A customer-supplied object needs its own intake decision before it joins an ordinary personalization queue. Familiar appearance alone does not establish its material, coating or suitability for laser processing.
Record the object before accepting the job
Assign an intake reference and record the customer's requested design and placement. Photograph visible condition with permission, and note any unresolved material information. Keep the object identified and separate from blanks already approved for a documented workflow.
Request reliable material information and compare it with applicable equipment guidance. If suitability cannot be established, leave the job unaccepted for processing. A customer describing an item as metal, wood or leather is not a substitute for knowing what the actual surface contains.
Agree on the scope of the decision
Explain whether you are only evaluating the request or have accepted an identified process. Keep design approval separate from material acceptance: a correct name proof does not establish that the object can be engraved. Do not use a customer's irreplaceable object as an exploratory sample. No result, turnaround or replacement arrangement should be inferred from an initial intake photograph.
Browse related planning notes in /updates/.