Questions before you print?

A print-ready PDF is a good starting point because it preserves page size, type and vector artwork. Use the file formats accepted by the upload field for your selected product. Booklet proofing requires a multi-page PDF. Embed fonts, include the correct bleed and remove template instructions before exporting.

For business cards and standard small-format templates, extend backgrounds 0.125 inch beyond each trimmed edge. For example, a 3.5 × 2 inch business card becomes 3.75 × 2.25 inches with bleed. Large-format products, sewn pieces and display hardware can require different allowances: use the current template for that exact product and size.

Bleed is artwork outside the final cut. Trim marks the finished edge. The safety area is inside that edge and helps keep text and logos away from cutting variation. Extend backgrounds through the bleed; keep essential content inside the safety guides. These areas serve different purposes.

For most small-format print, prepare photographs at 300 pixels per inch at their final printed size. Enlarging a low-resolution image does not restore missing detail. Large-format artwork may have different requirements, so check its product specifications and intended viewing distance.

Prepare standard full-color print artwork in CMYK. RGB screens can display colors that ink cannot reproduce, so a screen preview is not a color guarantee. Review the exported PDF after conversion and follow any product-specific instructions for spot colors, white ink or finish masks.

Embed fonts in your PDF or convert them to outlines in a saved copy of your design. Keep small type clear and avoid very thin strokes. For small black text in standard CMYK printing, use black ink only rather than a four-color build to reduce registration problems.

A thin frame close to the trim can make normal cutting variation more noticeable. Move borders farther inside the safety area or use a design that extends to the edge. Do not use the template guide itself as a printed border.

Confirm page dimensions, bleed, image resolution, fonts and front/back orientation. Inspect transparency and overprint with your design software’s output preview. Remove guide layers and comments that should not print, then open the exported PDF to check the result.

Open the product page and look for its Templates tab. Match the template to your selected size, shape and finishing options. If a needed layout is unavailable, send the product link and requirements through our contact form before building the artwork.

Think about how the card should feel and how it will be used. Smooth coated cards emphasize printed color, textured and uncoated stocks create a different tactile impression, and heavier options add substance. Compare the available stock and coating choices on the product page.

Use the template for the actual shape. A circle, oval or rounded-corner card can cut away content that fits on a rectangle of similar dimensions. Keep important details inside the shape’s safety boundary and extend the background beyond its cut line.

Products with a selective coating or other decorative finish may require a separate mask file. Keep the mask aligned with the print artwork and follow that product’s instructions for solid areas, minimum detail and edge clearance. A color preview is not a substitute for a required mask.

Writing behavior depends on the paper surface, coating and pen. If signatures, appointment notes or handwritten details matter, choose an option described as suitable for writing and test the intended pen on a sample when possible.

No. Sizes, papers and finishing combinations vary by product. The selectable options on that product page determine what can be ordered. Contact us about a combination that is not listed before preparing a specialized design.

Export the complete booklet as individual pages in reading order, including the front and back covers. Do not impose printer spreads. Make every page the correct finished size plus its required bleed, and match the page count to your selected product.

Yes. The booklet proof viewer provides page thumbnails, previous/next controls and single-page or facing-page views. Review the covers, page sequence and guide areas throughout the document before saving.

Use the rotation controls in the booklet viewer and check whether the change applies to one page or all pages. Confirm the intended portrait or landscape orientation and recheck every page. A rotation does not correct an incorrect page size or a file exported as spreads.

Each printed side counts as a page, including covers. A sheet folded once creates four pages. Binding and product choices affect the available page counts, so use the total offered for your selected booklet and include blank pages in the PDF where needed.

Use the correct fold template rather than dividing the width into equal panels by assumption. Some folding styles need a narrower inside panel. Keep important copy clear of folds and confirm the reading order using a folded paper mockup.

Start with the job the piece needs to do: quick reference, a mailed offer, an event handout or repeated handling. Choose the size, paper and finish accordingly, then check legibility at actual size rather than relying only on a zoomed-in screen view.

