Step by Step

Download and create PDF files using our settings for your application program and system. These can be found at http://www.ovidbell.com/submit-a-file/pdf-assistance/.

Run the System Diagnostics (first time only)

Log In

Click on the number of pages section of the job that you want to work on.

If pages have not been uploaded, click the Upload Files button.

If pages have been uploaded and if you have not reviewed the process logs:

Go to History Tab click on the upload that has not been looked at and review the processing logs. Make a list of the pages that show errors or cautions. You can use this to look for specific potential errors on those pages in Smart Review.

Warnings appear as yellow triangles. Errors will be indicated with a red X.

Pages with errors will need to be fixed by you and re-uploaded.

Drag files onto the window, or press the green plus button and navigate to the files.

Please name the upload and click on the upload button.

A pop-up window will open displaying a progress bar.

Another pop-up window will open which displays the status of the upload including any warnings or errors. Please check this log carefully for problems.

Warnings: will be indicated by a yellow triangle icon. Please check these pages carefully. Fix and re-submit if needed. There will be a warning if a contone (photo) image is below 200 dpi. You will get a warning on a bitmap (line-art) image below 800 dpi.

Errors: will be indicated by a red X. These pages will not print and will have to be fixed by you and re-submitted. This is usually caused by a missing font, Postscript error or file corruption.

If the files don’t process be sure the files had a postscript or PDF with .ps or .pdf extension.

If not, fix the files and upload again.

If the file extension was fine, call us, there may be no need to re-upload.

Uploads that are interrupted can be resumed where they left off in most cases making uploading from the beginning of the upload unnecessary.

Once the upload is complete, view the pages “Requiring Approval.”

Double click the thumbnail icon. This takes you to Smart Review.

What to look for in Smart Review.

1. Click the separations icon along the bottom of the page.

a. This shows the colors on this page. Do they meet your expectations and the press specifications? Usually black, or cyan, magenta and yellow. If two color, are there only two? Do they match what you see on the page? If 5 color, this window will show 5 colors. Is the 5th color correctly named?

b. Turn the black off by clicking the check mark, and then press Apply. The type of the page should disappear if it’s 100% true black. If not, the type is made of more than one color (rich black) and may be hard to register on press. Black type should be only 100% true black. Excess colors (rich black) create screened and fuzzy type and is difficult or impossible to register on press.

c. Click the black back on and re-press Apply.

2. Click the ‘i” icon on the right of the page colors.

a. Check that the overall height and width are larger than the page trim size.

b. Check that the page trim size is correct.

c. The X and Y coordinates indicate the pasteboard and bleed. The trim size is rounded to the nearest 1/100 of an inch.

3. Look at the page.

a. Note: Upon initially opening and going from page to page, you will have to wait a little until the blue round arrow indicating progress has stopped. Until this happens there may be an overall low res look that may go through two or three stages before it is finished.

b. Overall, your page is going to print as you see it. Low res images and type will appear pixilated or low res in this part of the program.

c. Do the bleeds go beyond the trim lines?

d. Are the other elements held back from the trim by ¼ (recommended live area)”?

e. Does it look as you expected? If it appears washed out then you probably had RGB color spaces chosen. This page or these images will not get better at press and should be corrected.

I. Exact color verification (even if you have a calibrated monitor) can not be done at this time, but overall the pages should look very close to what you want to print.

f. If there are thin, white lines that look as though they were caused by text or picture boxes, zoom in on the line.

I. Did it stay the same thickness as the unzoomed version, or disappear altogether? If so, it will not print.

II. If it gets larger as you zoom in, this line will print. Check your settings for PDF creation and flatten the pages.

g. If there are jaggy images, then they will be low res. Zoom in some and look at the edges or curves.

h. If headings and other type look a little jaggy, then zoom in on them some. If they don’t clear up then they are low res.

I. Is there anything missing?

4. Making Approvals and Rejections.

a. It is faster and easier to follow this procedure in approving or rejecting pages:

b. In Smart Review

I. If the page is fine, leave the status unchecked, in Smart Review, and go on to the next page.

II. If the page is not O.K., reject it at this point.

III. When finished reviewing all of the pages, close Smart Review.

IV. Go to the Show Window and have the system show “Pages Requiring Approval.”

V. In the center of the page click “Select All.”

VI. Be very careful that you don’t approve pages you don’t want to print. You may not be able to change the status. If the page is Approved, we will print it.

Re-sort pages by Rejected Pages and make a list as these pages will need to be corrected at your facility and uploaded. Please approve the corrected pages when finished.

If you want to view the pages in order, name the page exactly as the others alpha numerically then add the page number to the corrected page.

It is best if pages are in order of the magazine, but we will put them in order when we impose them. So if they are at the bottom of the list, this is not a problem.

All pages must be either Rejected or Approved. We delete the rejected pages when we begin to work on the job, and will NOT work on a job unless all pages have been Approved or Rejected.

Verify that you have the correct number of pages, and a spine for the job if it is perfect bound, let your Customer Service Representative know. We can not work on jobs that do not have the appropriate number of approved pages for the job.