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10 checks before you call a PDF print-ready

A practical preflight checklist for artwork, fonts, bleed, color and finishing before a job reaches production.

A PDF that opens successfully can still be wrong for the press. Print readiness depends on the finished product, the printing process and the equipment that will produce it. Start with the job specification, then check the file against that specification.

The ten checks

  1. Finished size: compare the TrimBox or die outline with the ordered dimensions. Do not assume the visible page is the finished size.
  2. Bleed: check every cut edge, including shaped edges. Background artwork must extend far enough for the intended cutting tolerance.
  3. Page count: confirm that all sides, versions and language variants are present and in the correct order.
  4. Fonts: inspect embedding and any substitution. Pay particular attention to small legal copy and unusual symbols.
  5. Image resolution: judge resolution at final output size. Enlarging an image reduces its effective resolution.
  6. Color spaces: compare RGB, CMYK and spot-color content with the production specification. Conversion should follow an agreed output condition.
  7. Spot inks: look for duplicate names, unexpected plates and technical lines that could print as artwork.
  8. Overprint: inspect the rendered result, especially white objects and small black text.
  9. Ink coverage: check the combined coverage against limits appropriate to the substrate and process.
  10. Finishing: verify cut, crease, foil and varnish definitions separately from the printed image.

Turn checks into a repeatable handoff

In AutomatePrint, choose a Preflight profile that matches the work, run the report and inspect the location of each finding. Record why an exception is acceptable instead of treating every warning as a failure. A revised file needs its own report; an earlier pass does not approve later changes.

For a folding carton, for example, confirm the die first, check the printed panels and bleed, then review the technical inks. That order avoids approving a visually attractive PDF built around the wrong structure.

Open the Preflight guide for profiles, reports and the checks available in AutomatePrint.