Guide
What to include in a custom order form
A custom order form should record who the customer is and how to reach them, what is being made, the specifications that change the result, when it is needed, and anything said in the conversation that is not obvious from the rest. If someone who was not there could make the item from the form alone, the form is complete.
Why the form matters
A custom order has no catalog entry to fall back on. Whatever is not written down lives in one person's memory or in a message thread. The form is where the order stops being a conversation and becomes something the shop can produce, check and hand over.
The fields
Who
- Customer name. The person or company, and the contact person if they are different.
- Email and phone. At least one way to reach them for questions and to say the work is ready.
What
- Order title. A few words that identify the job on a shelf or in a list: "Race day T-shirts", not "Order for Sam".
- Description. The job in full sentences: what it is for, what the customer supplied, what you will do.
The specifications
A spec is one detail that changes the result. Give each its own line so none hides inside a paragraph. Most custom work needs these five:
- Size. With units. For several sizes, the count of each.
- Material. Specific enough to order: weight, thickness or grade.
- Color. A reference where one exists, not only a color name.
- Quantity. The total, and it should match the size breakdown.
- Finish. How the item is completed, packed or installed.
Add the lines your trade needs: mounting for signs, hardware for furniture, the fault reported for repairs.
When
- Order date. The day the order was taken.
- Needed by. The due date the customer gave you. If it depends on their approval of a proof, say so in the notes.
Everything else
- Notes. Pickup or delivery, who to call, what was promised on the phone.
- Terms. Your own conditions, if you print them on your orders.
- Signature and date. The customer's confirmation that they read the details as written.
Example
The custom order form template has these fields. Its Load example button fills in the case below.
| Business | Example Print Shop |
|---|---|
| Order number | ORD-2087 |
| Order date | April 5, 2027 |
| Customer | Riverside Run Club (Sam Ortiz) |
| [email protected] | |
| Phone | 555-0142 |
| Order | Race day T-shirts |
| Description | Two-color front print of the club logo, one-color sponsor list on the back. Artwork supplied as vector file; proof needed before printing. |
| Size | S × 20, M × 45, L × 40, XL × 15 |
| Material | 100% cotton, mid weight |
| Color | Navy shirt, white and orange ink |
| Quantity | 120 |
| Finish | Folded, boxed by size |
| Needed by | April 23, 2027 |
| Notes | Pickup by the customer. Call Sam when the proof is ready. |
This is invented sample data. The business, the customer and the order do not exist.
Note that the sizes add up to the quantity (20 + 45 + 40 + 15 = 120), and that the description says a proof is needed before printing.
Common mistakes
- Specifications inside the description. "About 100 shirts in the usual sizes" cannot be produced. Split it into lines with numbers.
- A quantity that does not match the size breakdown. Add it up before the customer leaves.
- A color name without a reference. "Blue" means different things to the customer and to the printer.
- No due date, or "as soon as possible". Write a date, even an approximate one, and confirm it.
- Changes agreed later and not written down. Update the form or attach a note with the date.
Limits
An order form records what was asked for. It is not a quote or an invoice, and the template has no prices. A signature line on a printed form is a handwritten confirmation for your files, not an electronic signature; what it means between you and your customer depends on your own terms. This guide is not legal advice.
Use the template
Build yours with the custom order form template. When the job needs the customer to approve a design, the next step is getting the artwork approved.
Common questions
What information should a shop collect before starting a custom order?
Who the customer is and how to reach them, what is being made, the specifications that change the result (size, material, color, quantity, finish), the date it is needed, and anything the customer said that is not obvious from the rest.
Should a custom order form have a customer signature?
A signature line gives you a record that the customer saw the details as written. It is a handwritten confirmation for your files; this site does not say what legal weight it carries.
How detailed should the specifications on an order form be?
Detailed enough that someone who was not in the conversation could make the item. If two people could read a line and produce different results, add the missing measurement, color reference or material.