The Pre-Press Artwork Checklist: Everything to Check Before Sending to Print
Published by GiftSuppliers.ae | Knowledge Hub | Artwork & File Preparation Reading time: approximately 14 minutes
Every production delay caused by artwork problems follows the same pattern. The artwork is submitted. The production facility runs its prepress check. An issue is found — incorrect colour mode, missing bleed, low-resolution image, live fonts, wrong file format. An artwork query is sent to the client. The client must locate, correct, and resubmit the file. The production slot is lost or delayed. The timeline compresses.
This cycle repeats thousands of times across the UAE and GCC commercial print and promotional products market every week. And every instance of it is preventable — not by submitting perfect artwork (which requires deep design expertise), but by checking artwork against a defined list of verifiable criteria before submission.
This is what a pre-press artwork checklist does. It is not a design quality assessment — it does not evaluate whether the design is beautiful, whether the layout is balanced, or whether the typography is refined. It is a production readiness verification: a systematic check of the specific technical criteria that commercial print and branding production requires, performed on the final artwork file before it is submitted to any supplier.
The pre-press checklist in this guide is organised into eight categories — file format, colour mode, resolution, document setup, typography, content accuracy, method-specific requirements, and submission brief. Each category contains a set of binary checkpoints — each either passes or fails. A file that passes all checkpoints is production-ready. A file with any failed checkpoint requires correction before submission.
This checklist applies to every print and branding application in the UAE and GCC market: business cards, brochures, polo shirts, gift boxes, branded bottles, exhibition banners, embroidered garments, laser-engraved gifts, and every other branded item that goes through a production facility before it reaches a recipient.
CTA — Let our prepress team run the checklist for you. GiftSuppliers.ae’s prepress team performs a complete technical file check on all submitted artwork before production begins — identifying and resolving issues before they reach the press or the machine. Submit artwork for prepress check
How to Use This Checklist
This checklist is designed for use by marketing coordinators, brand managers, and procurement professionals who are responsible for submitting artwork to print and branding suppliers — not necessarily graphic designers. It covers the verifiable technical requirements that anyone can check with the right tools and knowledge.
Tools required:
- Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Acrobat (for vector and PDF file verification)
- Adobe Photoshop (for raster image resolution verification)
- Adobe InDesign (for multi-page document verification)
- A physical Pantone fan guide (for colour reference verification)
- This checklist, printed or displayed on screen alongside the artwork
How to run the checklist: Work through each category sequentially. For each checkpoint, mark ✅ (pass) or ❌ (fail). Any ❌ requires correction before submission. Do not submit artwork with any uncorrected failures — every failed checkpoint represents a known prepress issue that will cause an artwork query or production problem.
When to run the checklist: Run the checklist on the final, approved version of the artwork — after all design revisions have been completed and content has been signed off. Running the checklist during design revision stages is useful for identifying issues early, but the definitive pre-submission check must be run on the final file.
Who should run the checklist: Ideally, the designer who prepared the artwork runs the checklist as a self-review step before delivering the file to the marketing team. The marketing coordinator should also run the checklist on received files before forwarding to suppliers — treating it as the final quality gate before external submission.
File Format
The file format must match the production method’s requirements. Incorrect file format is the most common reason for immediate prepress rejection.
Checkpoint 1.1 — Format matches the production method: ☐ Screen printing: Vector AI or EPS with separated Pantone spot colours ☐ Embroidery: Vector AI or EPS with Pantone references noted in brief ☐ Laser engraving: Vector AI or EPS, black-and-white single colour ☐ UV printing: CMYK PDF or high-resolution PNG (transparent background) at 300 DPI ☐ DTF printing: CMYK PNG with transparent background at 300 DPI minimum ☐ Pad printing: Vector AI or EPS with Pantone spot colours, one layer per colour ☐ Offset printing: PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 with all fonts embedded ☐ Digital printing: PDF/X-1a with CMYK colour mode, all fonts embedded ☐ Dye sublimation: sRGB TIFF or PNG at 150–300 DPI at print size ☐ Foil stamping / debossing: Vector AI or EPS, single-colour per die layer
Checkpoint 1.2 — Vector files contain genuine vector content (not embedded raster): ☐ Open file in Illustrator, zoom to 1600% — edges remain perfectly sharp (genuine vector) ☐ No raster images embedded where vector is required (logos, text, line art) ☐ EPS files confirmed as vector content — not a raster image in an EPS wrapper
Checkpoint 1.3 — Raster files are at the correct format for the application: ☐ Photography: TIFF (preferred) or high-quality JPEG — not PNG for photo print ☐ DTF/UV with transparency: PNG with transparent background — not JPEG (no transparency) ☐ No GIF, BMP, or web-optimised format files submitted for print production
Checkpoint 1.4 — File is not password-protected or locked: ☐ PDF files open without password in Acrobat ☐ Illustrator files open without
restrictions in Illustrator ☐ No security restrictions preventing prepress editing or separation
Colour Mode
Incorrect colour mode produces colour shifts in production that are invisible on screen but clearly apparent in the printed output.
