If you are preparing files for Shopatpana.com click here.
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So, you have received a final approval on your design project and it is time to put the message in print. What an exciting time! You've created your PDFs and uploaded your files, and you are anxiously awaiting the finished product. Then comes the phone call. We don't have the fonts, the files don’t work, and you forgot to add bleeds in your files. Your head is reeling and your don't see how you can possibly make your deadline. It happens, a lot more than you think. Don’t throw in the towel. By following a few guidelines and understanding what actually happens to your files once they leave your hands, a lot of problems can be avoided. Lets see if we can help. |
To Speed Up Workflow
1. Send individual PDFs, that is, a PDF for each page in your publication. We can use a single PDF of your entire publication, but making corrections and replacing pages is much easier and less confusing when you originally send individual PDFs. We handle the imposition of pages, so you do not have to send spreads.
2. Make all corrections and adjustments before sending in your PDFs. While we will gladly make changes and corrections for you, it does not speed up workflow if you go ahead and send files that are not ready. In fact, it can cause unnecessary delays.
3. We can use native files created in QuarkXPress, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. But again, we strongly encourage you to send PDFs. With PDFs, you do not have to worry about sending in all photos, artwork, and fonts, as these will already be included in your documents. Our workflow uses PDF files exclusively, so if you send native files, we will have to convert them to PDFs first. By creating PDFs yourself, you are speeding up workflow and trimming your costs.
4. Be sure to include marks and bleeds when you make your PDF files. Include at least a .125" or 1/8" bleed. Don't calculate bleeds into your page size. Just simply extend any graphics or photos .125" beyond the page edge, and then add in .125" bleed when you make your PDFs.
5. Make sure all photos and artwork are at 300 dpi resolution, and have been converted to CMYK. We can convert RGB images on the fly to CMYK, but color shifts could occur during the process. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, convert all images to CMYK first before making your PDFs. In most cases, images taken directly from a web site are low resolution and are not properly suited for printing, even though they may look great on your monitor.
6. Make high-resolution press ready PDFs by turning off all downsampling and compression. This will make much larger file sizes and will take longer to create, but the best quality files are what you desire to send. We encourage you to use the presets for InDesign and Quark we have provided, even if you are familiar with how to create PDFs.
7. If Ordering with a Sales Rep Make use of our Kodak InSite prepress portal for uploading files and checking proofs online. Contact a customer service representative to obtain a login ID and password if needed.
8. If Ordering on our website, files will be uploaded there and proofef through Kodak InSite. This greatly speeds up workflow as you do not have to trust your files and disks to the post office for delivery, nor to you have to wait on proofs to be mailed to you.
If you have any further questions, please contact your customer service representative or website tech support.
2. Make all corrections and adjustments before sending in your PDFs. While we will gladly make changes and corrections for you, it does not speed up workflow if you go ahead and send files that are not ready. In fact, it can cause unnecessary delays.
3. We can use native files created in QuarkXPress, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. But again, we strongly encourage you to send PDFs. With PDFs, you do not have to worry about sending in all photos, artwork, and fonts, as these will already be included in your documents. Our workflow uses PDF files exclusively, so if you send native files, we will have to convert them to PDFs first. By creating PDFs yourself, you are speeding up workflow and trimming your costs.
4. Be sure to include marks and bleeds when you make your PDF files. Include at least a .125" or 1/8" bleed. Don't calculate bleeds into your page size. Just simply extend any graphics or photos .125" beyond the page edge, and then add in .125" bleed when you make your PDFs.
5. Make sure all photos and artwork are at 300 dpi resolution, and have been converted to CMYK. We can convert RGB images on the fly to CMYK, but color shifts could occur during the process. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, convert all images to CMYK first before making your PDFs. In most cases, images taken directly from a web site are low resolution and are not properly suited for printing, even though they may look great on your monitor.
6. Make high-resolution press ready PDFs by turning off all downsampling and compression. This will make much larger file sizes and will take longer to create, but the best quality files are what you desire to send. We encourage you to use the presets for InDesign and Quark we have provided, even if you are familiar with how to create PDFs.
7. If Ordering with a Sales Rep Make use of our Kodak InSite prepress portal for uploading files and checking proofs online. Contact a customer service representative to obtain a login ID and password if needed.
8. If Ordering on our website, files will be uploaded there and proofef through Kodak InSite. This greatly speeds up workflow as you do not have to trust your files and disks to the post office for delivery, nor to you have to wait on proofs to be mailed to you.
If you have any further questions, please contact your customer service representative or website tech support.
Quick Checklist
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1. Turn off all compression and downsampling when creating your PDFs.
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2. Add bleed, trim marks, and color bars to your PDFs. Include a bleed of at least .125 inches.
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3. All photos should be 300dpi and in CMYK color space. In most cases, photos taken from a website will not work for high resolution printing. |
4. All spot colors should be converted to CMYK.
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PDF Presets
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PDF presetsClick below to download our PDF presets file for Quark and InDesign.
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