Preparing Your Own Files for Upload

Follow these guidelines to ensure that your designs print properly

If you plan to upload your own design files, rather than utilizing our customizable online templates and you have some design experience, please review the following specifications carefully. Following these guidelines will save headaches later on and will ensure that images print sharply, fonts and colors display properly and that layouts adhere to the correct print specifications.

If you are using one of our customizable online templates, read no further! The design process will guide you through everything you need to know. Just choose your template from the selections under the "Products" tab.

Acceptable File Types

When you upload your native file to create your order, it will be automatically converted to a PDF (Portable Document Format) for printing. Our automatic PDF converter accepts many common file types. If you are using a design program not listed here, please contact customer support for assistance.

Please make sure your design program is set up as close as possible to the specifications detailed below.

Creating Your Own PDF File

Many design applications allow you to save or export your file as a PDF. If you are converting your native file to a PDF on your own, check the output settings to make sure that:

  1. Image compression and/or downsampling options are turned off
  2. Any rasterized graphics or type are saved at least 200 dpi
  3. If the design application you are using has "links" to images, make sure all of your images are embedded in the file
  4. Choose the option to embed fonts
  5. Set color to RGB

Using Photos and Other Images

The first thing to remember when using photos, logos, and any other graphics in your designs is that low resolution images that look great on your monitor may not look that way when printed. To avoid this, Denver Business Centers advises that all images/graphics within your print file be a minimum of 200 dpi. Low-resolution images (less than 200 dpi) may appear fuzzy or pixilated when printed.

Digital Camera

When taking your pictures with a digital camera, be sure to adjust the camera to the highest resolution/quality setting. Consult your camera's manual for instructions on setting the resolution to an amount that is adequate for printing.

Scanning

When scanning from original photographs, set the scan resolution to a minimum of 200 dpi (dots per inch) at the actual size that you want the photo to appear in the final print product. To ensure maximum print quality, scan your images at 600 dpi. If you plan to enlarge an image after placing it in your document, scan it at a minimum of 400 dpi.

Copyright

Denver Business Centers reserves the right at our sole discretion to require proof that you are authorized to distribute the content developed using our website, products, or services. This includes: Infringement of copyright of other websites, products, or services and plagiarism of copyrighted material including but not limited to slogans, logos and website content.

Embedding Fonts

If your design program has a setting to embed fonts, make sure it is turned on. Consult the help manual within the program if you are not sure how to do this.
If you are creating your own PDF, check the output settings to make sure you have selected the option to embed all fonts.

Color Models and Matching

RGB Color

Set up your design program for RGB color mode. Other factors such as monitor calibration mean that colors may print differently than they appear on your computer screen. The only way to ensure a specific color is to order a printed/shipped proof.

Color Matching

We print to a "pleasing color" standard. Pleasing color is defined as satisfactory, even though it may not precisely match the original sample. Because we print using RGB process, we are not able to precisely match PMS spot colors or printed originals.

Print File Dimensions and Specifications

Both sides of each print file must be set up with our specified trim size and inner margin. If your graphics extend to the edge of the design, you must also include a "bleed". If you are using our Addressing & Mailing service for postcards, there are additional requirements for the address side of your postcard.

Trim Size

The measurements that determine the actual size of the finished product, also known as "cut size." It is not necessary to provide crop marks to indicate trim size unless you have special instructions for cutting. If this is the case, please contact customer support for additional specifications.

Inner Margin

Because cut lines can vary slightly, all content that is not intended to print to the edge (bleed) must remain inside the inner margin to avoid being trimmed off. It is important that all text and vital graphical element are arranged within the bounds of the inner margin.

Bleed

The term "bleed" is used in the printing industry to describe a design in which a background color or image extends to the very edge and no white border is desired. Any bleed background images or colors in your print file must extend beyond the trim size.

Please adhere to the dimensions prescribed in our product print specifications:
Postcard Specifications (includes Regular and Jumbo)
Flyers and Brochures (includes Letter and Legal)
Business Cards

Print files supplied with incorrect trim sizes, bleeds, or inner margins may result in delay of printing.

Postcards and USPS Postal Regulations

In order to meet United States Postal Service requirements, certain areas of a postcard must be devoted to addressing, return address and postage. These are detailed on the Postcard Specifications page.

Reviewing and Ordering Proofs

Reviewing your PDF

The PDF created when you view your proof on-line serves as a "digital proof" and is usually sufficient for the vast majority of orders. When reviewing your PDF, we strongly recommended that you zoom in to 200% to check the resolution of all images and rasterized elements in your design. Look carefully for the following:

  1. Sharpness of text, clarity, jagged edges and images/graphics that are pixilated (little squares/not sharp). These are indicators that you may have low resolution within your design.
  2. Font substitutions, character replacements, or missing text. These are indicators that your fonts were not embedded or that your text includes non-standard characters.
  3. Remember when checking your PDF, the colors you see on your computer monitor do not accurately represent what they will look like when printed. True color can only be checked by ordering a shipped proof.

Ordering a Printed Proof

To see an print of what your finished product will look like, you may add a printed proof to your order. We will ship the proof to you via UPS, and you will then have the option to either approve or reject the proof. If you approve the proof, your order will move into production. If you reject the proof, you will then be able to either submit a new print file or cancel your order free of charge. We also offer faxed black & white proofs, however, these are not a true representation of color or quality. All hard copy proofs are $15.

Ready to Upload?

Once your print file is prepared according to the above specifications, you are ready to Upload Your Design!

Customer Support is here to help

Call us at 303-745-7948

Available 8am-5pm Mon-Fri MT, or  submit your question online

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