The trade book
printing guide.

Trade book printing for publishers, designers and authors supplying print-ready files.

Our part

We print, bind and finish your books, provide technical file checks and proofs, and arrange delivery. We can help you use the available options and resolve a problem with your order.

Your part

You or your designer prepare the content and print-ready PDFs. Nominate one person to coordinate the job and approve the current proofs. Check spelling, page order, artwork and delivery details.

Choose your specification online →

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Use the website for routine steps. Keep the agreed specification and current files together.

Quote and order

Choose the available options in the calculator. Save the quote and continue from it. For an agreed quote or reprint, use its existing link rather than starting again.

Supply the complete files

Upload the interior and cover to the correct job. Include separate files for selected extras where needed. Check that the displayed versions are the ones you intend to print.

Check and approve

Review the current proofs carefully. Submit corrections together, then check the replacement proof. Complete the approval and payment actions shown for your order.

Follow production and delivery

Use your order for its current status and next action. Check the delivery addresses and copy allocations. Use the dispatch tracking once your books have left us.

Open your account and orders →

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Use this to fill in the calculator and brief your designer. There is no need to email a duplicate of a completed online quote.

For each title and format

• Book title, paperback or hardback, finished width x height in mm, and copies of this title.
• Total interior PDF pages, including blanks; mono and colour pages; selected paper and binding.
• Cover material, lamination and each extra selected in the calculator. Include the chosen colours and other available settings.
• Proof choice and proof delivery address or addresses. Keep these separate from the full-run allocation.
• Billing details, any purchase-order reference, delivery recipients, countries, postcodes and copies per destination.
• File readiness, the person coordinating the job, the proof approver and any essential arrival date.

Build your quote online →

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Use the calculator for prices and available options. You do not need to email the same specification for a separate standard quote.

For each title and format

• Finished width x height in millimetres, binding and number of copies.
• Total interior pages, including blanks; mono and colour counts; paper.
• Cover construction, lamination and extras from the calculator options for your book.
• Printed-proof choice, delivery country and postcode, and any firm arrival deadline.

Get a new quote →

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Continue from the quote we sent you. It is the starting point for your agreed book and price.

Open and check the quote

Check the title, quantity, exact size, paper, binding, extras, proof choice and delivery. If anything differs, send the quote reference and the exact difference before confirming.

Use the linked title or order

Keep files and next steps together. No link in an older quote? Reply on that quote thread with its reference and ask for the next ordering step.

Open your account →

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Choose from the papers in the calculator. Use physical samples to compare the available stocks before finalising your specification.

Mainly reading

Uncoated opaque or bookwove papers are useful starting points for text. Compare white and cream, readability and show-through.

Writing or exercises

Start with uncoated paper and test your intended pens on a sample. Paper weight alone does not guarantee that ink will not show through. Check how the binding opens.

Photographs or illustrations

Compare the coated and uncoated stocks offered in the calculator. Paper shade and surface affect colour. Use your own printed proof when the printed result matters.

Request a free sample pack →

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These are photographs of Imprint books. Compare the construction as well as the printed design.

Examples show particular books, not a fixed specification. Request physical samples to compare feel, colour and opening.

Request physical samples →

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These parts have different jobs. Select the options available for your book in the calculator.

Jacket: product photograph. Flap and endpaper: construction illustrations, not templates. Request samples to judge materials.

Explore the cover templates →

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Count the pages in the complete interior PDF, including title pages, contents and intentional blanks. Keep the cover separate.

Check your interior PDF →

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Supply one PDF containing the inside pages in reading order. Export individual pages, even when you designed the book as facing pages.

Before you export

• Set the finished page size to match the quote. Resizing later can change text, margins and page count.
• Include all intentional blank pages. For a standard left-to-right book, the first interior PDF page is a right-hand page; the next is on its reverse.
• Keep the cover in its own file. Do not put two reading pages together on one PDF page or arrange pages into printer's sheets.

