the current recipe, is an FIC compliance gap the moment it is printed, not just an internal quality miss.
Natasha's Law (Food Information Amendment 2019) and retained FIC regulation
Requires full ingredient and allergen labelling on prepacked-for-direct-sale food, making the allergen and ingredient fields in Technical check enforceable rather than advisory.
Approving artwork with Ingredient Declaration Verified answered No, or skipped, is the exact gap the law targets, regardless of how the rest of the pack looks.
FALCPA and the FASTER Act; FTC guidance on unsubstantiated claims
Sets which allergens must be declared and constrains what marketing claims can appear on pack without substantiation.
Claims Substantiated marked Partly is not a commercial nuance in the US market — an unsupported claim on approved artwork is a direct FTC exposure once printed and shipped.
How to complete it
How to complete an artwork approval record, step by step
The fields are straightforward to fill in. What decides whether the approval actually protects anything is the judgement behind a handful of them.
Checked Against Current Recipe offers Against Specification Only as a middle option, scored above a flat fail. That is only defensible when the specification is known to be current; treating it as an acceptable default rather than an exception is how a stale allergen declaration gets approved cleanly.
Commercial Approved By is not required in the same way Technical Approved By is. Filling it in should never be read as covering technical accuracy — the two approvals check different things, and All Approvals Complete should not turn to Yes on the strength of one alone.
Customer Approval Required and Released To Print are independent fields with no hard block between them in the form itself. Whether a Pending customer approval actually stops print is a process decision the team has to enforce, not something the record does automatically.
Old Version Withdrawn From Stock and Old Stock Quantity Destroyed are the two fields that decide whether a superseded artwork can physically resurface. A Yes without a witnessed destruction count is a claim, not evidence, when it is checked later.
What auditors find
Most common artwork approval record findings
These are the patterns that show up repeatedly across sites running this approval, not every possible failure mode.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| All Approvals Complete is marked Yes while Customer Approval Received still shows Pending. | BRCGS cl.5.2 | Block All Approvals Complete from reading Yes while any required approval is Pending or unanswered. |
| Checked Against Current Recipe is regularly answered Against Specification Only rather than confirmed against the live recipe. | BRCGS cl.5.2 | Require sign-off from whoever owns the current recipe before technical approval can be recorded. |
| Old Version Withdrawn From Stock is left at Partly across multiple approvals for the same product. | BRCGS cl.5.2 | Treat an open withdrawal as blocking the next artwork change for that product until it is closed. |
| Destruction Witnessed is left blank even when Old Stock Quantity Destroyed has a value entered. | BRCGS cl.5.2 | Make Destruction Witnessed mandatory whenever a destroyed quantity is recorded. |
| Claims Substantiated is marked Partly and the artwork proceeds to release regardless. | BRCGS cl.5.2 | Route any Partly answer on claims to legal review before Released To Print can be set. |
| Change Control ID is left blank on amendments that clearly followed a change request. | BRCGS cl.5.2 | Link this record to the change control record before the approval can be closed. |
Case in point
Case in point: the approval that outran the recipe change
A recipe change swapped one supplier's flavouring for another's, adding a milk trace the old one lacked. The artwork request arrived on schedule, and technical approval was recorded as Against Specification Only, since the specification document hadn't caught up yet. Every other field was answered correctly.
The artwork printed clean and ran for three weeks before the specification update caught up and the mismatch surfaced. Nothing was falsified — the answer was honest — but it was treated as equivalent to a recipe check rather than flagged as the exception it was.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
4 sections
- Reference
- QUA-090
- Archetype
- Record
- Record ID
- ART-2026-000
- Scoring
- Approvals complete
- Direction
- High is good
- Singleton
- Yes
- Basis
- BRCGS cl.5.2
- Links
- Links Product register, Change control
- Tags
- Labelling, Artwork
- Sections
- 4
- Fields
- 47
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 5
Header
13 fieldsApproval ID*
Auto sequence. Format ART-2026-000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Completed By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Caught At Artwork Costs Nothing
The same allergen error found at proof stage costs a reprint, found at retail costs a recall. Every checker signs for what they checked, not for the whole thing.
Product*
Product ID*
Links to FDN-022 Product Code
Artwork Version*
Change Type*
New product, recipe change, legal change, customer request, or design refresh.
Supersedes Version
Change Control ID
Links to QUA-069 Request ID
Technical check
9 fieldsChecked Against Current Recipe*
- Yes3 pts
- Against specification only1 pt
- No0 pts
Ingredient Declaration Verified*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Allergen Declaration Verified*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Nutritional Data Verified*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Nutritional Data Source
Analysis is stronger than calculation. Calculation from supplier data is acceptable if the data is current.