Checkpoint 2.1 — Document colour mode matches the production method: ☐ Offset printing, digital printing, UV printing, screen printing, pad printing: CMYK colour mode ☐ Dye sublimation: sRGB colour mode (confirm — not CMYK for sublimation) ☐ Laser engraving: Monochrome (100K black only — no CMYK channels required)
To check in Illustrator: File → Document Color Mode (should show CMYK for most print applications) To check in InDesign: Check File → Document Setup → Color Space (or check linked image profiles)
Checkpoint 2.2 — No RGB colours present in CMYK print artwork: ☐ In Illustrator: Edit → Find/Replace → Find: Fills and Strokes → Fill Color → Not CMYK — if RGB colours are found, convert each to CMYK equivalent ☐ In InDesign: Edit → Transparency Blend Space → CMYK (confirms document rendering in CMYK) ☐ Embedded images in layouts: all confirmed as CMYK in the Links panel (Actual Color Space column)
Checkpoint 2.3 — Pantone spot colours are correctly defined: ☐ All Pantone colours defined as Spot Colour type (not Process Colour) in the Swatches panel ☐ Swatch names match exact Pantone references: “PANTONE 286 C” — not “Navy Blue” or “Brand Blue” ☐ Pantone Coated (C) variants used for coated substrates; Pantone Uncoated (U) for uncoated substrates ☐ Pantone references documented in accompanying brief
Checkpoint 2.4 — No unintended spot colours in the document: ☐ Open Separations Preview (View → Separations Preview) in Illustrator — confirm only the intended colour channels appear ☐ No “Registration” colour (100% of all channels) outside of trim marks ☐ No accidental spot colour swatches from pasted-in elements — check Swatches panel for unexpected named colours
Checkpoint 2.5 — Black is defined correctly: ☐ For text and fine elements: 100K only (0C 0M 0Y 100K) — not rich black ☐ For large solid black areas: rich black (60C 40M 40Y 100K) may be appropriate for offset printing — confirm with supplier ☐ For laser engraving artwork: 100K only throughout — no rich black, no RGB black, no composite black
Resolution
Resolution failures are the second most common cause of print rejection — invisible on screen, unmistakable in the printed output.
Checkpoint 3.1 — All raster images meet minimum resolution requirements: ☐ Standard commercial print (business cards, brochures, packaging): 300 DPI at final print size ☐ UV printing on hard goods: 300 DPI at final print size (600 DPI for areas below 50mm x 50mm) ☐ DTF/DTG garment printing: 300 DPI at final print size ☐ Large format (1–3m viewing distance): 100–150 DPI at final print size ☐ Large format (3m+ viewing distance): 72–100 DPI at final print size
To check in Photoshop: Image → Image Size → uncheck Resample → set Width to final print size → read Resolution value
Checkpoint 3.2 — No upsampled images (fake resolution): ☐ All images sourced from originals — not upsampled from low-resolution versions ☐ Images sourced from messaging applications (WhatsApp) identified and replaced with originals ☐ Screenshots not used as source images for commercial print
Checkpoint 3.3 — Effective resolution of embedded images in layouts: ☐ In InDesign: Window → Links — Effective PPI column shows 300+ for all linked images at current placed size ☐ Images placed smaller than original size are higher resolution — confirm no images are placed larger than their pixel count supports at 300 DPI
Checkpoint 3.4 — Vector elements confirmed as not raster: ☐ All logos in layouts are linked or embedded as vector AI/EPS/PDF — not as JPEG or PNG ☐ No rasterised effects on vector elements that would reduce effective resolution at output
Document Setup (Bleed, Trim, Safe Zone)
Bleed and document setup errors cause the most visible production failures — white edges on trimmed pieces, cropped content, misaligned layouts.
