Large Format File Specifications
The following general rules apply to all files submitted to Point Imaging for large format print. These are items we have found to be critical to the successful completion of your orders within our workflow. If computer time exceeds the estimate, you will be notified.
Please review order confirmations and digital files carefully. Files needing modifications or formatting may be subject to additional charges based on Point Imaging’s current rate of prepress services. To avoid additional charges, please consult your project manager and use the following guidelines for file set-up. Correct preparation of digital files is crucial to timely delivery of your project. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Point Imaging Project Manager.
- Always include complete written instructions including file names, contact name, and phone numbers.
- Make sure your name is on all disks, artwork, color guides, etc.
- Provide hard copies with PMS callouts, dimensions, quantities and any other pertinent information.
- Confirm changes required which differ from quoted project.
- Do not submit original files, always submit a copy.
Media Guidelines
You can upload your file to our FTP site, or submit the following media.
- CD-ROM
- DVD
- USB Key/HDD
Recommended Software
- Adobe Illustrator CS5 or below - Files must have placed images (not embedded), and all fonts must be converted to outlines.
- Adobe Photoshop CS5 or below - Including all layers, paths and channels.
- Adobe InDesign CS5 or below - Including all placed images, logos, fonts and other elements.
- All files must be RIP ready.
Acceptable File Compression Formats
- Zip
- Stuffit
Acceptable Image file formats
- PDF (Preferred)
- EPS
- TIF
- PSD
Type, Copy, and Line Art
- Type, logos, and illustrations must be provided in one of the formats listed above, not as bitmapped art.
- Depending on output size, do not place type close to the edges of your document. For example, on a billboard, do not place type closer than 3 inches (in actual size) to the visible edge of the layout.
- Trapping of files is not required Output of Layout File
- Include a hard copy (color or black and white) of each file. This will help identify the contents of your disk and provide us the means of preflighting the file.
Bleed Requirements
- Images and complex illustrations that extend to the edge of the sign must include bleed.
- Bleed amount can vary anywhere from 1″ to 1″. To determine what bleed specifications are required, please contact your Point Imaging Project Manager
High Resolution Images
All raster images must be 100 dpi and must come into the layout at 100%. If you discover that you need to scale up the hi-res file to achieve the desired cropping, recreate the file at the appropriate size or scale it to size in Photoshop. For detailed information about resolution please refer to the guidelines below.
A good rule of thumb is:
- Close viewing distance: 150-200 dpi at final output size
- Midrange viewing distance: 50-75 dpi at final output size
- Distant viewing distance: 20-50 dpi at final output size
Color and Color Matching Requirements
Convert files that are RGB, Duotone, Grayscale, or Bitmap to CMYK (Caution: Color mode changes may produce unexpected or unacceptable color shifts that may not be detectable on a monitor.)
Vector Files
- Colors can be Process or Pantone callouts.
- Specify both beginning and ending PMS colors for any graduated blends.
- Provide a physical sample (printed sample, color proof or swatch) to match.
- When creating a color tint using PMS percentages, make certain to note that it is a tint value.
- A Press proof can be produced for client approval.
- It is not necessary to provide a specific type of proof, but the supplied client proof should be considered acceptable for final color approval by the client
Conventional, Digital & Offset File Specifications
The following general rules apply to all files submitted to Point Imaging for conventional, digital and offset print. These are items we have found to be critical to the successful completion of your orders within our workflow. If computer time exceeds the estimate, you will be notified.
Please review order confirmations and digital files carefully. Files needing modifications or formatting may be subject to additional charges based on Point Imaging’s current rate of prepress services. To avoid additional charges, please consult your project manager and use the following guidelines for file set-up. Correct preparation of digital files is crucial to timely delivery of your project. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Point Imaging Project Manager.
- Provide hardcopy laser prints of the files to be printed or provide a low resolution PDF directly to your Sales Rep or CSR.
- Always include complete written instructions including file names, contact name, and phone numbers.
- Make sure your name is on all disks, artwork, color guides, etc.
- Confirm changes required which differ from quoted project.
- Do not submit original files, always submit a copy.
Media Guidelines
You can upload your file to our FTP site, or submit the following media.
