Watch the setup walkthrough
A short walkthrough of how to set up a press-ready flat file, with bleed and the safe zone in place. Then grab the correctly-sized example below.
Quick file checklist
Tap each item as you confirm it before uploading.
00 / 09 doneWhat makes a press-ready flat file
Bleed, trim and safe zone
Every flat piece has three zones. Bleed is the 1/8 inch of art that extends past the trim. Trim is where we cut. The safe zone is 1/8 inch inside the trim, where all important text and logos belong. Building all three keeps edges clean and nothing important gets cut.
Set the right document size
Your document should match the finished size you ordered. For a 4 by 6 postcard, build at 4 by 6 plus bleed. Match the orientation to how the piece should read.
One or two sides
Flat products print on one or both sides. For a two-sided piece, include both pages in a single PDF with the front first, sized and oriented the same way.
Borders and even margins
Cutting can shift a hair in either direction. A border placed right at the trim can look thicker on one side, so give borders breathing room or avoid them at the edge.
Color and resolution
Build in CMYK so screen color matches the press, place images at 300 dpi at final size, embed or outline fonts and flatten transparency. Export one press-ready PDF.
Templates and how to use them
Download the template
- Open the price calculator and choose your size and options.
- Download the template that matches your specs, or resize the closest one to fit.
- Open it in Adobe InDesign or Illustrator, or in Canva.
Add your artwork
- Place your design on the artwork layer, using the template layer as a guide.
- Run full-bleed art 1/8 inch past the trim on all four sides.
- Keep text and logos 1/8 inch inside the trim, and avoid borders right at the edge.
- Remove template guides and export both sides as a single press-ready PDF.
Your questions, answered
Add 1/8 inch of bleed on all four sides for any art that runs to the edge, and keep important content 1/8 inch inside the trim in the safe zone.
Send both sides in a single PDF, front page first, sized and oriented to match.
A border placed right at the trim can look uneven if the cut shifts even slightly. Pull borders in or skip them at the edge for a clean result.
Place raster images at 300 dpi at final size. Lower-resolution images can print soft or pixelated.
Yes. Request our design service and our team can build or fix your flat file, then send a soft proof for your approval.