file creation guidelines

The Document Size Must Be Correct:

If your source document is not built to the correct size, the final output may not look like you expect it to.

Bleed:

We need a minimum of .125”.
If you send files with less than .125” bleed and they are not designed to the correct trim size we may have a difficult time with your job throughout production.

Margins:

We ask that you don’t place anything important less than .125” from trim, especially type. If the type is within .125” of trim, it is possible for it to be cut off. This includes body copy and page numbers.

Crop Marks:

We ask for NO crops do to trim boxes being defined in thePDF.

Spot Colors:

If your job prints in process color (CMYK) Please make sure that NO Spot colors are in use in the document. Although we can convert them in our RIP technology and can process transparency contained in a PDF without the need to flatten.

Fonts:

Some fonts are restricted from being embedded in the PDF file by the fonts license. InDesign will warn you if the font cannot be embedded due to licensing restrictions. If this happens, please either choose another font, or submit the font with the job.

Number of Pages:

While we can accept single page PDF files, we prefer that you try to use as few files as possible. Please save your entire job into 1 PDF. For any correction pages, single page PDF files are acceptable.

The Color Palette:

Remove all unused colors from the palette and be sure that all colors are converted to process.

Rich Blacks:

Our Rich Black build is 70 Cyan, 50 Magenta, 40 Yellow and 100 Black. Please use this build for large black areas. DO NOT use this build for the body text of your job.

Registration Color:

NEVER use the color “Registration” that is in the Swatches palette. This is 100% of all colors and will not output correctly.

Auto Color:

Files and page elements that have been imported from Microsoft Word, and PageMaker can sometimes use the color “Auto”. This color behaves like “Registration” color and will not output correctly.

PDF Presets:

Adobe Creative Suite comes with supplementary PDF presets (.joboptions) files. You may also receive custom PDF presets files from service providers and colleagues.

To load PrintingCenterUSA PDF Presets into all of your Creative Suite applications do one of the following:

Image Resolution:

The correct resolution for most of what we print is 225-300 dpi at final size. We will flag images that are below 220 dpi.

Image Color:

Please make sure that your images are CMYK, or Grayscale. Although we can convert RGB images in our RIP, it is considered best practice to convert them before creating your PDF.

Illustrator:

Choose Edit > Adobe PDF Presets. Click Import, and select the .joboptions file you want to load.

InDesign:

Choose File > Adobe PDF Presets > Define, Click Load, and select the .joboptions file you want to load.

Photshop: