How to Handle Misprints/Damaged Labels/Surplus Labels - Best Practice

Note. This Article is also published under the Printer - Printing & QA section: How to Handle Misprints/Damaged Labels/Surplus Labels - Best Practice

There are a few things that can go wrong during a print run. At times, it may be that a few codes of a workorder cannot be used; other times, it may even be that an entire workorder has problems. 

Reasons why some or all labels of a production run cannot be used:

• The ScanTrust Secure Code was printed with the wrong dimensions. If so, please visit this article: What Size should the QR Codes have?.
• There were some issues with the printing equipment.
• There were issues with the substrate.
• There were issues with the glue.
• There were issues with the ink.
• There were issues when cutting the labels.
• There were issues with another feature on the same label.
• The storage facility got flooded, and the labels were soaked.
• ...

Whatever the reason was, the same work order should NEVER be reprinted. 

ALWAYS: 

If an Entire work order needs to be replaced, do this: 

1. The printer should inform the Brand that an issue has occurred

2. Printer provides the workorder ID to the Brandowner

3. The printer sends the codes.csv file of the work order to Brand

4. Brand blacklists all codes in the workorder - see article: Blacklisting (Individual & Bulk)

5. Brand archives the work order.

6. Brand has to create a new work order for the same quantity.

7. Printer processes the work order as required, ensuring to avoid the previous issue is avoided. 

 

If Parts of a work order cannot be used, do this: 

1. The Printer should inform the Brand that an issue has occurred.

2. Printers scanning/recording every label. Some printers have capabilities to scan codes in their facility and record that information into a file that can be shared with the brand owner, so there are a couple of ways.

3. The Printer provides the information on all the codes that were faulty to the Brandowner.

4. Printer provides the information of all the codes that can be used to the Brand Owner.

5. If the printer does not have scanning equipment, for low volumes, the Scantrust Enterprise can be an alternative. 

6. Brand blacklists all - see article: Blacklisting (Individual & Bulk)

7. Brand to create a new work order for the missing quantity (if required)

8. Printer processes the work order as required, ensuring that it avoids the previous issue 

Surplus Labels

With printing, like with any other production or manufacturing environment, a wastage percentage is usually built into the process. That means that if everything works extremely well, there may be as much as 20% extra codes created. Brand and Printer should agree on a process for handling these surplus productions. For one, to warrant the integrity of the secure codes, but also to protect the environment by mindfully utilizing the consumed resources. In most cases, the following may work well: 

Permitted delivery volume = order volume plus/minus 10%

Example: 

• Brand places an order for 1M Labels
• Brand specifies delivery flexibility of plus/minus 10%
• The printer generates codes for 1.1M labels (1M +10%)
  - If the printer can only provide 900K labels brand will accept the delivery and only pay for 900 K labels (i.e., due to quality issues)
  - If the printer manages to print 1.1M labels perfectly, the brand will accept the delivery and pay for 1.1 million labels
• In all cases, we strongly recommend that ALL codes not delivered be blacklisted (especially if the codes are 'active upon completion')