Checkpoint 4.1 — Bleed is set correctly for trimmed applications: ☐ Any design with edge-reaching elements (backgrounds, photographs, borders) has 3mm bleed on all affected sides ☐ For packaging and die-cut applications: 5mm bleed (or supplier-specified amount) ☐ For large format printing: supplier-confirmed bleed amount (typically 5–10mm) ☐ Documents with full white backgrounds and no edge-reaching elements: bleed technically not required (but 3mm recommended as standard)
To check in Illustrator: red line should appear 3mm outside the artboard boundary To check in InDesign: red line appears 3mm outside page boundary when Bleed mode is enabled
Checkpoint 4.2 — All critical content is within the safe zone: ☐ All text is at least 3mm inside the trim line (at least 6mm from document edge in a bleed-extended document) ☐ All logos are at least 3mm inside the trim line ☐ All critical design elements are at least 3mm inside the trim line ☐ No text or logo elements are positioned in the bleed zone
Checkpoint 4.3 — Document dimensions are correct: ☐ Artboard/page dimensions match the confirmed finished size for the specific production application ☐ UAE standard business card: 90mm x 54mm finished (96mm x 60mm with bleed) ☐ A4 document: 210mm x 297mm finished (216mm x 303mm with bleed) ☐ Custom packaging: dimensions match the supplier’s die-line template exactly
Checkpoint 4.4 — Trim marks are included in PDF export: ☐ PDF includes trim marks at the trim line position (visible in the margins outside the design) ☐ Trim marks are outside the bleed area — not overlapping the design ☐ PDF page dimensions equal the finished size plus bleed (e.g., 96mm x 60mm for a business card with bleed)
Checkpoint 4.5 — Multi-page documents are consistent: ☐ All pages in a multi-page document have bleed applied — not just the first page ☐ Spread documents (double-page spreads) have bleed on outer edges only — not on spine gutter ☐ Fold positions marked in folded document layouts
Typography and Text
Font and text errors are silent failures — they produce incorrect output without any obvious visual warning during file preparation.
Checkpoint 5.1 — All fonts are outlined or embedded: ☐ For AI and EPS files: all text converted to outlined paths (Type → Create Outlines) ☐ For PDF/X files: all fonts embedded (confirmed in Acrobat: File → Properties → Fonts — all fonts listed as Embedded Subset) ☐ No live text remaining in files submitted for screen printing, embroidery, laser engraving, or pad printing
Checkpoint 5.2 — Arabic text is correctly outlined and verified: ☐ All Arabic text is outlined using an Arabic-capable application (Illustrator MENA edition) ☐ Arabic letterforms are correctly shaped — connecting strokes are present, isolated letters are contextually correct ☐ Arabic text direction is right-to-left — not reversed or incorrectly composed ☐ Arabic text verified by a native Arabic speaker before outlining — content cannot be edited after outlining ☐ Care label Arabic text verified against UAE regulatory requirements (fibre composition, country of origin phrasing)
Checkpoint 5.3 — Text content is proofread and finalised: ☐ All text has been proofread — spelling, grammar, punctuation confirmed correct ☐ All names, titles, and contact details confirmed accurate ☐ All dates, quantities, and numerical data confirmed correct ☐ All URLs and email addresses tested and confirmed working ☐ Any regulatory or legal text confirmed accurate with the relevant team
Checkpoint 5.4 — Minimum text sizes respected for production method: ☐ Screen printing: text at minimum 6–8pt at print size ☐ Embroidery: text at minimum 6mm cap height (8mm recommended) ☐ Laser engraving (metal): text at minimum 3mm cap height ☐ Laser engraving (wood/leather): text at minimum 5mm cap height ☐ Pad printing: text at minimum 4pt at print size
Content Accuracy and Approvals
Technical correctness is necessary but not sufficient — content accuracy protects against the most costly print errors.
Checkpoint 6.1 — Design version confirmed as the final approved version: ☐ The file being submitted is the version approved by all required stakeholders ☐ No pending design revision requests remain unresolved ☐ The file is named to indicate final status — “Logo_BusinessCard_FINAL_v3.ai” — not “Logo_BusinessCard_Draft.ai”
Checkpoint 6.2 — Brand identity elements are correct: ☐ Logo is the current, approved version — not a superseded version ☐ Logo colour matches the brand’s current Pantone specification ☐ Tagline is current and approved ☐ Brand colours are consistent with the brand guidelines document
Checkpoint 6.3 — Legal and regulatory requirements are met: ☐ Any required trademark symbols (®, ™) are present where required ☐ Any required copyright notices are present ☐ Any regulatory compliance text (care label content, product certifications) is present and accurate ☐ For garment care labels: Arabic and English content meets UAE/GCC regulatory requirements
Checkpoint 6.4 — Client-specific approvals obtained: ☐ Design approved by the marketing or brand team lead ☐ Any new brand identity application (new product type, new colour variant) approved by brand guardians ☐ For government or institutional clients: official approval obtained before production submission ☐ Legal or compliance review obtained where required (financial services, healthcare, regulated industries)
Method-Specific Requirements
Each branding method has specific requirements beyond the general print standards. Verify all requirements applicable to the specific production method being used.
