General Printing

Offset Printing File Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make

Most print disasters don’t happen at the press—they start in your design file. Discover the 12 most common mistakes in offset printing and how to fix them before it’s too late.

Dwipal U Patel Updated on May 26, 2025

Offset Printing File Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

Imagine this: you've designed a fantastic brochure, catalogue, or paper packaging design. You eagerly send your file for offset printing or digital printing, dreaming about how amazing it'll look—but when it arrives, disaster strikes! The colours are off, the text is blurry, and crucial details are missing.

Unfortunately, these scenarios happen frequently due to common design file preparation mistakes. At Printwell, we see about 30-40 print files daily, coming from professional designers, marketing teams, purchasing managers, business owners, and freelancers alike. We've realized something crucial—most printing issues begin even before the job reaches our presses. The real issue? Improper file preparation.

Let's go over the most common mistakes we encounter at Printwell, along with practical examples from our experience. Feel free to share this detailed checklist with your design team—it'll save you from headaches, wasted resources, and ensure exceptional offset print quality & also saves time.

1. Missing Fonts:

One frequent mistake is assuming your printer has every font you used. Unfortunately, that's rarely true. Just send font files you have used it does not even cost to send font files then why not save time and wait for offset printer ask for font files again.

Real Example (Brochure Printing):
A client designed a high-end corporate brochure using a custom font. They didn't send the font file along. Without the proper fonts, text formatting changed completely. The whole project had to wait for one more day or few hours to send fonts, causing lot of delays

How to avoid it: Always package your design files with all fonts embedded or included separately.

2. Not Specifying Complete Print Specifications

Details matter - a lot. Processes like Spot UV, Foiling, Embossing, and De-bossing must be mentioned clearly. Missing details mean crucial elements of your premium design could get overlooked.

Real Example (Rigid Box Manufacturing):
A luxury perfume brand requested a rigid box but forgot to specify gold foiling and spot UV. Without clear instructions, Client was expecting that Printers will understand automatically. But wait we are not God and for your print files lot many people work to make it print ready and by providing all the details in one mail save lot of time.

Smart Move: Clearly document each special process on your design specifications like.

Brochure Printing Complete Specifications Example:

Open Size:	13" x 26"
Close Size:	13" x 13"
Title Paper GSM:	300 gsm
Inside Paper GSM:	170 gsm
Total Pages:	48
Title Finishing:	Gold Foiling, Texture UV, Title Lamination
Inside Processes:	Satin coating on all inside pages
Binding Type:	Perfect binding with stitching
Packing Type:	10 nos. shrink wrap packing

3. Not Proof Reading Before Submission

Never underestimate proofreading! A single overlooked typo or mistake means costly reprints.

Real Example (Catalogue Printing):
A prestigious laminate catalogue had a spelling mistake of the product name in inside page. 3000 copies had to be manually stickered. The client learned a tough lesson about proofreading.

Action to take: Always proofread, and ideally have multiple people double-check text before submitting your files. In Adobe software there is a plugin which can check generic spelling mistakes and you can also add your product names in the dictionary which will ensure that you do not have any spelling mistakes in your catalogue or packaging.

4. Incorrect Dimensions in Design Files

Guesswork never works in print dimensions. Without precise measurements, printed items may not match expectations. Designer/You need to create designs as per the print dimensions only. This will help you to save lot of time before print execution of your project.

Real Example (Paper Bag Production):
A premium exhibition sent incorrect dimensions design for paper bags. The printed bags suppose to get manufactured almost triple the size of required size. This would have been costed lot of money if our Pre Press team has not made dummy before going for final offset printing. This resulted in wasted time and bags got delayed by a day

Don't Skip This: Always confirm product dimensions precisely and send mock up's if needed.

5. Design Software Version Mismatch

CorelDRAW, InDesign, Illustrator version mismatches can cause design elements to shift or disappear entirely when files are opened by the offset printer or digital printer.

Real Example:
Design created in older versions of CorelDraw can misalign when opened in newer versions at the printer's end, causing text or graphic displacement. This is reason for delay.

Fix This: Always inform your printer about software versions used, and preferably, send a universally compatible PDF files.

6. Not Converting Colours from RGB to CMYK

RGB colours are perfect for screens(all digital devices), but it's terrible for printing. Always convert to CMYK to avoid colour inaccuracies.

How to Avoid: Ensure your designer converts all colours to CMYK before submitting files for offset printing or digital printing.

7. Missing 3 MM Overlap (Bleed)

Bleed ensures your design extends fully to the edges, preventing unwanted white edges when trimming your broacher or catalogue.

What We Recommend: Always design with at least a 3mm bleed around all edges. This will ensure lot of time saving in pre press department of any offset printing company.

8. Not Clearly Mentioning Pantone Codes

We have seen major increase in colour consistency and If your brand uses specific Pantone colours, you must clearly mention them in your design file and also in your printing specifications details. Otherwise, you risk inconsistent branding.

Real Example (Pharma Box Printing):
Pharma boxes have stringent branding rules. A client didn't specify Pantone colours clearly, resulting in colour mismatch issues after mono cartons got produced.

Before You Hit Send: Clearly specify Pantone colours within your design file and confirm with your printer also.

9. Low-Resolution Images

Images below 300 dpi look pixelated and blurry in print. Ensure all images are high-resolution. Printwell's Pre Press team always check this before sending files for printing or before sending file to our clients for soft copy approval.

Real Example (Magazine Printing):
A lifestyle magazine designed using low-resolution images as designer did not had any idea about 300 dpi image resolution. This looked unprofessional, negatively affecting on designer skill set.

Non-Negotiable: Always use 300 dpi or higher-resolution images for crisp and clear printing results.

10. Ignoring the Content Safe Area

Important text or elements too close to the edge of mono carton or calendar can risk being trimmed or folded away. Always use 5 mm safe area from all four sides to make your design looks professional and elegant.

Press-Ready Rule: Ensure all essential content is at least 5mm away from edges.

11. Not Flattening Transparencies

Transparent elements, if not properly flattened, can cause print glitches during offset and digital printing. This is indeed bit technical and it's for designers only but this matters lot

Real Example:
A brochure with unflattened transparencies printed with unexpected blocks and colour variations, looking drastically different from the original design.

Last Check: Always flatten transparencies or convert them into bitmaps before sending files to print.

Create Your Print File Checklist

We recommend every brand or agency create a print-ready checklist. It saves time, reduces errors, and improves final print quality. Here's a quick version you can share with your designer: