Industry Trends

The 7-Step Checklist I Use for Every FedEx Office Print Order (From an Office Admin)

Look, I manage printing and shipping for a 150-person marketing agency. We order roughly $15,000 annually across maybe 5-6 vendors for everything from business cards to trade show banners. I report to both operations and finance, which means my job is to keep projects moving and keep the accountants happy.

After five years of managing these relationships—and after a particularly painful incident in 2023 where a rushed poster order had a typo that cost us $400 in reprints—I developed a checklist. It’s saved me countless headaches and, I’d estimate, at least $2,000 in potential rework. Real talk: 5 minutes of verification beats 5 days of correction. This is the exact 7-step process I follow for every order, whether I’m using the FedEx Office print and ship center in Seattle near our office or ordering online for delivery.

When to Use This Checklist

This isn't for every single copy job. I use this for any order that matters: client presentations, marketing materials, event signage, or anything going to a vendor or partner. If a mistake would cost us money, time, or credibility, the checklist comes out.

The 7-Step FedEx Office Order Checklist

Step 1: The “Pre-Flight” File Check

Never upload a file directly from a designer’s email. First, I save it locally and open it myself. I’m checking for three things: bleed, resolution, and fonts.

• Bleed: For anything that prints to the edge (like a poster or flyer), FedEx Office (and any printer) needs extra image area—usually 0.125 inches on each side—that gets trimmed off. If your file doesn’t have bleed, you’ll get a thin white border. I learned this the hard way with some business cards.
• Resolution: Images need to be at least 300 DPI at the final print size. A web image (72 DPI) will look pixelated when printed large.
• Fonts: I’m not a designer, so I can’t speak to font licensing. What I can tell you from an admin perspective is to ensure all text is converted to outlines or curves in the PDF. This embeds the font data so it prints correctly on any system. The surprise with our typo poster wasn’t the designer’s error—it was that a font didn’t load on the printer’s RIP software, substituting a similar one that changed a line break.

Step 2: Confirm Physical Specs on the Site

Here’s where I go to FedEx Office’s site and literally build my cart as if I’m ordering. I select the exact product: not just “brochure,” but “8.5x11 Trifold Brochure on 100lb Gloss Text.” I note the price, but more importantly, I confirm three critical specs from their product page:

1. Turnaround Time: Is it “Same Day,” “Next Day,” or “Standard”? For same-day business cards, you usually have to order by a cutoff time (often 2 PM local time at a retail center).
2. File Requirements: I cross-reference their required bleed, resolution, and file format (usually PDF/X-1a is best) with my check in Step 1.
3. Paper/Finish Options: This is the “reed and barton jewelry box” moment. People think the fancy box makes the jewelry better. Actually, the right paper stock makes your print project feel premium. I check if my project needs a sturdy cover weight for letterheads or a synthetic material for outdoor banners.

Step 3: Apply Any Promo Code (But Read the Fine Print)

Yes, I always search for a FedEx Office coupon code. Who doesn’t? But here’s my rule: I apply it before finalizing specs. Sometimes codes exclude certain products like large format printing or same-day services. Dodged a bullet once when a 25%-off code didn’t apply to my order—found out before I committed to a paper upgrade that would have blown the budget.

Also, per FTC guidelines (ftc.gov), discounts should be off a legitimate “regular” price. If a deal seems too good to be true, it might be. I stick to codes from FedEx Office’s own email list or reputable coupon sites.

Step 4: The “Second Screen” Review

This is the most important step most people skip. After uploading my file and selecting all options, FedEx Office’s site shows a proofing screen. I don’t just glance at it. I:

• Zoom to 100% and scroll through every single page.
• Check the quantity: 500 business cards, not 5,000.
• Verify the delivery option: “Pickup at Seattle - 5th Ave” vs. “Ship to Office.”
• Double-check the price with the promo applied.

This is where I caught that we’d selected “Roll” instead of “Flat” for a banner. Would have been an unusable product.

Step 5: Payment & PO Jujitsu

If you’re using a company credit card, easy. If you need a Purchase Order, here’s my hack. In the checkout notes or via a follow-up email to the store, I write: “PO #XXXXX attached via email. Please invoice Acme Corp at [email protected].” I then immediately email the PO PDF to the store’s general email (like [email protected]) and cc our accounting contact. This creates a paper trail. The vendor who couldn’t provide proper invoicing once cost me $2,400 in rejected expenses. Never again.

Step 6: The Pickup or Delivery Prep

For Pickup: I wait for the “Ready for Pickup” email or text. I don’t assume. Then, I bring a copy of the order confirmation and my ID.

For Delivery: I consider the packaging. If it’s a delicate item, I might add a note. This leads me to an odd but useful tip: think about how to put tissue paper in a bag for presentation. If I’m sending printed materials to a client or event, I’ll sometimes ask FedEx Office to insert tissue paper between items like envelopes or certificates to prevent scuffing. They’re a print and ship center—they can often handle simple fulfillment like that for a small fee, which beats me doing it at my desk.

Step 7: The Receiving Inspection

When I get the box or pick up the order, I inspect it before leaving the store or back at the office. I check for obvious damage, color consistency, and trim accuracy. For quantities, I spot-check count. If something’s wrong, it’s much easier to address immediately. I’m not 100% sure about their exact policy window, but I think you have 48 hours to report a production issue.

Common Pitfalls & Final Notes

Don’t assume “Same Day” means 24 hours. It often means “by close of business today” if ordered by the cutoff. Plan accordingly.

Beware of RGB vs. CMYK. Screens use RGB colors; printers use CMYK. Blues and purples can shift. If color is critical, ask if they offer a digital proof for approval (some services do).

Local vs. Online. For complex jobs, I go into the FedEx Office print and ship center. The staff can give real-time advice. For simple reorders of known items, online is faster.

This checklist probably seems meticulous. But in my opinion, that’s the point. Since implementing it, I haven’t had a single failed print job. It turns what could be a stressful task into a smooth, predictable process. And that makes me—and my finance team—very happy.

Price & Policy Note: Turnaround times, pricing, and coupon terms mentioned are based on my experience as of January 2025. Always verify current details on fedex.com/office or with your local FedEx Office.