Checkpoint 7.1 — Screen printing: ☐ Artwork is vector with all colours as named Pantone spot colour swatches (not CMYK process) ☐ Each colour is on a separate, clearly named layer ☐ White underbase layer included and labelled if design is on dark fabric ☐ Trapping applied to all adjacent colour boundaries (0.2–0.5mm overlap) ☐ Colour count confirmed and documented (number of screens = number of Pantone colours + white underbase if required) ☐ Print size confirmed in mm with placement position specified
Checkpoint 7.2 — Embroidery: ☐ Vector artwork with all text outlined ☐ All elements confirmed above embroidery minimum feature sizes at the stated embroidery size ☐ Text at minimum 6mm cap height (8mm recommended) ☐ No gradients — all areas are flat, solid colour ☐ Pantone references provided for all colours ☐ Embroidery size specified in mm (width x height) ☐ Fabric type specified (cotton piqué / polyester / fleece / structured cap) ☐ Placement position specified (left chest / back / cap front / etc.)
Checkpoint 7.3 — Laser engraving: ☐ Single-colour black-and-white vector artwork (100K black only) ☐ All text outlined ☐ All elements above minimum feature sizes at the confirmed engraving size ☐ No gradients — binary black-and-white only ☐ Clean closed paths — no stray anchor points, no overlapping shapes ☐ Engraving size confirmed in mm ☐ Product type and material specified ☐ Variable data template set up correctly if personalisation required ☐ Variable data Excel/CSV file attached with verified content if personalisation required
Checkpoint 7.4 — Pad printing: ☐ Vector artwork with Pantone spot colour layers (one per colour) ☐ Maximum 4 colour layers confirmed ☐ No gradients ☐ Minimum line weight 0.25–0.5mm at print size confirmed ☐ Print size confirmed in mm ☐ Substrate material specified
Checkpoint 7.5 — Foil stamping and debossing: ☐ Single-colour vector artwork per die (one layer per die operation) ☐ No raster elements ☐ Minimum line weight 0.5mm at die size ☐ Die size confirmed in mm ☐ Foil type specified (22k gold / silver / rose gold / specific Pantone pigmented foil) ☐ Substrate specified (leather / paper stock / board)
Checkpoint 7.6 — DTF printing: ☐ CMYK artwork at 300 DPI minimum at final print size ☐ Background is fully transparent — not white or any other colour ☐ No visible rectangular boundary around design area (confirms transparent background) ☐ All text outlined or embedded at full resolution ☐ Print size confirmed in mm
Submission Brief Completeness
The artwork file alone is insufficient for production — the accompanying brief provides the production context that the file itself cannot communicate.
