Proofing
We want your job to be perfect, which is why we make every effort to thoroughly proof files before they head to our presses. But with the many and varied pieces we print—especially those we don’t design ourselves—we are often unfamiliar with the technical jargon and names used in the jobs that come our way. (We can spell “ophthalmology”, but words like “hepaticocholangiocholecystenterostomies” we have to look up!) Which is why we rely on our customers to help with the proofing process.
To really make sure your job is perfect, follow this handy proofing checklist that works great both before you send us your job or after we have emailed a customer proof:
- First, print off a copy of the job (or the customer proof) on your personal printer. We know it’s more convenient to proof from an emailed PDF, but we know from experience that the best way to proof something is when it’s been printed!
- Proof the document yourself. Even better: have someone else proof it. And even better than that: share it with a third person and have them proof. When it comes to proofing, the more eyeballs on the job the better. (If the document is fairly long, you might divide it into sections, with one person proofing headlines or captions, another proofing the body text, etc.)
- If you do find something that needs to be changed, make sure to list exactly what needs to be changed when you email your correction to us. (And we prefer to receive corrections via email so we can print them out and double-check that the corrections were made!) Plus, be as descriptive as possible, i.e. “Change the comma in the second line of the fourth paragraph after the sixth word to a period.” Specific is better.
- If the document needs a ton of changes, the best bet is to mark them in colored ink on the printed document and mail or deliver the changes to us. We may follow up with a phone call or in-person meeting to clarify any requests that are unclear.
- When you are satisfied with the document, send us an email noting that you have proofed it and giving us approval to print.
In certain instances, we may be able to provide a press proof, which is a sample copy of what a printed document will look like once it has been printed, trimmed, folded, and otherwise finished. Press proof availability and cost, however, depends on the job, the printer/paper used, and whether or not the job is complex enough to warrant outsourcing for certain elements. Contact your customer service rep for more information on press proof availability.