1. Document Size Settings

• Single Sheet Documents:
  The Document Size entered in all programs for single sheet items, such as business cards, postcards, brochures, posters, etc., should be set to match or equal the final trim size. (Exception: The one exception would be Photoshop files where bleed is required, in which case the document size must be 1/4" larger in both dimensions to accommodate 1/8" bleed on all four sides.)
• Multi-Page Documents:
  The Document Size on all multi-page documents, such as magazines, booklets, calendars, stitched newsletters, etc., should be set to match or equal the final folded size. (Exception: The one exception would be Photoshop files where bleed is required, in which case the document size must be 1/4" larger in both dimensions to accommodate 1/8" bleed on all four sides.)

2. Bleed

• Any document without a clear white border requires bleed– hover here for a visual example of bleed. That includes photos, fills, tints, rules or any graphic element that extends to the trim line so it can be successfully trimmed in bulk by our bindery department. The standard bleed required is 1/8" or .125" on all four sides.

3. Bleed Settings

• Bleed values of .125" must be set on the document setup page in all programs where that option is available, such as InDesign, Illustrator, etc. When files are converted to PDFs to run through our system, they may not generate bleed without those values. The exception is Photoshop where both the horizontal and vertical dimensions must be increased by 1/4" to allow 1/8" on all sides for trimming. The same is true for single page and multi-page documents. We suggest setting up guidelines in Photoshop 1/8" from each side to help visually anticipate where the document will be trimmed.

4. Multiple Documents on the Same Page

• Multiple documents on one page, such as 3 business cards placed on an 8.5 x 11 file are not acceptable. We require individual page PDF files with trim marks to properly run through our prepress system. So in that case, we either have to place and crop multiple-copies of your file in another program to generate accurate PDF files, or request revised files from you in order to process the order. Either way, you may experience unnecessary delays in your job. The solution is covered in item #1 above: Document Size Settings.