This piece was posted on JimRaffel.com on Jan. 23, 2007. You can view the original here. It has been re-purposed for this site.
One of our goals is to prove 
to customers that their proofs meet the desired standard of quality. In other words, we strive to verify proof quality. In January, we discussed using process control (such as our ProofPass.com software) to find the sweet spot of your proofing system. We also talked about how to keep it there and continually improve the system. It stands to reason that once you have put that process in place you now have proofs that consistently conform to a known quality level. Now it is time to let the world know that your proofs are verified to be consistent and repeatable based upon objective factual information.
The most important part of a verification system is the label we attach to the proof that either contains a snapshot of the quality data or – better yet – points the proof viewer to a website where very detailed information about the proof is easily obtainable. The label also needs to contain an overall Pass/Fail status for instant evaluation by the viewer of the proof.
The process of verifying a proof is important because a proof that is signed off as being ok by the end customer is a contract. Your internal customer for that proof (your pressroom) now has to match the proof in order to live up to the terms of the contract. The pressroom will check that verification label to make sure that the proof is within the standards established by the process control system. When proofs are consistent and repeatable, it is much easier to consistently and repeatedly match them on press. Also, when they are having difficulty matching the proof on press, they are more likely to focus on the press rather than blaming a proof that conforms to standards they have matched time and time again in the past.