A Creative Asset Delivery Checklist That Prevents Missing Files

A successful handoff lets the recipient use the right files without reconstructing your work process. Before sending a link or archive, decide what they need to publish, what they may need to edit, and what they should keep for reference. Then inspect the package as if you were receiving it for the first time.

Confirm the request

• Every agreed placement is listed: website, email, social, print, or another destination.
• Required sizes, formats, languages, and variants have been checked against the current request.
• The approved copy and visuals are known; open review decisions are resolved or clearly noted.
• The person receiving the package and the delivery route are confirmed.

If the brief changes after export, update the list before delivery. A checklist based on an old request can make an incomplete package look complete.

Inspect the files

• Every export opens and displays correctly.
• File dimensions and formats match the intended placement.
• Names distinguish variants and versions without relying on “final2.”
• The package contains no unapproved drafts that could be mistaken for release files.
• Any editable source that should be delivered opens with its expected software.
• Third-party components may be shared with the recipient under their actual licenses.

Do not assume that a ZIP file is correct because its contents looked right before compression. Open the archive or shared folder through the same route the recipient will use.

Write a short map

The delivery note should say what each file is for, which version is current, and where to ask questions. For the fictional Harborfield Coffee example:

Current approved set: v03
Website header: harborfield_header_wide_v03.webp
Square social post: harborfield_social_square_v03.png
Editable source: 02-source/harborfield_campaign_v03.svg
Please use the exports in 04-delivery for publishing.

This is a teaching sample, not a real client handoff. A real note may also include the agreed license, attribution, print specification, or expiration date if those terms actually apply.

Check access and follow-up

• The recipient can open the link without access they do not have.
• The package has a sensible folder structure rather than a single unsorted dump.
• Any access expiry is communicated before it happens.
• A contact route exists for missing or unreadable files.
• The sender knows which package version was delivered and when.

For sensitive or private materials, confirm the recipient and sharing permissions before sending. A public link may be convenient, but it may expose files beyond the intended audience. The exact sharing method should match the project's privacy needs.

Do a recipient test

Ask someone unfamiliar with the package to locate the approved website image, its editable source, and the usage note. If they hesitate, improve the map or filenames. The goal is not a perfect-looking folder tree; it is a package that answers practical questions quickly.

Continue: Help someone find the right file and troubleshoot files that will not open.