Compare a delivered custom press-on nail order with its approved specification

The short answer

Check the delivered set against the final approved specification one field at a time. Do not rely on your memory, early mockups or inspiration images. Give each field one of three statuses: match, discrepancy or unverified. For each discrepancy, attach the approval record and a labeled photo, then send the maker a specific inquiry through the channel they name. This check confirms only that you received what was approved. It does not cover physical condition, fit on your nails or readiness to wear. Inspect those separately.

Find the record you are comparing against

The approved specification is the last version the maker confirmed before production. Depending on how the maker works, it may be in an order confirmation, a design proof, a sizing form or a message thread. Find the final approval and note its date. Then check for any revisions the maker approved after that date. If a revision changed a field, the revision applies to that field.

Keep preliminary selections out of the comparison. A shape you considered, sizes you tried before finalizing, and reference photos you shared are not part of the specification unless the final approval includes them.

Next, look at what came with the delivery. Size or position labels may be on the pieces, the tray, the packaging, a packing slip or an included card. Write down exactly what is printed or written.

What to compare

• Recorded sizes, and the nail position each size is assigned to
• Shape
• Length
• Design details for each position, such as colors, accents, finishes and placement
• Pieces the approved order expressly includes, by type and count

Use the maker's own terms. If the approval says the maker's "Medium" length, record "Medium." Do not convert it to a measurement or to another brand's scale. Size numbers in particular may not mean the same thing from one maker to the next.

Set up a comparison worksheet

Order reference | Final approval record/date | Specification field | Approved value | Received value or observation | Evidence reference | Status | Inquiry question
                |                            |                     |                |                               |                    |        |

Use one row per field. For sizes and design details, use one row per position. Under evidence reference, name the file that backs up the row, such as the approval screenshot or a photo number. Fill in the inquiry question only for rows that need the maker's response.

Assign a status to each row

• Match: the received value corresponds to the approved value, as confirmed by a label, the included documentation or clear observation.
• Discrepancy: the received value differs from the approved value.
• Unverified: the received materials do not show the value either way.

Sizes are the most common unverified item. If no label or document shows which size a piece is, mark it unverified. Do not guess from how the piece looks, because pieces in neighboring sizes can look nearly identical.

Illustrative example

These are invented entries that show how the worksheet works. They do not describe a real order.

Specification field	Approved value	Received observation	Status	Evidence
Design accent	Silver accent on the two positions marked X	Overview shows accents on the positions marked Y	Discrepancy	Approval reference plus labeled overview photo
Length	Maker's Medium	No length label found in the delivery	Unverified	Packaging photo; clarification requested

Document each discrepancy

• An overview photo with each piece labeled using the same position labels as your specification
• A close-up of the specific detail that differs
• A screenshot or copy of the approval record that shows its date
• Photos of any size or position labels on the packaging or pieces

Do this check before you prep, file or apply any piece. That way the set is still in the state you are describing to the maker.

Check the maker's reporting instructions

Look in your order materials or the maker's instructions for three things: the current reporting channel, the evidence they ask for, and any reporting deadline. Add these to your worksheet. If there is a deadline, send your inquiry before it passes, even if some rows are still unverified. The maker can help resolve those rows.

Write the inquiry

• Order reference
• The specification field in question
• The approved value and the approval date
• What you observed instead
• The supporting files you are attaching
• A specific clarification request

Order reference: [number]
Field: [e.g., design accent, positions marked X]
Approved value: [wording from approval], approved on [date]
Observed: [what the delivery shows]
Attached: [file names]
Request: Please confirm whether this matches the approved specification, and let me know what you need from me next.

For unverified rows, ask a direct question. For example: "Which pieces are size [maker's term] for the position marked [label]?" Ask about each field instead of proposing a particular remedy. Record the date you sent the inquiry and any reference number in the reply, so your worksheet holds the full record.

If you pick up the order in person

The process is the same when you collect a custom set from a local maker or studio. Bring the final approval record so you can compare position labels and design details on the spot. Then complete the worksheet and documentation the same way for anything that is still a discrepancy or unverified.