Checkpoint 8.1 — Production brief is written and attached: ☐ Product type and description ☐ Production method (screen printing / embroidery / laser engraving / UV printing / offset / etc.) ☐ Material or substrate (cotton piqué polo shirt / brushed stainless steel tumbler / coated business card stock / etc.) ☐ Quantity (total pieces, any size/colour/variant breakdown) ☐ Required delivery date ☐ Point of contact name and contact details
Checkpoint 8.2 — Size specifications are confirmed: ☐ Print/embroidery/engraving size in mm (width x height) ☐ Placement position on the product (left chest / centre back / cap front / etc.) ☐ For paper print jobs: finished document size in mm ☐ For packaging: confirmation that artwork was developed using the supplier’s die-line template
Checkpoint 8.3 — Colour specifications are documented: ☐ Pantone Coated reference for each brand colour ☐ CMYK breakdown for each colour (from brand guidelines) ☐ Thread colour reference for embroidery (Madeira Classic / Polyneon reference or Pantone reference) ☐ Foil type reference for foil stamping applications ☐ sRGB value for sublimation applications
Checkpoint 8.4 — Variable data requirements are specified (if applicable): ☐ Confirmation that personalisation/variable data is required ☐ Template file prepared with variable field marked ☐ Variable data list attached (Excel or CSV, clean formatting, verified content) ☐ Arabic variable data confirmed in correct Unicode Arabic encoding (not transliterated) ☐ Variable field specification: font, size in mm, alignment, position
Checkpoint 8.5 — Special instructions are documented: ☐ White underbase required (screen printing on dark fabric) ☐ Rotary attachment required (laser engraving on cylindrical products) ☐ Specific finish or texture requirements (soft-touch laminate / gloss UV / matte laminate) ☐ Any colour approval requirements (physical proof required before bulk approval) ☐ Any packaging or delivery requirements
The Master Pre-Press Checklist: Condensed Quick-Reference
For experienced users who want a rapid verification pass, this condensed version covers the most critical checkpoints in each category:
File Format: ☐ Correct format for production method (vector AI/EPS for embroidery, screen, laser, pad, foil; PDF/X for print; PNG for DTF) ☐ Vector files confirmed as genuine vector (not raster-in-vector wrapper)
Colour Mode: ☐ CMYK colour mode for all standard print processes (not RGB) ☐ Pantone spot colours named correctly as Spot Colour type ☐ Black is 100K only (no rich black for laser engraving; rich black only for large offset solid areas) ☐ No accidental RGB colours in CMYK document
Resolution: ☐ All raster images at 300 DPI minimum at final print size (72–150 DPI for large format) ☐ No upsampled images — all sourced from originals
Document Setup: ☐ 3mm bleed on all edges with edge-reaching design elements ☐ All critical content 3mm inside trim line (safe zone) ☐ Correct document dimensions for the specific product ☐ Trim marks included in PDF export
Typography: ☐ All fonts outlined (AI/EPS) or embedded (PDF/X) ☐ Arabic text outlined, correctly shaped, right-to-left direction confirmed ☐ All text proofread and content finalised
Content: ☐ Final approved design version ☐ Current logo and brand elements ☐ All required regulatory/legal text present
Method-Specific: ☐ Screen printing: Pantone spot layers, white underbase, trapping ☐ Embroidery: minimum feature sizes, no gradients, embroidery size specified ☐ Laser engraving: black-and-white only, clean paths, engraving size specified ☐ DTF: transparent background confirmed
Brief: ☐ Production method, material, quantity, delivery date, size specifications ☐ Pantone colour references documented ☐ Variable data attached and verified (if applicable)
What Happens at the Production Facility Prepress Check
Understanding what the production facility’s prepress team checks — and how they respond to failures — helps calibrate the importance of each checklist item.
Automated preflight software: Most UAE commercial print facilities use automated preflight software — Acrobat Pro’s preflight, Pitstop, or equivalent — that automatically checks PDF files against a set of production parameters. The preflight runs in seconds and generates a report listing all issues found: missing fonts, images below minimum resolution, RGB colours in a CMYK job, missing bleed, incorrect document size. Jobs that pass the automated preflight proceed to the proof stage. Jobs with preflight failures generate an artwork query to the client.
Manual prepress review: For promotional products decoration (screen printing, embroidery, laser engraving, pad printing), automated preflight is less commonly used — manual review by an experienced prepress technician is more typical. The technician opens the file, checks colour separation (screen printing), confirms vector quality (embroidery digitising), or verifies black-and-white conversion (laser engraving). Issues found in manual review generate the same artwork query and production pause as automated preflight failures.
The artwork query cycle: When an issue is found in prepress, the production facility sends an artwork query to the client — typically by email, with a screenshot or annotated PDF showing the specific issue and the correction required. The client must correct and resubmit the file. The production team re-checks the corrected file. If additional issues are found (not identified in the first check, or introduced in the correction), a second query is sent.
Each query-and-response cycle typically adds 24–48 hours to the production timeline. On a six-week production plan, one artwork query costs one day — manageable. On a ten-day event deadline production plan, one artwork query may cost the production slot entirely — potentially missing the event date.
Running the pre-press checklist before submission converts the supplier’s query-and-response cycle into a client-managed self-review cycle — catching the same issues before they reach the facility, and resolving them at the most convenient point in the timeline.
Common Pre-Press Failures and Their Corrections
The following are the most frequently encountered failures in UAE and GCC commercial print and promotional products prepress, with their corrections:
Failure: Low-resolution logo (JPEG at 72 DPI) Correction: Obtain the vector source file (AI or EPS) from the brand’s design agency. Never substitute a higher-DPI export of the same JPEG — upsampling does not add genuine resolution.
