File Preparation

The guidelines below will help you best prepare files yourself to reduce the chance of errors and color variations.

If you need help, our graphic experts are also available to prepare files for you. Please contact us for more information.

Color Usage

All graphics used in your project must be converted to CMYK prior to printing. If we determine during our preflight procedure that graphics in your file are not CMYK you will be notified and given the opportunity to adjust your files and upload again. Thee will be a charge for multiple preflight.

Image Resolution

All of the photos and other graphics used in your project should be supplied at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch). If we determine during our preflight procedure that graphics in your file are not supplied at 300 dpi or higher you will be notified and given the opportunity to adjust your files and upload again. There will be a charge for multiple preflight.

If you only have low-resolution graphics and don't care about the print quality of the graphics, then you can choose to use lower than 300 dpi graphics.

File Formats

The prices on the web site are based on the assumption that all files uploaded to us will be printer ready, suitable for four-color commercial printing. We accept the following file formats via direct upload to our site:

• PDF files saved as "Press"quality
• EPS files with all type rasterised and graphics embedded
• Flattened Photoshop files
• JPEG files saved at Maximum quality
• Adobe Illustrator files with all type converted to outline*
• Quark xPress documents exported as EPS*
• Quark xPress versions 3.1 through 4.x*
• InDesign documents*
• PageMaker documents*

* Files from page layout applications MUST be accompanied with all linked graphics as well as copies of all the fonts used in the documents. Please refer to the documentation of each application for instructions on how to package files for final delivery.

Packaging Files for Upload

Jobs that are saved in formats other than PDF must also include all the graphics and fonts used in the document. We request that you create a new folder for each job. That folder should contain the page layout file, a FONTS folder and a GRAPHICS folder. An example is shown below:

ZIP or Stuff Your Files

After you have created a folder with all the necessary components of your job you should create one single ZIP or StuffIt archive for upload. This will make your uploads to us much faster and more convenient.