- CD-ROM
- DVD
- USB Key/HDD
- Email (Under 10 mb)
Recommended Software
- Adobe Illustrator CS5 or below ( all fonts must be converted to outlines).
- Adobe Photoshop CS5 or below - (including all layers, paths and channels).
- Adobe InDesign CS5 or below - (including all placed images, logos, fonts and other elements).
- Adobe Acrobat 9+
- Quark 8+ if necessary (prefer InDesign)
Acceptable File Compression Formats
- Zip
- Stuffit
Acceptable Image file formats
Please note, optimal CMYK image resolution is 300 dpi at final size and optimal resolution of raster type is 600 dpi at final size.
- PDF (Preferred)
- EPS
- TIF
- PSD
Type, Copy, and Line Art
- Type, logos, and illustrations must be provided in one of the formats listed above, not as bitmapped art.
- Depending on output size, do not place type close to the edges of your document.
- Trapping of files is not required output of layout file
- Include a hard copy (color or black and white) of each file. This will help identify the contents of your disk and provide us the means of preflighting the file.
Bleed Requirements
- Design elements that touch the edge of the page should have a 0.125″ bleed beyond the page edge, with exceptions noted. Also, 0.0625″ bleed is acceptable for most digital print jobs.
- Bleed amount can vary anywhere from 1″ to 1″. To determine what bleed specifications are required, please contact your Point Imaging Project Manager
- Document page size should be the final trim size of the piece. If not, trim marks should be clearly present in the file.
- Live type and art elements that do not bleed but come close to the page edge should be at least 0.125″ inside the edge of the page.
Color and Color Matching Requirements
- Convert files that are RGB, Duotone, Grayscale, or Bitmap to CMYK (Caution: Color mode changes may produce unexpected or unacceptable color shifts that may not be detectable on a monitor.)
- Please notify us if you have used transparency effects that interact with a spot color. Such effects include shadows, blurs, and glows as well as the layering of .psd files with spot-colored objects placed in Illustrator and the layering of .ai and .psd files with spot-colored objects placed in InDesign
- Please do not apply registration color to any live type or artwork.
- Please do not exceed 320% total ink coverage, for any printing process.
- When using a four-color process, please convert all spot colors to process colors, with the exception of
- For offset print, please set rich blacks at 40c 40m 20y 100k.
- For digital print, please set rich blacks at 60c 40m 0y 100k.
Finishing Requirements
- Die-lines and varnish plates should reside on a separate layer named and/or be a spot color named “Die-line” or “Varnish”, respectively. Do not flatten, rasterize, or embed them into your artwork, or convert them to process.
- On saddle-stitch books, please provide files as single pages in reader spreads. Do not provide printer spreads.
- Perfect-bound books that have no crossover or bleed at the spine/inside edge may be produced as if a saddle-stitch book (see above requirement).
- Perfect-bound book that have crossover or bleed at the spine/inside edge of the page require files as single pages, in reader order. Please include those as loose pages, not spreads.
- Crossover and Bleed elements should be made to bleed 0.125″ beyond the spine/inside edge of the page.
- Please notify us if there are overprints or trapped objects in your files that you want us to retain. Standard workflow is to “knockout” all colors and trap them according to our own specifications.
Variable Date Print Requirements
- Please provide data as an Excel file. Column heads will be used as tags denoting the position of the variable on the page. Each row is a data record, all the cells of which will appear together in their respective tagged positions on the printed piece.
- Make sure your data is updated to the best of your ability before submitting for print.
- Remove extra columns that do not appear as variables in the printed piece.
- Keep Column heads short and concise.
- Mail certification software will verify addresses against zip codes, and notify us of errors but will not catch grossly misspelled entries, use of nicknames or custom titles created by someone other than the recipient. Please review your entries closely. Negligence to do so could potential result in embarrassing or insulting circumstance.
- Capitalization is retained in the printed piece and should stay consistent throughout your data. Should the same data appear more than once with a variation of capitalization (i.e. Initial Caps in one place, and ALL CAPS in another), then the data must be duplicated to as many columns and formatted to the correct capitalization.
- Avoid the following in the typesetting on your variable piece: fractional type and leading sizes, horizontal or vertical scaling or skewing, tracking and kerning, stroked type, raster effects (drop shadow, glows, blurs, etc.)
