The Power of Preparation:
Correctly Sending Electronic Files to Your Printer
By Mike Buchs
Are you spending unnecessary time and money to produce your marketing materials? With today’s digital technology, files are provided to print shops on disks and flash drives more than ever. You may think this is speeding up the production process but ironically, it may be delaying the completion of your project.
According to the Graphic Arts Information Network, more than half of files customers give to printers are prepared incorrectly or are missing essential information necessary to print the project. In some cases, printers can correct the problem, but often they must go back to the customer to obtain additional information. Either way, the result is typically lost production time and added expense. To help avoid these costly errors, and to ensure your project isn’t delayed, following is an outline designed to guide you through the process of preparing electronic files for printing.
Include all necessary files
To speed the production of your next printing project, include all necessary elements of your file, organized in the following way:
1. Document folder – Only include the last version of the document. Remove older versions and other jobs.
2. Fonts Folder – Include all fonts and screen fonts used in creating your file to ensure it prints correctly. On a Macintosh computer, fonts are stored in the “Fonts” folder inside the “System” folder. On a Windows PC, fonts are stored in the c:/windows/fonts directory. Stick with Postscript fonts whenever available. Postscript fonts are actually comprised of two separate elements: a screen font (bitmap) and a printer font (outline). In order for Windows to use Postscript fonts, the utility Adobe Type Manager must be installed. The alternative, TrueType fonts, stores all font information in a single file.
3. Images Folder – Include all graphic files and linked files imported into your document. InDesign lists all imported files under File: Pre-Flight. In QuarkXpress, you’ll find them listed under Utilities: Picture Usage.
To avoid leaving out any critical information, take advantage of file-collection utilities offered in layout programs such as Adobe InDesign and QuarkXpress. These programs have built in “Collect for Output” features that will collect all the files needed except for fonts. Some programs will collect both. For Windows Publisher users, create a new folder and collect the job using the Pack & Go feature in the drop down File menu. Be sure to provide the print shop with all the files.
Organize your files
Label each file clearly and indicate what program and version of software was used to create the file. Properly label your files with your name, address and phone number, and indicate what is included on the disk. Make a copy of all files, fonts and graphics as a back up and keep it in a secure place.
Check your color specifications
Don’t rely on your computer monitor for accurate color reproduction. Colors on your monitor will always look different when printed, and colors will vary from software application to application and from monitor to monitor. When defining colors, always refer to a printed process color guide for the most accurate representation of colors.
Be sure to specify all colors used in your document as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black), otherwise known as four-color process printing. This process uses four inks, combined at different percentages on the paper, to simulate a wide range of colors.
In contrast, spot color is the application of inks to paper. When choosing colors, make sure you don’t specify a process color when you really need a spot color. Some programs, such as word processing applications, do not support spot colors. Please check with your printing services consultant to determine which software they support.
Include a Proof
Always include a proof of the latest version of your file. The proof can be a color or a black-and- white copy printed off any type of printer. Indicate color separations, too. The printed sample should be the same size as the finished document. Hard copy color proofs for final approval may be sent to you. The proof you receive is the final proof to which the printed piece will be matched.
Consult with your graphic designer or printer to obtain additional file preparation information. In fact, many printers have an electronic file preparation checklist available to customers. A checklist is a valuable tool to reduce time spent in the production process and to ensure you get what you ordered.
Mike Buchs is one of the owners of Allegra; Marketing-Print-Signs in Long Beach and he consults regularly with business owners about their communication needs. Buchs has been helping businesses develop their marketing and printed materials for more than 7 years.