Here is a great article from a blog I often follow by CHUCK GREEN titled, “The designer’s prep, print,
and proof checklist” which I caught while browsing Graphicstart.com earlier today. In part it reads:

“In either case, your first responsibility of the prepress process is to “preflight” your files. Preflighting is the process of gathering together and reviewing all the elements necessary to translate what you create on your computer to the printer’s computer. Most printers can provide you with a preflight checklist.” CHUCK GREEN
SOURCE: ideabook.com

The article can be broken down into several important parts:

Henno Jacques, a freelance designer in Holland, gets interviewed by Markzware Europe’s Arnold Roosch in this perfect example on why to use FlightCheck Professional (and ID2Q in his case):

FlightCheck Professional and ID2Q user review

Dutch version of this interview can be found here…

It is excellent how he is using FlightCheck to preflight everything BEFORE making the PDF. He also checks the resulting PDF/X file with FlightCheck Professional as well. Making brochures, booklets and the likes, he also has seen from experience that sending both the press-ready PDF as well as the open source file (where he uses FlightCheck to collect all fonts and images into one approved folder) is the best way to get the print-job to the printer. This way, if there are any last minute changes, corrections or press problems, they can quickly and safely make the changes and re-output the PDF job.