Recording

recording is the process where dialog and some background sounds are recorded. when recording dialog i think its important to make sure that you do not capture any background sounds as this can interfere with syncing the mouth shapes and if the recording is really bad , it could potentially ruin the animation.

Syncing

Syncing is the process where sounds and dialog are matched up (synced) to the different mouth movements and  actions within the animation. it is important to make sure that the sound is synced properly because if the audio is out of place it may appear less realistic and believable to the audience. When done well, syncing can also be used to exagerate sounds.

Script

The script is a vital part of sound production. the script consists of what is going on on screen , actions, narrative and dialog. essentially , the script is a plan. it can be used along side dope sheets to help plan the timing of different sounds. it can also be used to plan the different types of sounds. for example if the dialog in the script was serious , you could tell that the possible background sounds would be realistic and serious.So essentially, you can use the script to plan the sounds that would match the feel of the scene.

Foley

Foley is background noise. it includes sounds like footsteps and ambient sounds. it is a crucial part of sound production as it sets the mood for your scenes. even with dialog , its hard to set a mood.
it also can be used to exaggerate different sound effects and audio that wouldn't be present. The style of Foley sound depends on the type of animation. For example if the animation was quite cartoony then the sounds would be very cartoony and over the top. but if the animation was more serious, the sounds would be quite realistic.

Dope Sheets

Dope sheets are used to help understand what mouth shape would go with each sound. on a dope sheep you would find the time scale on the left (00.00.00) then the different words from the dialog on the left had side , followed by the different phonemes from each word, and then the different mouth shapes that would be needed for each.
it is important to get the mouth shapes correct before animating, as even one mouth movement out of place could potentially ruin a animation.
Dope sheets are also good for planning the in between mouth shapes. these are important to make the transition between mouth shapes look realistic.

Example of a dope sheet.