Use a page layout program such as Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress. Avoid creating text pages in Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand, or any other drawing or photo-imaging application.

Make your document/page layout the exact size that you want your printed piece to be. For example, if your piece is an 8 1/2 x 11 brochure, make your document size 8 1/2 x 11. Do not make the document bigger and then add manual crop marks.

Make sure the pixels-per-inch image size in your Photoshop files are twice the target line screen. For example, if you want to print with a 175-line screen, make the pixels-per-inch 350 at reproduction size. (Pixels-per-inch is the same as dots-per-inch.) However, bitmapped images or line drawings should be 600 dpi.

The rule of thumb in creating gradients or blends is to create them in Adobe Photoshop. Create them on a transparent layer, and before you flatten the layer, add four pixels of noise with the noise filter. Gradients created in a page layout program may result in banding if they are any longer than a few inches.

Do not enlarge a placed Photoshop, or pixel-based file, in your page layout program by more than 20 percent, as this reduces the pixels-per-inch.

Bleeds in your page layout file should be .125 (or 1/8) inch.

Convert all RGB colors to CMYK, especially in photographic images.

Make sure that your Pantone color is correctly specified as a process color (screen mix) or as a spot color in your page-layout program.

It is imperative that you provide us with the fonts that you have used. You must send the files containing both the screen (bitmapped) fonts and printer (outline) fonts.

Provide us with all linked graphics, including ones that are placed in Illustrator files.

Make laser prints of everything and indicate color breaks. Please include the latest update; make sure that the laser print matches the file you give us. If the laser print is reduced, please indicate this on the proof. If you are uploading your files to our Insite Server or FTP site, please include a low resolution PDF file. This lets us see what you intend your project to look like. This will assist us in giving you the best possible result, while reducing the chance of errors, omissions, costly changes, and time to produce your proofs.