Failure: RGB colour mode in artwork submitted for CMYK print Correction: In Illustrator: File → Document Color Mode → CMYK. After conversion, check all colours for shifts — particularly vivid blues, oranges, and greens. Manually adjust CMYK values to the brand’s Pantone breakdowns where colours have shifted.
Failure: Missing bleed — white edges will appear after cutting Correction: Extend the artboard 3mm on all sides. Extend all edge-reaching background and graphic elements to the new artboard boundary. Do not scale the entire design — extend only the background elements.
Failure: Live fonts — font not available on production system Correction: In Illustrator: Select All → Type → Create Outlines. Save the outlined version as the submission file. Retain the live-text version for future editing.
Failure: Pantone colours defined as Process (CMYK) instead of Spot Correction: In Illustrator Swatches panel: double-click each brand colour swatch → Swatch Options → change Colour Type from Process Colour to Spot Colour. Rename the swatch to the exact Pantone reference.
Failure: No white underbase specified for dark fabric screen printing Correction: Add a “White” or “Underbase White” named spot colour layer to the Illustrator file, covering all areas of the design that require opaque ink on dark fabric. Note in the production brief: “White underbase required.”
Failure: Arabic text not outlined — letterforms render incorrectly on production system Correction: In Illustrator MENA edition: Select all Arabic text → Type → Create Outlines. Verify that the outlined Arabic letterforms show correct shaping and connecting strokes before saving.
Failure: Trim marks missing from PDF — cutting alignment uncertain Correction: Re-export the PDF with File → Save As → Adobe PDF → Marks and Bleeds section → enable Trim Marks and Use Document Bleed Settings.
Failure: DTF artwork has white background instead of transparent background Correction: In Photoshop: remove the white background layer, keeping only the design elements on a transparent layer. Export as PNG with transparency enabled — the file size will be larger than a flattened PNG, confirming that the alpha channel (transparency) is present.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pre-press Artwork Checklist
Q: How long does a pre-press artwork check take?
For a single-page document (business card, leaflet), a thorough pre-press check takes 15–30 minutes. For a multi-page document (brochure, annual report), 30–60 minutes. For a screen printing or embroidery brief with multiple colour variants, 30–60 minutes per variant. The investment is directly proportional to the complexity of the job and is always less than the time consumed by a prepress revision cycle.
Q: Can my supplier run the pre-press check for me?
Yes — most UAE commercial print suppliers and promotional products decorators run their own prepress check on submitted artwork. However, this supplier check does not eliminate the cost of artwork failures — it identifies them. When the supplier finds a failure, production pauses while the client corrects and resubmits. Running the checklist yourself before submission moves this correction step earlier in the process — eliminating the pause and the revision cycle.
Q: Do I need to run this checklist for every production job?
For new designs and new product-method combinations, yes — run the full checklist every time. For repeat production runs of an existing design on the same product type where the stitch file, screen, or artwork has been previously approved and used, a condensed check confirming file identity (same file, no modifications) and brief accuracy is sufficient.
Q: What is a PDF/X file and how do I create one?
PDF/X is a print-specific subset of the PDF format that guarantees all fonts are embedded, all images are at full resolution, all colours are correctly defined, and document setup settings are correctly included. To create a PDF/X from Illustrator: File → Save As → Adobe PDF → In the Adobe PDF Preset dropdown, select “PDF/X-1a:2001” (for standard jobs without transparency) or “PDF/X-4:2010” (for jobs with transparency). These presets automatically configure all PDF/X requirements.
Q: My designer says the file is print-ready. Should I still run the checklist?
Yes. Designers vary in their understanding of print production requirements — many are expert in visual design but less experienced with production-specific technical requirements such as Pantone spot colour separation, bleed setup for specific UAE product types, or Arabic text handling for bilingual care labels. Running the checklist independently confirms print readiness regardless of the designer’s assurance, and provides documented evidence of the file’s production status at the time of submission.
Q: What should I do if I fail a checklist item but don’t know how to fix it?
Document the specific failure — which checkpoint, what the current state is, and what the correct state should be. Share this documentation with your designer or with the production supplier’s prepress team. Most prepress issues have straightforward corrections that an experienced designer can perform in minutes — the challenge is identifying them, which is what the checklist does. If the designer cannot be reached, many UAE print suppliers offer prepress correction services (typically at a modest fee) that resolve standard artwork issues before production.