A water-based clear coating applied over printed ink to add protection and improve the finished appearance. Aqueous coating may be gloss, satin or matte.

The text, photographs, illustrations, logos and other visual elements prepared for printing.

A machine-readable pattern used to represent numbers or other information. Barcodes may be used for mailing, inventory, pricing, tracking or product identification.

The production area where printed sheets are cut, folded, scored, stitched, bound, drilled, perforated, laminated or otherwise finished.

A method used to hold pages together. Common examples include saddle stitching, perfect binding, coil binding, wire binding and comb binding.

Artwork that extends beyond the final trim edge so a background or image reaches the finished edge after cutting.

A common bleed allowance is 0.125 inch on each side, although some products require a different amount.

A multi-page printed piece generally bound by saddle stitching, perfect binding, coil binding or another binding method.

A measurement of how much blue light a paper reflects. Brighter white papers generally produce stronger contrast between the paper and printed image.

A general term for mailing a qualifying group of pieces using postal preparation and discounted commercial mailing rates. Postal terminology and requirements vary by mail class.

Paper coated on one side during manufacturing. The coated side is smoother and usually produces sharper, more vibrant printing than the uncoated side.

Paper coated on both sides during manufacturing. It is commonly used when both sides require a smooth, consistent printing surface.

A general term for heavier, more rigid paper, also called cover stock. It is commonly used for business cards, postcards, rack cards and covers.

A group of addresses served by a postal carrier. Carrier routes may be used to organize or qualify certain direct-mail campaigns.

Coding Accuracy Support System. A USPS certification process used by address-matching software to improve address quality and assign accurate postal codes.

The four process colors used in most full-color printing:

• C: Cyan
• M: Magenta
• Y: Yellow
• K: Black

Paper manufactured with a smooth surface coating. Coated paper generally provides sharper images and stronger color than uncoated paper.

A protective or decorative finish applied to printed material. Examples include aqueous coating, UV coating and varnish.

A proof intended to provide a closer preview of printed color than a standard monitor display or ordinary office print. It may still vary from the final product.

Printing a sequence of changing numbers, such as 0001, 0002 and 0003, on tickets, forms, certificates or other products.

A heavier paper category commonly used for cards, covers, folders and other products requiring greater stiffness than text-weight paper.

Small printed guide marks showing where a sheet should be trimmed. Crop marks are normally placed outside the finished product area.

Cutting printed or unprinted material into a custom shape using a manufactured cutting tool or digital cutting system.

Printing directly from a digital file without traditional printing plates. Digital printing is often well suited for short runs, quick production and variable-data projects.

Dots per inch. A measurement commonly used to describe image or output resolution. Most standard print images should be approximately 300 DPI at final size.

A digital proof, usually supplied as a PDF, used to review text, layout, images, page order and general appearance before production.

A finishing process that raises selected artwork above the surface of the paper. Debossing creates a recessed impression instead.

The final width and height of a product after trimming, folding and other finishing have been completed.

Applying metallic, pigmented or specialty foil to a selected area using heat, pressure or another production method.

Printing in which the image or background reaches all finished edges of the product after trimming.

A smooth, reflective finish that typically increases perceived color vibrancy and image contrast.

A clear, shiny film applied to one or both sides of a printed product to improve durability, moisture resistance and surface protection.

An image or printed piece using shades ranging from white through gray to black, without process color.

An extremely thin line. Hairlines may print inconsistently or disappear, especially when reversed from a dark background or reproduced on some materials.

A two-sided layout in which the top edge of the front and back are positioned at the same end. The sheet is turned like a book page to read the reverse side.

Arranging pages or multiple products on a larger press sheet so they print, fold and trim in the correct order.

A printed or unprinted item placed inside another product, such as a card placed inside an envelope or a sheet placed inside a folder.

A unique identifying number assigned to a quote, order or production project for tracking and reference.

A clear film applied to one or both sides of printed material to add durability and change the surface feel or appearance.

A page orientation in which the width is greater than the height.

A measurement of halftone-dot frequency, often expressed in lines per inch. It affects the visible detail and smoothness of printed tonal images.

The setup work completed before full production begins, such as loading material, adjusting equipment, registering the artwork and confirming output quality.

A low-glare finish with less surface reflection than a gloss finish.