Download an interior template →

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These describe different parts of the page. Bleed is outside the finished book; your reading margin is inside it.

Check the page setup →

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Supply the outside cover as one wide PDF page: back, spine and front together. The panels shown here form a portrait book.

Use the final specification

• Confirm trim size, interior page count, paper and binding. Generate the cover template for those choices.
• Extend backgrounds into the 3 mm outer bleed. Keep titles and spine text inside the template's safe areas.
• Remove template artwork and labels. Export the full wrap with bleed and without crop marks.

Generate your paperback template →

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A gatefold paperback has extensions to its cover that fold inside the front and back. The flaps are part of the cover, not extra interior pages.

Prepare the complete wrap

• Select French flaps in the calculator. Choose Paperback gatefold in the template generator using the same flap width and final book specification.
• Design flap, back, spine, front and flap on one layout. Use the fold allowances and bleed shown; do not just add panels to a standard paperback PDF.
• Keep important text clear of folds. Check that blurbs, biography text and artwork land on the intended panels when folded.

Generate a gatefold template →

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Inside-cover printing uses the reverse of the cover sheet. It is separate from the book's interior pages and from hardback endpapers.

Supply the reverse as a complete layout

• Select inside-cover printing in the calculator. Supply a separate inside-cover PDF at the same overall dimensions as the outside cover.
• Set inside front and inside back for the reverse view shown. Keep lettering readable, not mirrored.
• Leave the spine/gluing area free of print. Confirm the required unprinted strip for your job; do not assume it is only the spine width.

Review your order and artwork →

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A printed paper case (PPC) wraps around rigid boards. Its hinges and turn-ins need their own layout, even when the interior matches a paperback.

Design around the construction

• Generate the PPC template from the final page count, paper and trim. Use its case dimensions, not a paperback wrap.
• Extend backgrounds through the turn-ins. Keep essential detail clear of folds and hinges, using the marked safe areas.
• Remove template guides and export the complete case artwork. Do not crop away turn-ins or add them to the interior file.

Generate a hardback case template →

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A dustjacket is a removable printed wrap around a hardback, with a flap tucked inside each board. The case underneath is a separate component.

Size it for the finished case

• Choose Dustjacket in the generator. Confirm final page count, paper, binding and flap width. The boards make it larger than the interior.
• Lay out back flap, back, spine, front and front flap as one wide PDF. Use the jacket's own folds, wrap allowances and bleed.
• Keep flap text and spine lettering within safe areas. Remove template guides before export.

Generate your dustjacket template →

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Foil is a separate finish. A gold-coloured shape in an ordinary print PDF will print as colour; it does not specify metallic foil.

Make the foil artwork unambiguous

• Choose the foil method, colour and covering material offered in the calculator. Include them in your quote before preparing the artwork.
• Supply solid vector shapes in a clearly named foil PDF or layer, with foil text converted to outlines. Avoid gradients, halftones and photographic effects.
• Keep the foil artwork aligned to the full cover layout. Include a reference showing where it sits; do not send an unpositioned title by itself.

Read the foil artwork guidance →

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Choose the tool for the stage you have reached. Finding a template is the start of making a cover, not the finished artwork.

1 / Template generator

I need the measurements.

Enter the book's specification and download a measured layout to use in your design software. Position your design on it, then remove its markings before export.

Open this tool

2 / Cover Builder

Design a paperback or hardback PPC cover.

Arrange text and artwork in the browser for paperback or printed paper case covers. Gatefolds, dustjackets and inside-cover artwork need a separate design using the relevant measured layout.

Open this tool

3 / PDF file checkers

I already have a PDF.

Inspect the existing cover or interior against the intended specification. Read the findings and review the artwork; a technical check does not proofread your book.

Open this tool

Open the tools directory →

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Export from the original document at print quality. Open the exported PDF and inspect it; the working document alone is not the final check.