Shelf Life Statement Correct*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Claims Substantiated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Legal Review Completed*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Country Specific Requirements Met
- Yes3 pts
- Not applicable3 pts
- No0 pts
Practical check
6 fieldsBarcode Verified*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Print Area And Legibility Checked*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Date Code Position Confirmed*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Proof Checked Against Artwork*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Printed Sample Approved*
- Yes3 pts
- Pending1 pt
- No0 pts
Colour Standard Approved
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Approval
19 fieldsTechnical Approved By*
Commercial Approved By
Customer Approval Required*
Customer Approval Received
- Yes3 pts
- Pending1 pt
- No0 pts
All Approvals Complete*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Released To Print*
- Yes3 pts
- Held1 pt
Old Version Withdrawn From Stock*
Superseded labels left in the store are the mechanism by which the old allergen declaration comes back.
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Old Stock Quantity Destroyed
Destruction Witnessed
- Yes3 pts
- Not required3 pts
- No0 pts
Artwork File
Document ID
Format DOC-0000.
Links to FDN-008 Document ID
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Technical*
Signature*
Quality Manager*
Second Signature*
QUA-090 · record IDs look like ART-2026-000 · Links Product register, Change control
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The approval itself is a snapshot. What actually breaks is the handoff after it — old stock left uncleared, a customer sign-off still pending when print runs anyway — none of which a static form enforces on its own.
Links each artwork approval to the product register and the change control record it came from, and flags when a superseded version is still marked as available rather than withdrawn.
Tracks destroyed and remaining quantity of the old artwork version against stock records, so a Yes on withdrawal reflects what's actually gone from the store.
Confirms the named technical and commercial approvers hold current authority to sign, and that a customer approval marked required was actually sought from the right contact.
Surfaces approvals sitting at Partly or Pending across every product before they age into a release decision, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a live record.
This template lives in KnowQuality — quality and food safety. HACCP, nonconformance, traceability, laboratory and customer complaints.
Meet KnowQuality→Glossary
Artwork Approval Record definitions and key terms
- Artwork approval
- The sign-off gate confirming new or amended packaging artwork is correct and authorised before it is released to a printer.
- Technical check
- Verification that artwork content — ingredients, allergens, nutrition, claims, legal marks — is accurate against the current recipe and applicable regulation.
- Practical check
- Verification that the artwork will function as a physical label: barcode scan, print legibility, and correct positioning of variable data like date codes.
- Change control
- The linked record documenting why an artwork change was requested, distinct from the approval record that documents whether the resulting artwork was checked and signed off.
- Withdrawal
- The formal removal of a superseded artwork version from stock and use, closed out with a recorded and, where required, witnessed destruction of remaining material.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about artwork approval record
Does this record cover what actually gets printed on the line?+
No. This is the approval gate before print. Whether the printed label matches what was approved here is checked separately and repeatedly by the label verification record run at the line.
Can commercial approval substitute for technical approval?+
No. They check different things — technical checks content accuracy, commercial checks fitness to sell — and both fields are tracked independently for that reason.
What happens if customer approval is required but not yet received?+
Customer Approval Received should read Pending or No, and artwork should not be released to print on the strength of a required approval that hasn't arrived, even though the form does not force that block automatically.
Why does withdrawing the old artwork version matter this much?+
A superseded label left in the store carries whatever the old specification said, including an old allergen declaration. If it gets picked and used by mistake, the new approval did nothing to prevent the error it was meant to close.
What is the difference between checking against specification and against recipe?+
The specification is a document that can lag behind an actual recipe change. Checking against the recipe in current use catches a change the specification hasn't caught up with yet; checking against specification alone can miss it.
Is this a one-off form or a maintained record?+
It is a singleton per product: one live, current approval, superseded by the next when the artwork changes again, so later records can link back to a specific approved version rather than a point-in-time form.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Allergen Management
Product and SKU Register
Holds every product and pack format you make, with its specification, allergens, shelf life and customer
Certificate of Analysis Review
Checks the certificate supplied with a material against the agreed specification
Allergen Changeover Check
Confirms the line is clear of the previous allergen before the next product runs
Glass and Brittle Plastic Register
Lists every item of glass or hard plastic in production areas, with its location and condition
Label Verification Record
Verifies that the label on the line matches the specification for that product, covering allergens, claims, dates and barcodes
Rework Instruction Record
Sets out how a specific batch is to be reworked, what checks apply and who authorised it
More in Packaging and Labelling
Label Verification Record
Verifies that the label on the line matches the specification for that product, covering allergens, claims, dates and barcodes
Date Coding Verification
Verifies date and batch coding is present, legible, correct and in the right position
Packaging Material Inspection
Inspects incoming packaging for damage, contamination, correct print and food contact compliance
Packaging Reconciliation Record
Reconciles packaging and label quantities issued, used and returned at the end of a run
Seal Integrity Test Record
Records seal strength, burst or dye testing on packs, with the result against specification
Pack Weight Control Record
Records average and individual pack weights against legal and specification limits
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety, cl.5.2 (Labelling)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Food Information to Consumers Regulation
- Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019, Natasha's Law
- FALCPA (2004) as amended by the FASTER Act (2021)
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.