Published Article September 2018 by Elie Bellama and Patti Jakubowski; 

Updated 2019Aug13 by K. Donaldson

As you become familiar with Newprint’s ordering process, you will find it much easier and simpler than other web-to-print platforms in the marketplace. Our system is designed for users of all expertise levels and print-purchasing experience. From first-time users to advanced users, we have developed the platform to be as intuitive and straightforward as possible for a professional commercial print-buying experience. While the look of the product configuration may vary for the different product categories, the logic of how to place the order remains the same. You will find out more as you begin going through the ordering steps.

Prior to placing an order, it is best to ensure your artwork is print-ready to complete the entire order process including uploading your artwork. The majority of Newprint’s products are based on the client uploading a completed print-ready file that requires no additional work before being placed into production. Therefore, we have written extensive articles on how to set up your artwork for print. 

We recommend that you read the general artwork guide in our knowledge base as a starting point to learn the basic elements of a print-ready file before starting your design and before you save your art to a PDF. 

Once you have reviewed the general guide, other articles are available that provide in-depth step by step directions to properly set up files for specific product groups. Before you dive into the artwork set up, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the order process as outlined below. 

The screenshots in this article may differ slightly in looks from the actual site as we are continuously improving the look of the page, however, the overall flow and logic will remain the same.

On a full-width desktop screen, the main portion of the page has all of the product options and the tabs start off with gray checkmarks to indicate that a selection has not been made yet. Your first selection would be on the first tab from the left and as you make your selections, the tab will automatically shift to the next one to the right and the checkmark will turn green. 

The header of the product is located right above the product part group of options that you will need to make to complete your configuration. This header will return you to the option selections portion of the configurator once you have made it to the “File Upload” stage. If you arrive at the upload section and notice that you need to edit your selections, you can do so by clicking on this header button. 

If you click on the header button, you can then click on any of the tabs to change your selection. Depending on which tab you click on, you may need to re-make your selections from that point onwards, as some of the selections are dependant on preceding choices. 

For example, choosing 8.5 x 5.5" size selection for a folded product such as a brochure, the folding segment will only display the fold types that are possible for that size. The dependence on previous choices is the reason that selections are made in a certain order sequence to ensure that the resulting specifications make sense and can be produced on our equipment. 

The summary panel below the configuration menu will have the default selections of the most common order for the product being ordered. As you go through the configuration selections, you will notice the summary changing based on the choices you are making. These selections will consist of all the options that will let us understand how to produce your order correctly in production.

At the same time, the pricing table on the top right side of the page is calculating and re-calculating the prices based on all the selections you are making. Even if you have not completed your selections, the prices in the table will still display as the system will use the default selection in the tabs for those specifications that have not yet been selected by you. 

The most important thing to remember when making your selections is to match the definition of your file. For example, the orientation of your dimensions must match as defined by Width X Height. Selecting a 8.5”x11” is not the same as selecting 11”x8.5” because your file will actually need to match width first then height second, so you would need to select 8.5”x11” if your file is 8.5”x11” and 11”x8.5” if your file is 11”x8.5”.

The second thing you need to make sure of is the option that you select in the colour tab. This has an impact beyond just whether the piece is single or double-sided, or whether it is full colour, black and white, etc. If you choose 1 side printing then that means your file should only consist of 1 page. If you choose 2 sided printing, your file should have 2 pages. The only time your file would have more than one or two pages is if the item being ordered is a bound product. In this case, there would be a tab where you select the number of pages that you require, and your file should have the same number of pages as was selected in the configuration.

You must make your quantity selection from the pricing list on the right side of the screen. If your desired quantity is not in the pricing list, you may have the option to enter a custom quantity in the text field below, depending on the product. Most bulk ordered printed products allow you to add a custom quantity in increments of 50 or 100. 

The next selection required is the turnaround time. Keep in mind that this time frame does not start at the moment that the order is placed, but rather starts once the proof is approved. So if a hard copy proof is requested it can add to the production time as the proof will need to be produced and in some cases shipped before it can be approved. In addition, if the proof is approved after 12 pm, Eastern Standard Time, then the current day does not count towards the production time frame. The turnaround time will start from the next business day and does not include weekends or holidays.

You can also choose the proof type that you would like to receive. All orders come with a free PDF proof, sent after the file is processed in our advanced workflow system. For those who want added peace of mind, hard copy proofs are also available. These will be produced on a digital printing machine, and are not intended for colour match or “Contract” proofing. These are so that page order, folding, and other physical properties of the piece can be viewed, as well as the weight and finish of the paper chosen.

At the upload stage, simply drag and drop your file into the upload box and wait for the upload to complete. The system will read your PDF file and check that the page dimensions and page counts match the specifications of the product indicated. If both match, you will see a green checkmark. If the file does not match the specifications, a red “X” will appear along with an explanation of what the issue is. A file can still be uploaded if there are conflicts between the file and the specifications, however, this may result in additional file processing time and/or charges, depending on the complexity of the issue(s). At this point, you will be required to “attach” the file to the order by clicking on the big green button below the uploader, which will allow you to proceed to the next step.  

If the product consists of 2 parts such as inside pages plus a cover, you will need to upload 2 files, one for the cover (front AND back) and another for the inside pages. Each one of these files must match the document size and the page count as selected, otherwise, the system will not accept your file(s). 

Upon completing all your selections, including uploading your file, you will see the blue “Add to Cart” button appear. All your specifications will then be added to your shopping cart for you to checkout, or you can continue shopping for other items. If you have multiple versions of the same product, you can continue shopping to add the additional versions. 

As an example, for 1000 each of 10 versions, each version will need to be added to the cart individually and the file uploaded individually. A quantity of 10,000 cannot be selected and 10 different files uploaded as the quantity indicates the number of times that 1 version will be produced. 

As another example, if you order 1,000 business cards, it would only be for 1 version of 1,000. If you want 2 versions at 500 each, you will need to add two items to your cart, each one with a quantity of 500.

After the payment is complete, you will receive a notification with a digital PDF proof attached for your review. If you have selected to have a hard copy proof produced, you will still get the digital proof first so you have a chance to proofread and verify the art before the hard copy is created.

Our prepress will advise of any noticeable issues that may prevent a proper production output and may offer you the opportunity to re-submit a new file or to request an alteration quote. 

Please make sure to carefully check the proof(s) that you receive as once they are approved, any issues that remain in the file will end up in the final product. Any issue that shows up in an approved proof will not be considered grounds for a reprint. As well, unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing, all hard copy proofs are for positioning and content only, and are not colour-match or “contract” proofs, meaning there is no guarantee that the final product will look exactly like the proof.

For any comments or questions, please send us an email at [email protected].