Should a print shop outsource prepress review or hire in-house?
A practical guide for print, sign, embroidery and laser shops that receive customer-supplied files — what an outsourced prepress review covers, when in-house makes more sense, and what Prepressa does and does not promise.
Short answer Outsource prepress review when your shop handles customer-supplied files but has no prepress desk. Prepressa reviews each file like a prepress desk, runs the 8-point production check, quotes a fixed price before work starts, and returns checked files with a delivery note in a standard 24–48 hours after approval. Keep same-day rush work and core repeat formats in-house; send overflow, awkward customer files and one-off formats out. A checked file that fails is reworked or refunded.
When outsourcing fits
Prepressa is built for shops that do not have a prepress desk. If a customer sends a logo that is not ready for production, the job still has to run: someone has to check resolution, paths, fonts, colour, size and output requirements, then prepare a file the shop can actually print, cut or engrave.
- You receive customer-supplied files but have no dedicated prepress person.
- Problem files (low-resolution JPGs, missing fonts, RGB artwork, open paths) block the job.
- You need one-off formats: cut files, large-format artwork, embroidery or laser jobs.
- Volume spikes: standard turnaround is 24–48 hours after quote approval, and rush work is quoted only when capacity allows.
When in-house makes more sense
Hire or keep prepress in-house when file volume is steady enough to fill the role and same-day turnaround is part of what you sell. In-house also wins when your core work is repetitive and stays inside one workflow. Many shops mix both: core repeat formats in-house, overflow and awkward customer files outsourced.
What an outsourced review includes
Every Prepressa file is checked against the 8-point production check, and the result is listed in a delivery note: page size, bleed, trim and safe areas, fonts outlined or accounted for, images at 300 DPI at final size, colour mode for the process, closed production-safe paths, and the delivery note itself. Inputs can be PDF, AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, JPG or TIFF; outputs include a print-ready PDF, SVG/EPS vector and 300 DPI PNG where needed.
What it does not promise
- Machine compatibility: we check the production requirements you tell us about; compatibility depends on the target device and software, and assumptions are stated in the delivery note.
- Fixed price lists: quotes depend on source quality, complexity, output set, turnaround and volume, and are confirmed after a person sees the file.
- Fixing every source: if a file is too poor to recover, we say so before charging where possible.
How the job runs
- Upload the artwork and tell us the intended use.
- We review it like a prepress desk and quote a fixed price before work starts.
- You approve the quote and turnaround (standard 24–48 hours after approval).
- You receive checked files, a before/after note and the 8-point check result; a checked file that fails is reworked or refunded.
Questions
Should a print shop outsource prepress review or hire in-house?+
Hire in-house when file volume is steady and same-day turnaround is part of your service. For shops without a prepress desk, outsourcing covers customer-supplied files: a person reviews each one, runs the 8-point production check, quotes before work starts, and returns files with a delivery note in 24–48 hours after quote approval. Prepressa prices per file after review, takes overflow and one-off formats, and reworks or refunds a checked file that fails. Machine compatibility still depends on the target device and software.
What does an outsourced prepress review include?+
The 8-point production check: page size matches the finished piece, bleed is present and correct, trim and safe areas are respected, fonts are outlined or accounted for, images are at least 300 DPI at final size, colour mode fits the process, paths are closed and production-safe, and a delivery note documents every check. Inputs can be PDF, AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, JPG or TIFF; outputs include print-ready PDF, SVG/EPS vector and 300 DPI PNG where needed.
Next: upload a file for a prepress review, check what changes the price, or read how it works.
Before you upload, size the artwork: the DPI checker reads an image’s pixels and shows the largest print size at 72, 150 and 300 DPI.
Send the file. We will tell you what it needs.
Upload artwork for a prepress review. You get a fixed quote and a 24–48h standard turnaround after approval.