Check the PDF itself

• Dimensions and total page count match the intended book.
• Fonts are embedded, and no characters or images are missing.
• Use the best image or scan available. Aim for 300 pixels per inch at final size; changing a resolution label cannot restore missing detail.
• Colour settings suit print. Use the checker to identify RGB/colour issues and resolve any uncertainty before approving a colour-critical job.

Read the Word formatting guide →

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A warning describes a difference to investigate. Compare the requested specification with the actual PDF before changing anything.

Illustrative dimensions, not a screenshot or an automatic pass. A deliberate difference still needs review against the job.

Check the file and its specification →

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Fix the source where needed, export once, then check the new PDF. Keep the warning and filename together if you need help.

More colour pages than expected

Black-looking text or grey images can contain colour data. List the intended colour pages by PDF position; keep cover colour out of the interior count. Ask for the file and quote to be checked together.

Font missing or not embedded

Export with font embedding enabled. If a font cannot be embedded, use an embeddable licensed font and recheck line breaks, symbols and page count. Inspect the exported PDF, not only the source.

Template lines or labels still visible

Hide or remove template artwork before export. Keep the intended bleed, folds and turn-ins in the page geometry; do not crop away required artwork to remove a guide.

Open the PDF checking tools →

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Use the link for your quote, title or order. Confirm the correct book and specification before uploading.

Send and check

• Upload the interior and cover to their matching places. Each PDF can be up to 500 MB.
• Use clear filenames, such as River-Interior-v3.pdf. Wait for completion and check the displayed filenames and versions.
• Read the next action: a correction, proof review, payment or delivery detail may still be needed. An upload is not proof approval.

Open your account →

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A sample pack helps you choose materials. A proof checks your own book before the main run.

Digital PDF Included

Check the content, sequence, margins and cover layout on screen. It cannot show paper feel or exactly how printed colour will look.

Printed paperback £30

A bound paperback using your book files, for checking pages, paper and print. The price is the same for mono and colour.

Printed hardback proof £65

Your pages bound as a paperback, plus a cover sample. It is not a finished hardback; final opening, foil and spot UV are not reproduced.

Prices checked 22 September 2026. Confirm your quote total. Use physical product samples to judge finished hardback construction.

Read about proof options →

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Review the actual proof supplied for your title and format. Check the latest cover and interior, not an older attachment or screenshot.

Inside pages

• Every page is present, in the right order, including intended blanks.
• Spelling, punctuation, captions, contents and printed page numbers are correct.
• Margins, image placement and pages near the binding look right.
• The intended colour pages and the quoted specification agree.

Cover and other components

• Title, author and any ISBN/barcode are correct.
• Spine artwork is correctly positioned, with essential details clear of folds and trim.
• The design, edition and finish choices match the order.

Open your order and proof details →

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Collect feedback from the author, editor and designer before submitting the next version.

Agree the complete correction list

One person combines the feedback. Identify the title, format, component and page. Use the PDF page position if printed page numbers are different.

Correct the source and replace the file

Make changes in the original document and export a complete replacement PDF for the affected component. Use a new version name and the job-linked upload route.

Say exactly what changed

Identify the new filename and which components stay unchanged. Mention any changed page count, size, paper or other specification. Check the replacement proof before approval.

Open the correct job →

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Keep each change tied to the title, format and file it affects. Clear instructions help avoid using an old version.

Before approval

Correct the original document, export a new PDF and replace the relevant file through the order's upload route. Describe what changed. Check the new proof before approving it.

After approval

Contact us immediately with the job reference and ask us to confirm whether production can be stopped. Do not assume an email or replacement upload has put the job on hold.

A change to the specification

New paper, page count, size, binding or quantity may affect the price, cover spine and production timing. Confirm the revised specification before using an earlier cover or proof.

Contact us about an order change →

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Confirm the current details together. The person approving the artwork, paying the invoice and receiving the books may be different people.

Billing

Correct customer/company name, billing address and invoice recipient. Tell us early if a finance team needs a purchase order or a particular reference.

