File Submission Guidelines
File types, bleeds, colour modes, and resolution. If that already sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. You’re not alone, and you’re in the right place!
This guide breaks everything down in plain language, so you know exactly what to send us. And if you still have questions, just reach out. We’re always happy to help.
Common File Types
Best Format for Printed Documents
PDF stands for Portable Document Format, and it’s our favourite file type for print projects. Things like posters, flyers, business cards, and other paper products usually work best as PDFs.
Most design programs let you export directly to PDF, and that’s exactly what we recommend. In many cases, we can make small adjustments to a PDF to get it print-ready if needed.
Not sure how to save your PDF properly? Send it over, and we’ll take a look.
EPS
Best Format for Decals & Logos
An EPS file is a vector file. In simple terms, that means it can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
This is the file type we need for logos, decals, and anything that needs to be resized or cut. EPS files require special software to open, so if you’re not sure what yours looks like, no problem. We can check it for you.
If we designed your logo, this is one of the file types included in your final logo package.
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Acceptable For Print
We can open and work with most Microsoft files, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher.
If your file needs edits before printing, we prefer the original file. If no changes are needed, you can also export your document as a PDF and send that instead.
JPG and PNG
Acceptable Support Files
JPG and PNG files are raster images, which means they’re made up of pixels. These files can lose quality if they’re enlarged too much.
If you plan to print from a JPG or PNG, the image needs to have a resolution of at least 300 DPI. Not sure what resolution your image is? Send it to us, and we’ll let you know if it will work.
These file types are great for digital use like websites, social media, and email signatures.
One key difference to know: PNG files have transparent backgrounds, while JPG backgrounds are solid and not transparent.
Colour Modes Explained
CMYK
Best Format for Printing
CMYK is the colour mode used for printing. It stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (or ‘Key’). These four inks are combined to create full-colour printed designs.
CMYK is best for printed artwork, especially designs with multiple colours or photos.
PMS (Pantone)
Best Format for Colour Matching
If colour accuracy is critical, PMS is the way to go. PMS stands for Pantone Matching System, which is a standardized system that ensures your colours print consistently every time.
Pantone colours, also called spot colours, are ideal when your design uses one or two specific brand colours that need to be an exact match.
RGB
Acceptable for Print
RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. This colour mode is designed for screens, not print.
If an RGB file is printed, it has to be converted to CMYK, which can cause colour shifts. RGB is best used for digital projects like websites, online ads, and social media.
Need clarification?We're here to help!
What is a Bleed?
No bandages required.
A bleed allows your design or background colour to extend right to the edge of the finished piece.
When something is printed with a bleed, the paper or other material is then trimmed down to size. A bleed gives us a little extra room, so there are no white edges after trimming.
For most projects, a bleed of 0.125 inches on all sides does the trick.
If you do not want to include a bleed, be sure to leave a 0.25-inch white margin around the entire design instead.
Scroll down to learn how to add a bleed to your file.
How to Add a Bleed
The exact steps depend on the software you’re using. Below are simple instructions for the most common programs.
Microsoft Word
- Open Page Setup
- Under Paper Size, choose More Paper Sizes
- Create a custom page size that is 0.25 inches wider and 0.25 inches taller than your final printed size
- Design your file, keeping in mind that the outer 0.125 inches will be trimmed off
- Save or export the file as a PDF
Canva
- Canva makes this pretty easy. You can turn on margins, bleeds, rulers, and crop marks right in the editor. If you’re unsure how to enable them, just ask us or check out Canva’s help guide.
Adobe Photoshop
Editing an existing file:
- Turn on rulers under the View menu
- Click on the rulers at the top and left side of your window and drag guidelines to all 4 edges of your canvas
- Go to Image, then Canvas Size
- Add 0.25 inches to both the width and height
- Your guides will now show where the final trim will happen
- Save as a Photoshop PDF using the Press Quality preset
- Make sure Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities is unchecked
Creating a new file:
- Set your resolution to 300 DPI
- Add 0.25 inches to both width and height
- Turn on rulers under the View menu
- Click on the rulers at the top and left side of your window and drag guidelines to all 4 edges of your canvas – inset by 0.125 inches from the edges
- Keep important text and logos away from the edges
- Save as a Photoshop PDF using the Press Quality preset
- Make sure Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities is unchecked
Adobe InDesign
Editing an existing file:
- Go to File, then Document Setup
- Open Bleed and Slug
- Enter 0.125 inches for top, bottom, left, and right
- Make sure your background extends to the red bleed guides, but be sure to keep your important info inside the trim area
- Export as a PDF using the Press Quality setting
- Under Marks and Bleed, select Use Document Bleed Settings and Crop Marks
Creating a new file:
- Enter 0.125 inches for bleed on all sides when setting up the document
- Make sure your artwork extends to the red bleed box, while keeping important content inside the trim area
- Export as a PDF using Press Quality with bleed and crop marks enabled
Adobe Illustrator
Editing an existing file:
- Go to File, then Document Setup
- Enter 0.125 inches for bleed on all sides
- Make sure your artwork extends to the red bleed box, while keeping important content inside the trim area
- Save as a PDF
- Under Marks and Bleed, select Use Document Bleed Settings and Trim Marks
Creating a new file:
- Set bleed to 0.125 inches on all sides when creating the document
- Make sure your artwork extends to the red bleed box, while keeping important content inside the trim area
- Save as a PDF
- Under Marks and Bleed, select Use Document Bleed Settings and Trim Marks
Still unsure if your file is set up correctly? Send it over. We’ll happily take a look and make sure everything is good to go before printing.