As a Graphic Designer or file preparer always use a preflight checklist. You want your printing job on time and on budget, to be professional. I have been training graphic designers, publishers, and prepress operators for many years. Preflight, Job Planning, and File Repair, is your path to staying on time and on budget with your graphic design project.

Preflight – a preflight checklist is used to discover and identify predictable problems with your files and job before going forward. There is new freeware, software to aid in this process called FreeFlight™, you can download a copy at http://FREE-PREFLIGHT.com Read more about Preflight Process and Software.

Job Planning – a preflight checklist is used to verify the engineering of the print project. The graphic designer should make a dummy, or mock-up that demonstrates folding, backup, and physical details of the piece. See #7 below, take time to seek any potential problems, talk to your printer, take time to explicitly communicate every detail.

File repair – your prflight checklist is used in the process of correcting these problems with your files before sending them to others. Accurate preflight and file repair is the responsibility of the file preparer. Please be proactive, using this document as a guide.

Proofing – to actually read your proofs at every stage. It is simply shocking how many printing jobs have type corrections AFTER submitted and proofed at the printing company. Your job should never go to the printer with simple type corrections and type-o’s. Take pride in the quality and integrity of your work that goes to others.

Graphic Designers Goal = One Way First Time Right Submission

It’s your job as a graphic designer. If you are a top notch designer, your job is about more than aesthetics, it’s about integrity and accuracy too. Your job should go to the printer in a state of readiness, to flow right to press with No Delay and No Additional Cost. It all comes together to make your design project a real professional job.

Any problems with your graphic design will cause delays in production. File repair costs from the printer are never in your print quote. Expensive prepress time to repair files is also not built into your schedule. A consistant process using a preflight checklist will help avoid delays and additional costs. In most printing quotations is usually some verbage like.. apparel screen printing