Own-label SKU compliance and label approval matrix
Use a controlled matrix linking each SKU, configuration, factory and destination to its evidence, artwork revision, review dates and named approvers. Hold affected rows when shared evidence or artwork changes, and release only the approved document set. Coordinate factory records and sample checks with Cambridge China Bridge.
Define the approval record for each configuration
Create a separate approval record whenever the factory, production site, configuration or destination differs. Link those records to the buyer’s SKU so a commercial product code cannot conceal different constructions. Record your business’s role and assess Great Britain and Northern Ireland separately. Use the matrix to control release across the range; keep detailed documents in the linked compliance file.
Assign a matrix owner and deputy. Agree controlled status terms such as awaiting evidence, technical review, awaiting artwork approval, released and on hold. Keep the reason, action owner and review date beside every unresolved item. A blank field should leave the record awaiting review rather than imply approval.
| Field group | What to record |
|---|---|
| Identity and configuration | Buyer SKU, factory model mapping, supplier, production site, destination, intended use, specification revision and BOM reference |
| Applicable evidence | Requirements register, report and declaration references, document revisions, covered configurations, exclusions and technical assessment |
| Labels and instructions | Product label, packaging and manual filenames, artwork revisions, placement sheet and approved proof reference |
| Review and authority | Named technical reviewer, artwork approver and release approver; decision dates, next review date and review triggers |
| Release and history | Current status, open actions, approved document set, factory acknowledgement, affected orders and batches, and superseded record |
Map shared evidence without granting blanket approval
Manufacturers remain responsible for assessing product risks, identifying relevant requirements and documenting how these are addressed. Give each shared report or assessment its own reference and link it to the exact configurations it supports. Use the report-to-order checks to establish those links before marking a row technically approved.
Send proposed product families for separate technical review where coverage is unclear, including different formulations, dimensions, components, accessories, intended uses or production sites. Ask a competent laboratory or specialist to record coverage and exclusions for each relevant assessment. Follow the colour and size coverage guide for that work. A purchasing category or common outer case is insufficient justification for copying approval across the range.
Separate technical, artwork and release decisions
Name the people authorised to make each decision. The technical reviewer confirms evidence coverage and closes technical gaps. The artwork approver checks the agreed wording, identifiers, layout and proof against the approved configuration. The procurement release approver confirms that the required decisions and factory acknowledgement are recorded. Agree deputies and permissions so an unavailable approver does not lead to an informal email override.
Keep technical approval and print approval as separate fields. An approved design layout should not close a missing report, and an accepted report should not release an unreviewed manual. Use the label review guide for detailed content checks. Approve product labels, packaging and instructions as a linked document set, with a dated decision against the actual revisions.
Reopen every affected row when something changes
Maintain a reverse lookup from each report, family assessment, artwork file and critical component to the rows using it. When a factory proposes a substitution or a shared warning changes, identify the affected rows and put them on hold pending review. For example, a changed coating at a shared supplier should prompt a search across linked configurations, rather than only the SKU on the latest order.
Record the last review, next planned review and event triggers, including factory moves, specification changes, revised evidence, updated requirements and safety complaints. Set review timing according to product risk and your governance process; a review date is not automatically a report expiry date. Log who assessed the change, which rows were affected and the reason for retaining or replacing their evidence.
Release a fixed document set and keep batch history
Before authorising printing or shipment, issue a release record naming the approved configuration, factory site, document revisions and order or batch scope. Ask the factory to acknowledge that set and remove superseded files from production use. Link its proof and production checks back to the record. Preserve historical approvals so a later revision does not overwrite the evidence supporting earlier goods.
Review portfolio exceptions by factory, evidence gap, overdue action and shared-document dependency. Give each unresolved item a named owner and escalation route. For retail-chain programmes and own-brand sourcing, Cambridge China Bridge’s staff in China can coordinate factory records and sample checks. Use our testing and certification service to coordinate specialist review where needed, while retaining the buyer’s named approval authority.
Frequently asked questions
Can several factories share the same SKU approval?
Keep separate factory and configuration records linked to the buyer SKU. Share evidence only where documented technical review supports coverage of those records.
Who should approve own-label product labels?
Name an artwork approver who checks the agreed content and proof, supported by a technical reviewer for compliance questions. Record a separate release decision against the approved revisions.
Does every SKU need its own test report?
Do not assume either way. Link each configuration to evidence and a documented coverage decision. Ask a competent assessor to resolve family boundaries and identify further testing where needed.
What happens when a shared report or label changes?
Find every row using it, hold affected releases and assign review owners. Record the impact decision and revised approvals, while preserving the document sets used for earlier batches.