Price custom sizes and understand m² × copies

Find it: Print product setup → Prices & quantities → a custom-size pricing method.

What m² × copies means

It is the total charged area across the print run. A 500 × 1,000 mm item is 0.5 m² before rounding. Ten copies cover 5 m² for the area-based calculation. This is useful for products you sell by area.

It is not a sheet-layout, paper-waste or press-imposition calculation. It does not know sheet sizes, nesting, spoilage, ink coverage or machine utilisation. Include those costs in your rate, minimum, setup or price bands as appropriate.

Area-rate method

1. Choose the dimension unit and allowed minimum/maximum width and height.
2. Set dimension rounding and charged-area rounding increments.
3. Enter the rate per square metre or the applicable rate-table rows.
4. Set a minimum base job charge and a separate setup charge if needed.
5. Add extras, checking whether each is per job, copy or square metre.

The calculation is:

Base job = larger of (job minimum, rounded area per copy × rate × copies)
Job total = base job + setup + applicable extras

Dimensions round up first, then area rounds up to its increment. Therefore a size just beyond a boundary can have a higher charged area than the raw dimensions suggest. The summary states finished size and charged area per copy.

Training example, before extras and taxes: 0.5 m² per copy × 10 copies × 20 per m² = 100. With a minimum of 25 and setup of 5, the job is 105. These are explanation figures, not recommended prices. See the sign example.

Size-band method

Each matching width/height band contains a per-copy base amount. Multiply it by copies, apply the job minimum, then add setup and extras. Band minimum boundaries are exclusive and maximum boundaries inclusive, using the rounded dimensions.

Test sizes exactly at a band maximum and just above it. Check that no size has missing or equally specific overlapping bands. The detailed band editor is available in Advanced controls.

Test and advertise responsibly

Coverage uses the example dimensions; it does not sweep every possible size. Test minimums, maximums, rounding changes and band boundaries separately. Define a valid specific starting configuration for an arbitrary-size product so its advertised From price describes a complete, real job.

Do not add the same setup cost in both the base price and a job extra. For a once-per-job increase to an area/band product, the bulk tool's Setup charge only scope is usually the relevant entry rather than adding a fixed amount to every area rate.