Recommendations

The most common order options are 9.5" x 4.75" (before folding) with two panels on 100# Gloss Text weight paper. Almost always, CD Inserts are printed full color on both sides (4/4).

For higher quantities and additional stock choices, please check out our 4-Color Offset CD Inserts.

Marketing Tips

CD Inserts provide an image for the front of a CD case and extra information on the interior. It's a great place for brief information about a company, artist, or project that everyone will see when they open the case. It's a smart detail to supplement the work on the actual CD.

Consider adding a QR code to your design to link directly to additional online information. This can be a great way to provide more detail than you would want to cram onto your CD Inserts. You may want to include a performance calendar or a link to an artist or seminar's homepage. Since a QR code can link to an online message, you can change the online message without the need to reprint the QR code.

Any Trim Size

You can order custom sizes by using the "Any Trim Size (Edit Below)" option in the pricing calculator. First select the standard size option which is larger in both dimensions (height and width) than your desired custom size. In the "Any Trim Size (Edit Below)" box on the pricing calculator (shown below), type in your desired dimensions. Please remember if you are ordering "Any Trim Size" for a product that is folded, "Any Trim Size" dimensions are for the product before it is folded.

Be mindful of the custom trim when submitting a file to prevent any part of your design from being trimmed away. It's extra important to look at a proof when ordering custom trim.

4/1

Full color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black as above) on the front and black on the back. A typical example of this is a flyer.

4/0

Full color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black as above) on the front and no printing on the back. A typical example of this is a poster.

2-3 Days

If you order a proof (Online PDF or Physical Proof), your turnaround time begins as soon as you approve your proof in our system. If you order "No Proof, Run As Is" (only recommended if you are certain you want us to print what you sent as is) your turnaround time begins as soon as we process your order.

Standard 2-3 Days with "No Proof, Runs As Is":

Shipped Orders
Files uploaded before 10:00 a.m. Western to be delivered to the west or 10:00 a.m. Eastern to be delivered to the east with 2-3 day turnaround will be shipped 2-3 days from upload by your requested shipping method.

Example: If you upload your files before 10:00 a.m. Western on Monday with 2-3 day turnaround, your order will ship on Wednesday or Thursday. Log into our site and click "My Account" in the upper-righthand corner to check your client dashboard for status updates.

Will Call
Files uploaded before 10:00 a.m. Western for 2-3 day Will Call in the west or 10:00 a.m. Eastern for 2-3 day Will Call in the east will be ready for pick up in 2-3 days after 4:00 p.m. local.

Example: If you upload your files before 10:00 a.m. Western on Monday with 2-3 day turnaround, your order will be ready for pick up after 4:00 p.m. local on Wednesday or Thursday. Log into our site and click "My Account" in the upper-righthand corner to check your client dashboard before coming to pick up your order.

Free Delivery Orders
Free delivery is currently only offered to customers near our California production facility. To see if your zip code qualifies, visit "Free Delivery" under the "Services" section.

Files uploaded before 10:00 a.m. Western for 2-3 day Free Delivery will be delivered in 3-4 business days between 8.00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Example: If you upload your files before 10:00 a.m. Western on Monday with 2-3 day turnaround, your order will be delivered between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday or Friday. Log into our site and click "My Account" in the upper-righthand corner to check your client dashboard for status updates.

Files uploaded after the cut off time will be processed the following business day.

Standard 2-3 Days with "Online PDF Proof":

Shipped Orders
Files must be uploaded before the cut off time, which is 10:00 a.m. Western to be delivered to the west or 10:00 a.m. Eastern to be delivered to the east. Proofs must be approved the same day before 4:00 p.m. Western for the west or 4:00 p.m. Eastern for the east. Orders will be shipped in 2-3 days by your requested shipping method.

Example: If you upload your files before 10:00 a.m. Western on Monday and approve your proof prior to 4:00 p.m. the same day with 2-3 day turnaround, your order will ship on Wednesday or Thursday. Log into our site and click "My Account" in the upper-righthand corner to check your client dashboard for status updates.

Will Call
Files must be uploaded before the cut off time, which is 10:00 a.m. Western for 2-3 day Will Call in the west or 10:00 a.m. Eastern for 2-3 day Will Call in the east. Proofs must be approved the same day before 4:00 p.m. Western for the west or 4:00 p.m. Eastern for the east. Orders will be ready for pick up on Wednesday or Thursday after 4:00 p.m. local.

Example: If you upload your files before 10:00 a.m. Western on Monday and approve your proof prior to 4:00 p.m. the same day with 2-3 day turnaround, your order will be ready for pick up after 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday or Thursday. Log into our site and click "My Account" in the upper-righthand corner to check your client dashboard before coming to pick up your order.

Free Delivery Orders
Free delivery is currently only offered to customers near our California production facility. To see if your zip code qualifies, visit "Free Delivery" under the "Services" section.

