Mark notes
Shift Cards
A practical floor note on shift handover cards so artwork, print and packing stay aligned.
When installers and packers swap over, small details get lost: panel order, branch name, missing squeegees, wrong cut file.
Shift Cards are written for handovers inside production, packing, and fitment teams. They capture the small job facts that often drop between shifts, especially on multi-branch retail work moving through Gauteng, KZN, and the Western Cape.
Details that belong on each card
- Live job name and branch shown
- Panel sequence noted for print and pack
- Cut file name or code listed
- Installer, packer, or buyer role stated
A Shift Card sits with the job card, artwork proof, and packing list, not in place of them. Its job is to carry the current handover details in one visible note so the next person does not work from memory. That matters when vinyl, branch packs, and mark sets are moving together for dispatch.
How Shift Cards slot into trade mark orders for local installers
Shift Cards are used to keep artwork, print, and packing lined up across handovers. A clear card should show the live job name, branch, quantity, and any special finish or dispatch note.
Write the branch name exactly as the order shows, then add quantity, finish, and dispatch method. Different conditions change what must be flagged, from dusty inland fitments to coastal moisture around wrapped packs. In Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and smaller centres, those notes help the next shift read the job without paging through old mail.
Keep the card where production can see it fast, whether clipped to the print batch, added to the pack bench, or filed with the fitment set. A missing note about laminate, panel order, or spare applicators can affect the whole handover. One short card often prevents the branch pack from leaving with the wrong cut pieces.
What the handover note carries
The useful version is short, visible, and tied to the exact job moving through the workshop. It should name the artwork version, the required finish, and any packing exception such as split cartons or branch labels. That gives print, trim, and dispatch one shared reference while the order is live.
Use Shift Cards with related notes when the order includes shopfront graphics, branch marks, or mixed packs. Check the card against the final artwork, quantity, and dispatch labels before courier collection or installer pickup. For examples or specific queries, quote the Shift Card job code in the contact form.
- Branch packs matched to current artwork
- Handover checks logged before dispatch closes
Trade conditions that affect handovers
Shift Cards matter when jobs move between print rooms, trim tables, packing benches, and installer collections near OR Tambo freight routes or industrial nodes. Older site names, revised branch codes, and mixed shop packs create easy errors if nobody records the latest change. Keep urgent replacement pieces separate from the standard branding batch so dispatch can read the difference.
Humidity on the coast can affect how packs are wrapped and stored before fitment. Inland dust and power cuts can interrupt print timing, trimming order, and collection slots. A handover card should note those factors only when they change the production or packing decision.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
How to file a Shift Card
A practical floor note on shift handover cards so artwork, print and packing stay aligned.
Add the card while the artwork revision, branch split, and packing requirement are still current. File it with the job record so the buyer, printer, packer, and installer can all trace the same handover note. On repeat retail work, that single card becomes a useful check against the next branch run.