Printed proofs

Confirm the recipient, country and full proof address. It defaults to the main delivery address unless changed. Up to two proof destinations can differ from the full-run address.

The full print run

Confirm recipient, country, full address, postcode and contact details. For split delivery, give copies per destination, check the total and confirm carriage.

Review your order details →

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Keep proof copies separate from the quantities in the main print run. Send the full current delivery plan when anything changes.

Example: 300 full-run copies

Proofs: one copy to the author and one to the editor. Main run: 200 copies to the warehouse and 100 to the author. Proof copies are separate from those 300 copies.

Open your account →

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Dispatch is the day books leave us. Arrival is when the carrier delivers them. Allow for both when planning an event or launch.

Check your order status →

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Use the existing job thread when you still need help. Include the reference and the exact issue.

Do I need to email for a price?

Use the calculator for a new standard quote. Continue from a saved quote or previous job for an agreed order or reprint.

Can you use another material?

We offer the papers, materials and finishes in the calculator for your book. We do not source alternatives outside that range.

Can you format or proofread my book?

Arrange that with your own editor or designer. Our tools help you prepare artwork; technical PDF checks do not proofread the content.

Have my files arrived?

Check the completed upload and current filenames on your job. If they are missing or wrong, report that specific issue rather than sending another set.

What happens next?

Check the order and latest message for approval, corrected files, payment or delivery details. Payment and upload do not replace proof approval.

Do I need to contact you now?

Contact us for a failed step, unclear instruction, overdue status, delivery problem or urgent change after approval. Send what you know; we can help with the missing detail.

Check your order and next action →

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Keep your job reference and delivery details handy. A clear first message helps us investigate.

Damage or a print/binding problem?

• Give the job reference, delivery date and a short description of what is wrong.
• Include clear photographs of the problem and the approximate number of affected copies, if you can.
• For transit damage, include the packaging and parcel-label photographs. Keep the books and packaging while we review.

Contact us about your delivery →

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Use the previous title or job reference. Confirm what stays the same and list every change together.

The same book again

Confirm the new quantity, current delivery details and proof choice. Ask to use the previously approved files, and check that the title and edition match. Use the current reprint quote.

A revised edition

List changes to files, paper, binding, size, finish or delivery. Check copyright-page and edition details too. Revised page count or paper may need a new spine and cover template.

Find your title in your account →

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Use the checklist for your present stage. You do not need final artwork just to explore a quote.

Ready for a quote

• Each title and format has its own size, binding, page count, colour, paper and quantity. Estimates are identified.
• Extras are selected from the calculator. Proof choice, delivery country/postcode and any arrival deadline are clear.

Ready to upload

• Interior is one PDF of individual pages, with all intended blanks.
• Cover is separate and uses the final specification's template.
• Dimensions, bleed where needed, fonts and images have been checked; template markings are removed.
• The upload belongs to the correct title/order and the current versions are shown.

Ready to approve

• I have checked the actual latest proofs, inside and out.
• The specification, intended colour and file versions agree.
• Required corrections are resolved, and the delivery/proof addresses are current.
• I understand the proof choice, quoted total and remaining actions for this order.

Return to your account →

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Tap a link in this PDF, or type imprintdigital.com followed by the short path below.

• Quote your book
• Your account and orders
• Interior Word templates
• Measured cover templates
• Design a paperback or PPC cover
• Check an interior PDF
• All tools and cover checker
• Create an ISBN barcode
• Foil artwork guidance
• Dustjackets explained
• Proof options explained
• Request physical samples

If you need help, include the job reference or title, the step you are on, the file/component involved and the exact question or error. A screenshot can help with a website issue.

[email protected] | 01392 851550

Edition: September 2026. Services and prices can change. Your current quote, order instructions and agreed specification apply. Imprint Digital, Unit 1, Seychelles Farm, Upton Pyne, Exeter EX5 5HY.

Contact the team →

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