Please call us at 916.487.8679 if you have a file that's too big to email.

Preparation Checklist for
Print Ready Files

The following check list will help ensure that your file is print ready. For a more detailed explanation of printing terminology, please visit our FAQ.

• If at all possible, save or export your file as a 300dpi PDF to upload. Carefully review your PDF file before uploading, ensuring all of your fonts, graphics and formatting have been captured correctly in the PDF.
• We accept most native electronic file formats. We also accept PSD, TIF and EPS image files at 300dpi. Some JPG files are acceptable at 300dpi if saved at maximum quality. We're sorry, but we are unable to accept Microsoft Publisher or Visio, Quark Xpress, or PrintShop files.
• If you are uploading a native (non-PDF) file, please include all the files we need to produce your job: page layout files, imported images, fonts and other support files.
• Use CMYK color to set up your print file. We will convert RGB color to CMYK for printing using standard conversion values which may not yield the colors you are expecting.
• If you are using spot colors, your files need to have the same color names in the final output document. For example, Pantone 300C in a placed logo, Pantone 300U in a colored box and Pantone 300CVU as a font color will print as three separate plates (three separate spot colors instead of one.)
• Text must be at least 1/8" inside of the trim line on all sides.
• If the design of your page goes all the way to the edge, please continue your artwork 1/8" over each edge that your design or background bleeds over.
• If your project is a book or catalog, leave a gutter (a gutter is the space between the text and spine of the page) between folded pages. Book margins should be at least 3/8" on all edges of a page. A 3/8" margin on each page will make the gutter 3/4".
• Outline all fonts when working in Photoshop or Illustrator, embed fonts in other programs and flatten all layers.
• Always choose the appropriate font face from your font menu and avoid clicking the bold or italic buttons. Though they may look fine on screen, and even print correctly on a laser printer, if you don’t actually have a bold face available in your font menu it will not always come out bold on your final printed piece.
• Create traps if your design includes areas of directly adjacent or overlapping spot colors.
• If your files are large (above 30MB), use WinZip on a PC or Stuffit on a Mac to compress all the files into a single file for uploading.
• If you have any questions call us at 916.487.8679 or email us at graphics@carmichaelprinting.com before uploading.