Abstract: A method for preparing automated proof of publications and for supervising the publication of items in printed media, said method comprising: preparing a database including specifications for a plurality of items to publish, publishing said items on printed media using said specifications, scanning printed media pages or capturing an electronic file from a pre-press system including the published items, automatically extracting from the digitized pages identifying metadata characterizing said published items, using said identifying metadata to retrieve from a database the address to which said proof of publication should be sent, performing a quality control for controlling the quality of said published item by confronting the published item with said specifications, sending a proof of publication including at least the portion of said page including said published item to said address.