Best contents for Printers' Zipped file

[russpears]

What types of file you be good to include within a zipped file:

a low res composit PDF file
a fonts folder
an images folder
native document-live text)
print ready file -outlined type (eps or pdf)
seperations PDF
read me file
job sheet

 

[mattbeals]

Re: Best contents for Printers' Zipped file

Just the high resolution final art and fonts. If you want to send a low res PDF make sure you mark it as low res. You don't want to outline the type in your art. If the printer can't handle the fonts, find a different printer. There are a lot of them out there... A read me is always helpful as is a specification sheet. There's no reason to provide the job as EPS files, as rasterized TIFF's, JPEG's, etc. Send it as a native file when in doubt or a PDF when possible.

The save for service provider in InDesign is "functional" but not always complete. You'd be better served using a copy of FlightCheck Designer or FlightCheck Professional to gather all the pieces together into one compact ZIP file. Plus it would give the printer a preflight report showing the detailed status of the art.

Quarks is less functional than Adobe's. I still always suggest at least a copy of FlightCheck Designer.

Best advice though, ask your printer what they want and only send art that has had all of the changes and modifications done BEFORE you send it. Just imagine if the printer came back to you after delivery and said "We'd like to make a change to the art".

 

[Kristian]

Re: Best contents for Printers' Zipped file

> {quote:title=mattbeals wrote:}{quote}
> Best advice though, ask your printer what they want and only send art that has had all of the changes and modifications done BEFORE you send it. Just imagine if the printer came back to you after delivery and said "We'd like to make a change to the art".


Great advice. The amount of times we have received artwork, imported into ArtPro, applied trapping and screening, retouched images for flexo and then got a phone call saying "sorry, just realised something was wrong and we are re-sending". It's normally a minor change so we compare differences and just drop the new text over the top rather than starting again but its still frustrating.

As for the zip file we just ask for the working documents in Artpro with all the relevant images. Each to their own, so as Matt says, check what their specific requirements are.

Kristian