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We develop documents in InDesign. Sometimes we get the docs printed by professional printing houses. What is the best way to prepare files for a printer?

Option 1) Simply save a press-quality PDF and send it out

Option 2) Save a Package in InDesign with a fonts folder, IDML, InDesign and press-quality PDF

I noticed that when we do option 2, the InDesign file in the package is much smaller (file size) than our original InDesign file. Why is this? Is it an issue to provide a printer the smaller InDesign file?

Thanks, David

David K
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  • This site is for programming questions. What format to save files in is not programming. – Marc B Sep 14 '15 at 19:05
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    This question might have a better home at Graphic Design. Anyway, check with the printer whether they can handle PDF/X-4. If so, create a PDF/X-4. If they hesitate and/or don't know what you are talking about, create a PDF/X-1a. If they still don't know what you are talking about, change printer… In other words, send a suitable PDF; no package with original documents. – Max Wyss Sep 15 '15 at 04:43

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This question is definitely suited for somewhere else, but I do have an answer.

The best thing you can send is a High-Quality PDF with crop marks and bleeds enabled. Bleed should be at least 1/8" to 1/4". Whether to send spreads or pages (or a separate cover file) will depend on how a book/booklet will be bound.

At any rate, a quality printer will be able to tell you exactly what you need to send.

Mike Furbish
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