Files must be uploaded before 10:00 a.m. Western. Proofs must be approved the same day before 4:00 p.m. Orders will be delivered in 3-4 business days between 8.00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Example: If you upload your files before 10:00 a.m. Western on Monday for Free Delivery and approve your proof before 4:00 p.m., your order will be delivered between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday or Friday.

Files uploaded after the cut off time will be processed the following business day.

When to choose Digital

4-Color Digital printing is ideal for lower quantity orders and additional paper options, and usually has even faster turnaround times. Digital products cannot be coated.

Custom Orders

If you would like to order product options not available in the pricing calculator, simply request a custom estimate. To request a custom estimate, click "Estimates" at the top of the page.

In many cases, it is more affordable to order one of our specified quantities than to place a custom order. Custom orders are most commonly placed for order specifications that are not listed in the calculator.

If all your order specifications are available in the Pricing Calculator but you would like a quantity not listed in the dropdown menu, choose the next-highest quantity. Simply choose "recycle overages" in the shipping method section and we will responsibly recycle the extras.

For example, if you would like 700 units, you can order 1000 units and let us know you only want 700 shipped. We will responsibly dispose of the extras.

File Preparation

In order to ensure your files are print-ready, we recommend that you upload them in PDF format. When you generate a print-ready PDF, your computer will use the settings in Adobe Acrobat Distiller or any other PDF generating programs you may use. Please make sure that these are set properly before generating your PDF file. Click here to see our preferred PDF settings.

We also accept .JPG (JPEG), .EPS and .TIF (TIFF) file types, however PDF is the preferred format.

Check your file to make sure it meets our file creation guidelines. This will help speed up the production of your project and give your printed piece the best results.

1. Use the CMYK colorspace (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, blacK). These are industry standard printing colors. CMYK colors are different than RGB (Red, Green, Blue), which are used to display colors on your screen.


2. Use a minimum resolution of 300 dpi for image files.


3. All fonts need to be outlined or embedded. For more information on fonts, please Click Here


4. Specify trim area with crop marks. (Don't place crop marks inside the work area.) For more information on crop marks, please Click Here


5. Artwork should have 1/8" (0.125") bleed extending past the trim line. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge. For more information on bleed, please Click Here


6. Safe Area is the 1/8" (0.125") area inside the trim line. Do not put critical information or images within the Safe Area. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge. For more information on safe area, please Click Here


7. If you want printed borders, they must be placed a minimum of 1/8" (0.125") inside the trim line and include bleed. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge.For more information on borders, please Click Here

For detailed information about advanced file setup, Click Here

File Orientation

Please click the link below for an explanation of file orientation.

View File Orientation

Bleed and Safe Area

We require that you extend any images that run up to the trim line a minimum of 1/8" (0.125") past the trim line to create "bleed". Depending on what program you use to create your file, this may or may not change the total image area of your file. Programs like Photoshop that do not allow the creation of "bleed" or the addition of crop marks will require an image area that is 1/4" (0.25") larger than your desired final overall image area in both dimensions.

Safe Area is the 1/8" (0.125") area inside the trim line. Do not put critical information or images within the Safe Area. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge. If you choose to make less than this minimum clearance, we will NOT be responsible for items that are cut off in this area.

For detailed information about advanced file setup, please Click Here

Proofs and File Check

We offer three proof options:

1. Online PDF Proof: You will be sent a link to view your proof via email. Please keep in mind that this is only a proof for content and positioning; the color on your screen may vary from the color of your final product, depending on your monitor and viewing conditions.


2. Hard Copy Proof: The Hard Copy Proof can either be picked up on-site or shipped to you. Please keep in mind that this is a proof for content and positioning and is not printed on your actual job stock. Color may vary slightly when printed on the stock you ordered. When ordering a Hard Copy Proof, you will receive a complimentary Online PDF Proof, as well.


3. No Proof, Run As-Is: This option is for the industry professional who is certain their project is ready to hit the press and does not require the additional security of a proof.

File Check:

If our prepress department sees anything questionable with your file, we will contact you via email with our concerns. Should prepress email you, please note that your job is not considered fully submitted until you respond to this email. This should be factored into your turnaround time.

How to check your Online PDF:
The black crop marks indicate the final trim size. The Red line ( Dashed ) indicates the (Score) The Green line ( Dashed ) indicates the (Perf). The Red Line (Solid) indicates the ( Cut or Trim ) line. The verbiage on the file, this will indicate the page position after folding.

Please Note: The charge for our technical team to review your file when first submitted is included in the price of your order. If they note technical concerns with your file, they may email you with their concerns so you can upload a corrected file. If subsequent uploads still contain errors, you may be charged an additional prepress fee to review your file again.

For detailed information about advanced file setup, please Click Here