*Order Validation: Artwork, Order Flow, and Testing*
This guide outlines the technical flow, the validation steps you (the Brand) must perform, and how to verify your final print artwork.
Before launching your customization program to the public, you must verify the entire lifecycle of an order. It is not enough to simply see the product on the screen; you must confirm that the screen configuration successfully translates into a shippable production file.
1. Order Flow
Understanding how data travels from your customer's screen to the factory floor is the first step in successful testing. Unlike standard products, a custom product relies on a "Recipe" to tell the manufacturer what to create.
Step 1: Context & Product Selection (PDP)
When a customer lands on a product page, the VU script looks at the Shopify Variant ID.
The Connection: The system matches the specific Shopify variant (e.g., "Red / Large T-Shirt") to a specific VU Template.
Key Validation: If a customer selects "Blue" in the Shopify dropdown, the Customizer must immediately switch to the "Blue" product view.
Step 2: The "Handshake" (Add-To-Cart)
When the customer clicks "Add to Cart" inside the customizer:
VU generates a unique, single-use string called a Recipe ID.
This ID (along with a thumbnail image) is injected into the Shopify Cart as a Line Item Property.
Property Name: You will see this in the backend as
recipe_id
If the _recipe_id is not present on the line item in the cart, no artwork can be generated. The order will process as a standard blank garment.
Step 3: Payment & Ingestion (The Trigger)
VU utilizes a "listener" that monitors your store for orders.
The Trigger: VU only ingests orders when the Shopify status reaches Paid. Unpaid draft orders will not appear in the VU OMS.
Rejection Logic: The system will reject an order if mandatory data is missing (e.g., missing Shipping Lines, missing
recipe_id, or missing Variant data).
Step 4: Production (Artwork Generation)
Once imported, the VU system reads the Recipe ID and triggers the Artwork Engine. This engine rebuilds the customer’s design file in high resolution (vector/raster) according to the print specs configured during implementation.
2. Phase I: Testing the Customizer Experience (UI/UX)
While the VU team handles the initial setup, the Brand is responsible for the final sign-off on the user experience. You know your product standards best.
Perform the following visual and functional checks for every product template:
✅ Zone & Logic Checks
Print Areas: Do the boundaries of the printable zone match your actual production limits? (e.g., Is the user correctly stopped from dragging a logo onto the collar or seam?)
Safety & Bleed: Are the safe zones clearly visible? Does the system warn the user if text is too close to the edge?
Layering: Test multiple elements. If a user adds a background pattern and text, does the text sit on top of the pattern as expected?
✅ Asset Verification
Clip Art & Images: Verify your specified gallery images load correctly and have transparent backgrounds where appropriate.
Fonts: Check that all custom fonts render correctly, including special characters if your market requires them.
Colors: Compare the on-screen fabric colors to your physical samples. Ensure the hex codes provided match reality as closely as possible.
✅ Mobile Validation
Perform a complete design session on a mobile device to ensure buttons, modals, and drag-and-drop gestures are smooth and touch-friendly.
3. Phase II: Validating the Order Data
Once the visual design is correct, you must prove the technical integration is working by simulating a purchase.
How to Test:
Place a Real Order: We recommend running a live credit card transaction (which you can refund later) to verify the full Orders Paid webhook flow.
Verify Line Item Properties: Immediately after purchasing, go to your Shopify Admin > Orders.
Open the order and expand the item details.
Pass: You see a property labeled _recipe_id (or Recipe ID) with a long alphanumeric string.
Fail: The property is missing. Stop here and contact your implementation specialist; the integration is incomplete.
Check Upcharges (If applicable): If your design included an Add-On (e.g., "Premium Embroidery +$5.00"), verify that this upcharge was added to the cart as a separate line item bundle product.
4. Phase III: Validating the Print Artwork
This is the most critical step. You must verify that the file the factory receives is "Print Ready."
The "Factory Output" Test:
After your test order is marked "Paid," wait a few minutes for the VU Artwork Service to process the file, then follow these steps to retrieve it:
Log into the VU Dashboard.
Navigate to Production > Orders.
From the left menu, select the Factory associated with your product.
Locate your test order in the list and download the Traveler for the specific order.
Verify the order details and the traveler against the order placed.
Technical Audit:
Open the downloaded file and check:
Dimensions: Is the canvas size exactly what your printer requires (e.g., 14" x 16" at 300 DPI)?
Placement: Is the design located at the correct X/Y coordinates relative to the garment mockup?
Color Profile: Does the output file use the correct color space (CMYK vs RGB)?
Quality: Zoom in 100%. Are uploaded raster images crisp? Are vector elements sharp?
Troubleshooting: Common Failure Points
I can't see the order in VU OMS
Order is not marked "Paid" in Shopify.
Capture payment in Shopify. Ensure webhooks are active.
The order imported, but has no artwork.
Missing Recipe ID.
Your theme integration (ATC button) is not passing the recipe_id property.
The wrong shirt color appears in the OMS.
Variant Mismatch.
The user selected "Blue" in Shopify, but the data-variant tag passed to VU was static/incorrect.
I can't download the file.
Permissions/Status.
Ensure you are looking at the correct Factory view and the order status is not "On Hold.
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