No. Large-format templates may include different bleed, finishing or hardware allowances. Use the current NTX template for that specific product and size. Do not replace a required hem, pole-pocket or display allowance with the standard business-card bleed.

Keep essential text and logos away from hems, grommets, seams and pole pockets. For retractable displays, also account for the portion held inside the base. The product template identifies the usable display area and any finishing allowances.

Choose a product whose specifications support the intended location. Material, ink, mounting method, weather and exposure all affect suitability. An indoor display option should not be treated as an outdoor product just because the artwork is the same.

Physical size and image detail are separate. A large document containing an enlarged small photo may still print soft. Check the effective image resolution at the final output size and use vector artwork for logos and simple shapes when possible.

Place your design on the correct dieline and keep the cut, fold and glue areas distinct from printable artwork. Follow the template’s layer instructions, avoid essential content across folds or glue flaps, and confirm the assembled orientation before exporting.

Consider the surface, indoor or outdoor use, exposure to moisture and the way the label will be applied. Stock, adhesive and finish are separate choices. Check the exact product specifications; appearance alone does not establish suitability.

They may, especially when a machine applies them. Confirm the roll orientation and application requirements before ordering. Use the available unwind options for that product and ask for help if your applicator requires a particular arrangement.

Unprinted areas reveal the material underneath. White ink is a separate capability and may require a dedicated file where offered. Check the selected product’s white-ink options instead of assuming a white area in the design will print opaque.

Each item has its own imprint area and decoration limits. Adapt the design to the specific template, especially for small type, fine details and wraps. Confirm the selected item’s available colors and print method before finalizing the artwork.

Direct Mail uses a mailing list of individual recipients. EDDM is planned around eligible postal carrier routes. Choose the full-service product that fits your campaign; an EDDM print-only product supplies printed pieces through the normal shipping checkout.

For a Direct Mail service request, sign in and upload the CSV mailing list through the mailing-details form. Use the provided format, include the required address fields and review the file before submitting it. A successful upload is not confirmation that every address is deliverable.

Direct Mail requests include a preferred mailing location and available postage-class choices. We review the selection against the product, list and postal requirements before confirming a quote. Selecting a preference does not guarantee eligibility or availability.

Enter your target ZIP codes and carrier-route instructions in the full-service EDDM request. Include residential or business preferences where relevant. Route availability and quantities are reviewed before quoting; the current form does not include an interactive route-selection map.

Submit the details for review first. Your itemized quote shows printing, mailing services, actual postage and any tax before payment. Postage is passed through at cost. Review and approve the confirmed total before continuing to payment.

The form lets you request the available address-correction, duplicate-removal and move-update processing preferences. Final processing and deliverable quantities are confirmed during review. The upload check only validates the file structure; it does not perform postal address certification.

You may request it where offered, but the mailing must meet the applicable authorization and eligibility requirements. Provide the requested information for review. Do not plan a campaign around a nonprofit rate until the qualification and final quote are confirmed.

Production and transit are different stages. Review the selected production option and delivery estimate together when planning a deadline. Artwork corrections, approval timing and special processing can affect when a job is ready to ship.

Contact us promptly with the order number and the requested change. Whether a change can be made depends on the job’s current status. Do not assume a revised file or message has stopped production until the change is confirmed.

Use the contact form and include your order number, a short description and clear photographs or supporting files. Keep the packaging and affected pieces while the issue is reviewed. See the Return Policy for the applicable terms.

The proof helps you inspect layout, page order, orientation and guide placement. It cannot reproduce every paper, coating or ink characteristic, and monitors vary. Check the source PDF carefully; the viewer is not a complete prepress inspection.

The editor places artwork using its physical dimensions or image-resolution information when available. Missing or incorrect DPI can change the interpreted size. Check the actual dimensions and selected product size; use Fit to Canvas only when you intend to scale the design.

Send your question through the contact form with the product link, size, quantity and deadline. You can attach a reference file. Specific project details help us give you a useful answer without guessing what you need.