Archiving the exact delivered files preserves the difference between what was approved, what was sent, and what the source later became. Regenerating an export months afterward may not reproduce the same crop, compression, or color conversion. Keep the delivery package unchanged alongside its source revision and approval record so future questions can be answered from artifacts rather than memory.
Capture the delivery as a fixed project state
After checking the final outputs, copy the actual supplied package into a clearly labeled archive location. Include the files as sent, not a selection of similar working exports. Retain the delivery note and any manifest or matrix identifying their uses. If a compressed archive was supplied, preserving that archive can make the record of its contents especially clear.
Link the package to the editable source revision that produced it. Keep associated dependencies and relevant application or profile information where they affect future reopening. The source and delivery have complementary roles: one supports changes, while the other records the appearance and properties received. Neither should be treated as sufficient evidence of the other when later edits or conversion settings have changed.
Preserve approval information through the project's normal records. Identify what was approved and which version the decision concerned. A concept approval and a final production approval may occur at different stages. Keep the distinction factual rather than treating every positive comment as authorization for every output. This helps later editors understand the status of the archived files without reconstructing scattered discussions.
Handle corrections without erasing the earlier record
When a corrected delivery is issued, create a new archived package with its own revision identifier. State which earlier files it supersedes and why. Do not overwrite the first delivery's archive, even if the correction is minor. Keeping both allows the team to establish whether a published image came from an original file, a correction, or an unrelated older draft.
Verify that the archived package opens and contains the expected files. Check representative source dependencies and final outputs from the archive location, not only the working folder. A copied source can still point to external resources that were never included. Note any known limitation rather than assuming an archive is complete because its total folder size looks plausible.
Store the archive under a dependable backup process appropriate to the project. Avoid making the only copy a temporary transfer link or a single local drive. Access restrictions may matter for confidential client material, so use the agreed storage environment. The objective is a recoverable record, with files organized well enough that future retrieval does not depend on the original artist's personal folder habits.
Before starting a later revision, duplicate the archived source into a new working version and leave the delivered package intact. Compare the requested change with the recorded baseline. An exact archive protects both continuity and accountability, providing a trustworthy answer to what was sent while giving new work a verified starting point instead of a reconstruction from whichever file happens to remain on the desktop.