Proofing Policy

Customer Expectations:

Alta Graphics uses printing equipment made by the leading manufacturers of Hardware and Software including; Adobe, Fiery, Heidelberg, Canon, Xerox, Microsoft, HP, Apple, Pantone among others. We have over 25 years of experience in digital printing with extremely knowledgeable operators. This combination allows us to produce high quality work within manufacturing specifications. When you produce artwork, you are responsible for understanding these limitations. We will try to identify errors in your files but we do not assume responsibilities for files you create. We offer a full service creative services department that can assist with design concept and art creation where we do assume full responsibility for our work.

What is Final Artwork:

Our standard pricing is based on you supplying your artwork in a PDF file with proper settings and measurements. Understanding of how to set up bleeds, safety margins, color profiles, resolution are all important parts of your art. We attempt to check files before processing for problems to advise you of required corrections before we process a file. We will provide an estimate for us to make the changes if we are able to based on the types of file supplied. It is important to ensure that before we start on creating final artwork from your file that the file is in a final form. Any changes will require us to redo work that will incur additional charges.

When we check your files, it is impossible for us to analyze every aspect of how it was prepared,. We can see errors in sizes, bleeds and margins but not color profiling or image preparation. If we provide an estimate to correct aspects of your file, we are not able to fix other unknown problems or color management issues in the files you created. By submitting your artwork, you as the designer are responsible for preparing proper files. We offer a full service art department where we assume 100% of these responsibilities.

Proofing Process:

Alta Graphics will provide proofs for jobs produced using your files. Production will not begin until proofs have been approved. We are not able to schedule the production of your job until we have final approval. This will affect delivery schedules. Alta Graphics is not responsible for errors in approved artwork. In the event you do not have time to proof your job, you can waive this step and assume all responsibilities for any errors that may be present in the final job. This means you will accept the job with any errors that may be present in your files or if you do not like the way your colors print.

File Processing Variances:

Be aware that all files formats can process differently than they display on your computer. This is caused by incompatibilities between the different manufacturers like Microsoft, Adobe, Fiery, Pantone and is not controlled by Alta Graphics. For this reason, it is recommended that you check a proof before approving your job.

Color Shifts and Variances:

Color variance occurs in the printing process. This is caused by many factors including; differences in papers or stocks, differences in file formats or profiles used and normal variance in colors printed at different times on the same printing device. For this reason we recommend that you view a hardcopy proof rather than an emailed proof which will only show if anything shifted or changed but will not permit seeing the final colors as they print on the actual paper or stock being used.

Additional Proof Charges:

If you find errors in your file and need to change it, there will be an additional $35 charge to receive, process, impose, print and scan your newly supplied file. If we made corrections to your file for color correction, correcting bleeds or other requested changes, we will need to do those corrections to your new file. You will be charged again for the corrections we make to the second file. These correction charges will be a minimum of $15 which is added to the cost of reprocessing and producing a new proof.

Proofing Options:

You want to see a printed Proof – We Advise you when its ready
You want an emailed proof and understand that colors may not appear as they do on your computer screen. You agree to accept the job colors as printed.
You do not have time for a proof. We proceed with the job as is and You agree to accept the job as produced.