Define artwork requirements customers can follow

Good artwork instructions reduce questions before checkout and give staff a consistent review standard. Set requirements for the actual print process and product; do not use one unexplained default for business cards, signage and booklets.

Set a product's requirements

Open Print product setup → Artwork requirements. Explain the accepted file types, finished size, bleed, safe area and any process-specific requirements in plain language. Configure the checking profile and size/page mappings using the controls provided.

• Fixed size: use when every specification has the same finished dimensions.
• Choice-based size: map each size option to its finished width and height in millimetres.
• Custom dimensions: use the customer's validated width and height from the dimension fields.
• Pages: set a fixed count or map a choice/numeric field to the number of finished pages. Copies do not multiply the expected page count.
• Resolution and tolerance: choose values appropriate for your process. A product may reasonably have different requirements from another.

For a booklet, explain whether files should contain individual finished pages. The checker does not impose printer's spreads for you. Numeric page counts must be whole numbers within the supported range of 1–500.

Example: a business card

An 85 × 55 mm finished card with 3 mm bleed on every edge has a 91 × 61 mm artwork canvas. Explain that important text stays inside the safe area and that background artwork extends through the bleed.

For raster artwork you might require 300 DPI; choose the threshold that matches your production process. A sign viewed from a distance may use another threshold. These are setup decisions, not universal promises about print quality.

What the automatic checks can establish

Supported checks examine information available in the file: PDF page count and page boxes, dimensions, available bleed space, and raster dimensions/resolution. Bleed checks can establish that space exists; they cannot prove the design extends into it.

The supported PDF checking path is bounded to 10 MB and 500 pages. Encrypted or unsupported PDF structures may need manual checking. Browser previews also have limits, including image pixel count. A file can upload successfully and still require manual review.

What staff still need to check

Check colour, fonts, overprint, transparency, content, safe area, image quality and your required PDF standard in your normal prepress tools. PressFlow is not a replacement for professional preflight or malware scanning.

Basic check results do not prevent the customer from paying. Production readiness still requires staff review. If a valid file cannot be checked automatically, authorised staff can record a reasoned manual clearance against the current artwork/check result. A replacement file requires a fresh decision.

Keep the instructions useful

Use explicit examples: “Upload a two-page PDF, front then back” is clearer than “print-ready PDF”. Say whether trim marks are needed, whether the product includes design assistance and what happens when artwork has an issue. Preview two different specifications to confirm the guidance and expected dimensions change together.

Related: Artwork review, Customer uploads, Artwork troubleshooting.