Art & Data Design Guide
Printing and creating plastic cards properly can be a challenge. But with some preparation, especially early on in the project, we can make it easy for you.
How to Specify the Job
Throughout this document, we’ll refer to specifying something for us, be it something to do with artwork, data, the product. The question you have, naturally, is how?
To start with, you probably can’t give us too much information, provided it’s given to us in a clear manner. More specifications are better than less: you’ve outlined to us what you want and there’s no room for ambiguity. If you specify something that can’t be done, don’t worry, we’ll let you know and often provide a solution that will get as close as possible to what you’re after.
Always give us the information in writing, ideally by email with a clear subject related to the job. Assume that verbal instructions will be forgotten, misheard, misinterpreted and so on. If we have it in writing, we have it. We will also request any extra information required by email to ensure that we all have an auditable trail.
Quantities for items that have no VDP should be outlined clearly in your purchase order, ideally each as their own line item. Indeed, for non-VDP items, this is the document we will treat as being correct.
Where possible, supply us with a hard copy print of the item. If the job contains VDP, then supply us with a hard copy print of the item, fully notated with font types and styles and sizes of the VDP elements. Also note which data field goes where.
Make use of the checklists for artwork and data supplied in this manual. They’re handy for making sure you haven’t forgotten anything.