Frequently Asked Questions

Files should be saved at 300 dpi for best printing results. Low resolution files may be printed as is or will be placed on hold until we receive new files, slowing your turn-around.

Yes, but if the border is too close to the cutline, it may be cut off-center slightly. Border. We cut through many sheets at a time, so watch your borders to avoid an unwanted mistake.

Pantone colors can affect your order is the color conversion between a Pantone color and CMYK. All of our normal printing is done in CMYK unless you specifically order a Custom job. If you use Pantone colors in a job that will print CMYK, your job might print with undesirable colors. If you send in a job with Pantone colors, the CMYK conversion will change the Pantone color. Before sending your order, make sure all Pantone colors have been converted to CMYK.

Glossy Vs. Matte: Glossy papers convey quality and sophistication, and they make photos “pop,” but their shine also can make text harder to read. Matte papers project an “environmentally friendly” image, and their soft white appearance makes for good text legibility.

Light Vs. Heavy: Lighter weight papers say “value” and are economical for mailing, while thicker papers typically are more opaque and more durable, making them a good choice for pieces that feature a lot of text or are intended to have a long shelf-life. To get more details, check out Paper Info and Print Marketing 101.

Aqueous is a clear, fast-drying, water-based (environmentally friendly) coating that is used to protect printed pieces. It helps prevent fingerprinting and scuffs, and improves the durability of pieces that go through the mail or are subjected to other types of wear and tear. In addition to protection, aqueous gives extra “pop” to color and imagery, and makes any piece look more impressive.

RGB refers to the colors red, green and blue, which computer monitors use to display images. A four-color, offset printing press, however, prints images using a different set of colors: cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black (CMYK). Files created in RGB must be converted to CMYK before they can be printed on a four-color press. (Follow the instructions provided by your design program.) Keep in mind that files viewed in CMYK provide a more accurate representation of how your printed piece will look than what you can see in RGB mode.

We recommend that you compress file using WinZip for PCs and the Apple zip process or Stuffit for Macs. This decreases the file size and the chances for file corruption.

Because computer monitors vary, PDF proofs can be used to help display layout, text accuracy, and image placement and proportion, and to give a fairly accurate interpretation of color or density. Although we make every effort to match colors and/or ink densities as shown on PDF proofs, we cannot guarantee exact matches between our offset printing proof and the PDF proof you print from your office or home printer.

When you retrieve the PDF proof we provide, please review it carefully. This is your opportunity to check your layout and graphics, and your last chance to find typographical errors or misspelled words, and mistakes in grammar, punctuation and content.

Visit our Get an Estimate page to get prices for any printing project.

Allied Print & Design accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

Orders shipped to an Arizona address will be subject to applicable sales taxes. This amount will be clearly identified in your order summary.

A valid credit card is required to place an order, however, your card will not be charged until you approve the PDF proof we provide. Once a file is approved and “sent to print,” all applicable fees, including printing, shipping and handling, and taxes, where applicable, will be charged to your credit card. The exact amounts for each will be provided to you beforehand.

Once you have approved your proof and sent your job to press, you can make no additional changes to your order.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL. In the unlikely event that you find what you believe to be a manufacturing error, please contact us within three days of the receipt of your order. On a case-by-case basis, we will evaluate the work and determine if a discount, reprint or other resolution is appropriate.