Often we will ask that you impose your book or booklet so that once the sheet is printed and folded, the printed pages will be in the correct order (aka pagination) and orientation.


Imposition is the arrangement of the designed pages on the sheet so that, when the sheet is printed and folded, the printed pages will be in the correct order and orientation.

The process of taking layout spreads and creating printer spreads is called imposition.

 

Reasons we would ask that you do this:

  1. If you are Laser printing a Saddle Stitch Booklet and you will need for us to cut it down. This process will allow you to add crop marks for cutting.

2. You are making a Risograph Saddle Stitch Booklet we require that the pages of your booklet be imposed before you turn them in so that the PDF’s you submit are arranged correctly for printing.

 


Imposing with InDesign – 2 Step Process


If you have started with your file as an InDesign document the process will be exporting a PDF with the Print Booklet Feature. We are assuming you have set up your file with the correct settings for page set up and bleeds.
Adobe Indesign – Print Booklet Video

Choose File > Print Booklet

 Click Print Settings

Printer: PostScript File

PPD: Choose SAIC Service Bureau

Print Blank Pages: Checked

If SAIC Service Bureau is not available then you have not installed the Service Bureau drivers.

Please go back and finish this step. This will affect settings further along in the process.

 

 Click Setup

 

Paper Size: This will depend on the size of your booklet with the crops and bleed settings added to the final dimension.

Orientation: Landscape

Options
Scale: 100% for both width and height

Constrain Proportions: Check
Centered

 

 

Click Marks and Bleeds:

Crop Marks: Checked
Bleed Marks: Checked
Offset: 0.125 in
Use Document Bleed Settings: Checked

Click OK.

Return to the Print Booklet window.

NOTES: Our printers do not print full bleed. Allow an 1/8” margin on all sides of your print.

The cost of your booklet will be affected by the size sheet required to print. If your booklet is over 8,5×11 with the addition of crops and bleeds then it will need to be printed on 11×17 and cut down.

In the Print Booklet window under Setup:

Pages: All Booklet Type: 2-up Saddle Stitch

Margins: Check AutoPrint Blank Printer Spreads: Checked

Choose Preview:  Your PDF should look like the example below, with your first PDF page displaying your last and first booklet pages as a spread with crop and bleed marks.

 

The Preview is showing you that the pagination is correct with each sheet of paper now set with the correct pages for printing and folding of your booklet.
Below is an example of how an 8 page booklet will be arranged by sheet for printing.
Click Print

You should now have a Postscript file of your booklet on your computer. (Sometimes it may have .indd.ps at the end. That’s ok. )

To create a PDF you will now take your PDF and open it in Acrobat Distiller.

To do this you can Control Click on the file and choose from the fly-out menu  Open With> Acrobat Distiller.

Navigate to where your Postscript file is and click open.

The file will be processed immediately. You will see a PDF appear with the same name on your computer.

This is the imposed PDF you will uploading or emailing for submission.