Tips and tricks: a few basic precautions

Proofs

To verify your data, please supply a paper copy of the files, to be able to perform a thorough check.

Imports & Fonts

IYou should also supply the fonts used (screen + printer), as well as all the imported images (source files).

Full bleed

Please provide documents with 3 mm full bleed outside cuts, to allow cut tolerance.

Word

Note: layouts in Word are unstable; they vary depending on the printer to which you are connected (thanks Bill!). In many cases, we recommend that you first make an Acrobat PDF version (see our specific tips to make a PDF).

Excel

Long texts (more than 250 characters) in Excel-type tables should better be avoided, since they tend to disappear during transfers (thanks Bill!).
Proofs should be systematically be re-read thoroughly since like Word, Excel formats tables and graphs depending on the host machine.

Colours

For each job, please specify the colours used.

For example :

black only
Pantone only
black + Pantone
four-colour
four-colour + Pantone

All elements of the same colour used in a document must have the same colour name. If you are using a Pantone 280 in Xpress, you must use the same Pantone 280 (same spelling) in Photoshop or in Illustrator.
Watch out for knockouts in the different colours, the screen can deceive and does not always reflect reality.
Therefore, you should make separate proofs to verify the different knockouts and separations...
This often prevents trouble; since we’re not mind readers, we can’t guess what you’re expecting to get. A lot of freedom is allowed in this domain (all for the better, of course!).

Warning

A colour on a matte or glossy paper, an inkjet proof or a screen all provide different results.
Inkjet proofs produce results in terms of photography and density (thickness of the ink) that can not be reproduced exactly in offset (different colour space). Only calibrated inkjet proofs with press profiles, even if they are only simulations, can reasonably match the offset result.