InDesign File Preparation

Guidelines for creating great printing files.

DOCUMENT SETUP: Margins, Crops & Bleeds

It is important to set up your document correctly when creating a file that will be printed. These specifications let us know exactly what you are looking for.

Page Size:

This is where you set the final, unfolded size of your printed piece.
(This is where we will be cutting.)

Margins:

The margins are guides that you can use to keep important images/text from being cut off. We recommend minimum 0.25” – 0.5” margins.

Bleeds:

The bleed area is an area outside the trim line that WILL BE CUT OFF.
This is used when you intend for an image to run off the end of the paper. We recommend 0.125” bleeds.

InDesign Page Setup Screen
Cropping Reference - Before

Layout View

Cropping Reference - After

Print View