1. When creating an InDesign file ready for print, there are a few steps you need to follow. Here is our step-by-step guide to make your InDesign file ready for print.

    1. Document Setup. When creating your design, it is important that you set your page size to the correct finish size. To view UK paper sizes click the button below. Once you have your chosen finish size, go to file in the top left corner. Go to new, then click on document. This window will pop up, at the top click on print, choose from one of the paper size presets or enter your own dimensions here. Making sure to select the correct orientation for your design. To set your margins, scroll down to the margins section, and set your margin size to 3mm. Then click the clip button to apply to all sides.

    2. Setting up bleed. Go to the bleed section and in the box set to 3mm, then click the clip to apply to all sides. If you are creating a multiple page document, insert how many pages it will be, here. Please create your design in sequential running order. This will ensure your margins and fold positions are correct and our software will correctly impose your PDF for print. Then press the blue create button.

    3. You have now set up your canvas. The black line, is your page edge, anything outside of this will be cut off. The red line, is your bleed line. If you have any coloured elements or images, that go to the edge of your page, you will need to extend them to the red line. The pink line, is your margin line. Keep all important text within this line, so that nothing gets cut off during the printing process.

    4. Now add in your design. Once you are happy with your design, and you have checked that all coloured elements are set to CMYK, you can now make your file print ready. To do this follow these steps. Go to file, export, this window will pop up. Choose where you would like to save your PDF. In the save as type, choose the Adobe PDF (Print) option. Then press save. In the Adobe PDF preset, choose the High Quality Print(modified) option. In the general tab, make sure you export as pages, rather than spreads. To the right, under viewing, tick the box that says view PDF after exporting. Click on the marks and bleed tab on the left. Under marks, make sure both crop marks and registration marks have been ticked. In bleed and slug, ensure that 3mm bleed has been added to all sides of your canvas. Click on the output tab on the left, In colour conversion make sure no colour conversion is selected. If your design contains any spot colours you will need to follow the next few steps. Click on ink manager. This window will pop up. Ensure that you tick all spots to process, this will convert your spot colours to the correct CMYK values for print. Then press ok. Now press export.

    You will now have a PDF file with crop marks and bleed, ready for print. Make sure to review your design before supplying us with the PDF. For any further information, visit our website at www.printers.prontaprint.com, or click on the link in the description.