A PDF that looks good on screen can fail when printed. Preparation depends on the printing system, the paper, the inks, the finish and the printer’s workflow. So the first rule is not to export with a universal recipe, but to ask for the supplier’s technical specification.
Ask for the production sheet
Before closing the design, confirm:
- final size and orientation;
- binding and spine;
- bleed and safety margin;
- colour profile and printing condition;
- ink coverage limit;
- requested PDF standard;
- spot colours, white or varnish;
- die-cut, scoring and finishes;
- delivery method and proof.
If the printer does not provide a sheet, request these decisions in writing.
Choose the PDF/X variant
The ISO 15930 family defines PDF/X for the exchange of print data. There is no single variant that is best for every workflow.
According to the PDF Association, PDF/X-1a admits only CMYK and does not admit colour-managed data. PDF/X-3 admits greyscale, RGB and CMYK with colour management. PDF/X-4 admits the same colour spaces and is based on PDF 1.6; PDF/X-6 (ISO 15930-9:2020) does too, on PDF 2.0. Variants based on PDF 1.4 do not admit transparency. The choice depends on the printer’s workflow and the output condition.
Do not convert to PDF/X-1a out of habit if the supplier asks for PDF/X-4. Nor should you deliver PDF/X-4 without checking that the workflow accepts it.
Define the size and the bleed
The page size must match the final format or follow the production template. Extend backgrounds and images to the bleed. Keep text, signatures and important details inside the safety margin.
The bleed measurement is set by the supplier: it depends on the product, the format, the binding and the finishes. There is no universal figure.
Do not add crop marks, bars or wedges if the supplier does not ask for them. Professional imposition is usually carried out by the printer.
Work with images at their effective size
Check the effective resolution, not only the resolution the file declares. A high-resolution image that is reduced may be sufficient; enlarged several times, it no longer is. Ask the printer for the resolution its process requires.
Avoid automatic resampling before you know the final size. Keep a master without destructive compression and generate the print derivative from it.
Manage colour
An ICC profile describes how to interpret colour. Print characterisation profiles exist, but the right one depends on the paper, the press and the printer’s specification.
Do not convert every image to a generic CMYK. Agree the output profile, keep embedded profiles where appropriate and carry out the conversion once, in a controlled workflow. Check:
- text blacks and solid blacks;
- neutral greys;
- overprint;
- spot colours;
- RGB images;
- total ink coverage;
- out-of-gamut colours.
A calibrated screen helps, but it does not replace a contractual or certified proof.
Check fonts, transparency and effects
Embed fonts if their licence allows it. Converting text to outlines removes the dependence on the font file, but loses searchability, accessibility and editability. See what each font licence allows.
Some workflows require transparencies to be flattened; confirm with the printer whether theirs preserves them. Check shadows, blend modes, masks, overprints and white objects set to overprint.
Prepare inks and finishes
Name each spot colour consistently. Separate die-cut, varnish, embossing, white, stamping or laser cutting into layers and inks according to the printer’s convention. State whether a layer prints or works only as an instruction.
Do not rely on a visual colour to represent a finish. Attach a diagram and ask for confirmation.
Deliver pages, not signatures
Unless told otherwise, export individual pages in order. Include real blank pages where they belong. The printer usually carries out the imposition according to the folding, the press and the binding.
For covers, confirm whether a spread is delivered with back cover, spine and front cover. The width of the spine depends on the paper, the pages and the binding.
Run a preflight check
Run a preflight that checks at least:
- PDF standard and output profile;
- page sizes and boxes;
- bleed;
- fonts;
- effective resolution;
- colour spaces;
- spot colours;
- transparency and overprint;
- missing images or links;
- pages and orientation.
Open the exported PDF and do not limit yourself to the layout document.
Ask for an appropriate proof
A home proof is useful for text, order and scale, not for approving colour. Decide whether you need a digital proof, an imposition proof, a wet proof, a physical dummy or a press proof. Record what is being approved: content, colour, paper, finishes or the whole.
The approval must identify the file, version and date.
Name and deliver
Use a stable name, for example catalogo_v07_impresion_2026-10-12.pdf. Deliver a single version declared as final and a short document with format, print run, paper, finishes, profiles, inks and remarks.
If someone else prepares the file, define responsibility with a clear design commission.
Checklist
- The printer confirmed its specification.
- Size, pages and bleed are correct.
- The PDF/X variant matches the workflow.
- Images and resolution were checked at effective size.
- Profile and printing condition are declared.
- Fonts and licences allow delivery.
- Inks and finishes are identified.
- Transparency and overprint were checked.
- The final PDF passed preflight.
- The proof identifies the file and the scope of approval.
Further reading
Sources
- PDF Association, ISO 15930 / PDF/X.
- ISO/TC 130, Guidelines for using print production standards.
- ISO 15930-9:2020, PDF/X-6.
Status: Verified. Reviewed: 12 October 2026. The printer’s specifications prevail over any general recipe. If you find a mistake, write to me.