The global prepress market is set to become a 6.7 billion-dollar industry by 2031, up from approximately $4 million in 2021. Considering the scope of its growth, streamlining the prepress workflow can be a huge boon for businesses that want to create a good first impression on their intended audience.

The prepress workflow involves a series of steps that ensure all the designs, images, and text are ready and perfect for printing. It mainly involves preparing digital files, such as brochures, books, magazines, promotion material, etc., for final printing at the end. It works to ensure that the final printed product is of top-level quality and accurately reflects the original design.

In this post, we will explore how professionals can streamline their prepress workflow. 

Table of Contents:

• 5 Ways of Streamlining Prepress Workflow
  1. Assess, Identify, and Work on Weaknesses
  2. Use Automation
  3. Work with the Right Spacing and Colors
  4. Work with the Right Images and Software
  5. Conduct Proofreading and Proofing
• Benefits of Streamlining Prepress Workflow 
  1. Optimal Quality Control
  2. Maintain Brand Consistency
  3. Save Expenses
  4. Ensure a Quality Reading Experience
  5. Produce Print-Ready Products Quickly
• The End Note

5 Ways of Streamlining Prepress Workflow

When working on preparing a file for printing, you can encounter several obstacles in the process.

Given below are ways you can follow to overcome them and enjoy a seamless prepress workflow process:

1. Assess, Identify, and Work on Weaknesses

One of the most vital ways of improving prepress workflow involves the assessment of prepress workflow practices.

Make sure you conduct an in-depth evaluation by looking at employee and software performance and associated production volume. Once you are done evaluating, analyze the findings to identify the areas where gaps and inefficiencies exist.

Also, devise plans to bridge the gaps and fix pressing issues so that the prepress workflow can function and operate as smoothly as possible.

2. Use Automation

Globalization is on the rise, and as a result, so is diversification. Preparing different versions of the same document can prove to be erroneous. Also, preparing a large number of files for the varied versions can be extremely time-consuming. 

To avoid these hassles, automation becomes a game-changer. By integrating automation tools into your workflow, you can effortlessly generate varied versions of a document without the risk of manual errors. 34% of print businesses understand this and have duly invested in automating repetitive, manual tasks like typesetting, imposition, and more. 

3. Work with the Right Spacing and Colors

Using the right font spacing and color from the start goes a long way toward streamlining the prepress workflow. 

To begin with, you can use the typical typography procedures for adjusting the text to create a visually appealing aesthetic look that makes your text design stand out. 

For color, you can work with the RGB (red, green, and blue), the standard color used for publishing purposes today. You can also circumvent the dullness of the old standard CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key) used by printing machines with the help of advanced software, retaining the vibrancy of the color design on paper. 

4. Work with the Right Images and Software

The wrong image size and resolution can make your document look distorted. To avoid pixelated and badly blown-up images, use the ideal resolution size of 250–300 dots per inch to ensure that the graphics resonate well with the document’s size. 

In addition, use the right prepress software for digital prepress work. Using software like Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, etc., can elevate the quality of graphics and the overall design of the document.

5. Conduct Proofreading and Proofing

Proofreading is the key to publishing a well-written and good-looking document. The process involves checking the correctness of aspects like grammar and sentence structure, typesetting, composition, and the overall design of the document. 

Once you are done with proofreading, it’s important to create a cloud-based proofing system that allows your clients to view an on-screen representation of how the final document will look.

Through a proofing system, clients can review, suggest modifications, and eventually approve the final design for the document remotely, eliminating the need for physical printouts and costly postal deliveries. 

Also Read: Digital Prepress – Simplifying the Workflow for Publishers

Benefits of Streamlining Prepress Workflow

Below are the benefits of streamlining your prepress workflow:

1. Optimal Quality Control

Streamlining the prepress workflow in print production provides a high degree of quality control. Experienced professionals and software go through the document, adjusting and correcting the textual and graphical inconsistencies. This ensures that the final document is of fine quality, meeting the highest quality standards. 

2. Streamlined Brand Consistency

Publishing a consistent design throughout goes a long way toward establishing a strong brand identity. A streamlined prepress workflow ensures that all printed documents, including brochures, magazines, flyers, and more, share a uniform look.

It also ensures that they align with your client’s business’s guidelines and reinforce brand recognition in the customers’ minds. 

3. Save Expenses

A streamlined prepress workflow employs technology and advanced software to detect errors early in the process. You can correct them timely before the final publication and save expenses otherwise spent on reprints and wasted material. 

4. Improved Reading Experience

With a streamlined prepress workflow, you can ensure the addition of quality animations, videos, hyperlinks, and more engaging elements. By doing this, you can make the reading experience fun and captivating for the readers.

5. Print-Ready Products Quickly

A streamlined prepress workflow ensures proper copyediting, typesetting, structuring, proofreading, and pre-flighting. As a result, it helps you produce high-quality, print-ready documents quickly.

Also Read: Know How Pre-Press Digital Can Help You Stay Ahead of the Competition

The End Note

In today’s fiercely competitive landscape, making a memorable impact on your audience is more than essential—it’s a pivotal element for success. A memorable impression can elevate conversion rates and amplify your profitability.

If you are considering streamlining your prepress workflow, the best and most cost-effective decision would be to outsource prepress services from Hurix Digital. We provide the best-in-class pre-editing, copyediting, typesetting, artwork, design, and proofreading-related services. 

Book a free consultation to learn more!