No Carbon Required forms. Multi-part forms that transfer handwriting or impact printing from the top sheet to the sheets below without carbon paper.

A printing method in which an inked image transfers from a plate to a rubber blanket and then onto the printing material. It is often economical for larger production runs.

An envelope with the opening and flap located along the shorter dimension.

An envelope with the opening and flap located along the longer dimension.

A condition in which printed colors, images or finishing elements do not align in the intended position.

Printing one object or color over another. Incorrect overprint settings may cause artwork to disappear or change appearance.

A quantity produced above or below the quantity ordered. Some manufacturing processes allow customary overruns or underruns because of setup and finishing waste.

A standardized color-reference system commonly called PMS. It is used to identify and communicate specific spot colors.

The primary direction in which paper fibers align during manufacturing. Paper generally folds more smoothly parallel to the grain.

A binding method in which pages are gathered and glued into a wraparound cover, creating a flat spine similar to many paperback books.

A line of small cuts or holes that allows a portion of the printed product to tear away more easily.

A page orientation in which the height is greater than the width.

A review of printed sheets during press setup or production to evaluate registration, color and overall print quality.

A proof produced using the actual press, ink and material intended for the order. It is more involved and expensive than a standard electronic proof.

A PDF prepared at the correct size with appropriate bleed, safety, resolution, fonts and color settings, requiring no significant correction before production.

A preview supplied for review before production. Customers should verify spelling, numbers, dates, layout, images and other content before approval.

Creating one or more holes in printed material for hanging, binding, filing or attaching hardware.

A price estimate based on supplied specifications such as size, quantity, material, colors, finishing, turnaround and fulfillment.

Printed marks used by production staff or equipment to align colors, cuts, folds or other manufacturing steps.

The amount of image detail represented by pixels or dots. Low-resolution images may appear soft or pixelated when printed.

Red, green and blue—the color model used primarily by monitors, phones and other light-emitting screens. Printed output normally uses CMYK or another print-specific color process.

Trimming square corners into a selected rounded radius using specialized cutting equipment.

A booklet-binding method in which folded sheets are nested and stapled through the center fold.

The area inside the trim where important text, logos and images should remain to reduce the risk of being cut too close to the edge.

A water-based protective coating with a softer, lower-gloss appearance than a traditional gloss aqueous coating.

Applying a controlled crease to paper or cardstock so it folds more accurately and with less surface cracking.

A smooth, low-glare laminating film that provides a refined feel and added surface protection.

A premixed ink printed separately from process CMYK, often selected from the Pantone Matching System.

A glossy UV coating applied only to selected areas of the design to create contrast against an uncoated, matte or laminated background.

A lighter, more flexible paper category commonly used for flyers, brochures, newsletters and interior pages.

Cutting a printed sheet to its finished size. The trim line represents the intended final edge.

The estimated production time after all order requirements are complete. Shipping, delivery and mailing transit are generally additional.

Selecting and arranging text, fonts, spacing and alignment for readability and visual consistency.

Paper without a manufactured surface coating. It generally has a more natural texture and is often easier to write on than coated paper.

A liquid coating cured using ultraviolet light. UV coating creates a hard, glossy surface but may not be suitable for handwriting, stamping or overprinting.

Digital printing in which selected text, images, numbers, addresses or other content changes from one printed piece to the next.

A clear liquid coating applied to protect printed ink or create a gloss, satin or matte appearance.

Artwork built from mathematically defined lines and shapes rather than fixed pixels. Vector logos and illustrations can usually be enlarged without losing sharpness.

An envelope with a transparent or open window that allows an address or other information on the inserted document to remain visible.

A press-sheet layout in which the same plate is used for both sides by turning the sheet over while keeping the same gripper edge.

A press-sheet layout in which the same plate is used for both sides by turning the sheet so the opposite edge becomes the gripper edge.

A folding method in which panels alternate direction to create a shape resembling the letter Z.

A compressed archive containing one or more electronic files. ZIP files are commonly used to package artwork, fonts, linked images and supporting documents.

A USPS postal code used to identify a delivery area. A basic ZIP Code contains five digits.

A nine-digit postal code consisting of a five-digit ZIP Code plus four additional digits identifying a more specific delivery segment.