Are Digital Proofs Better for Print?

How you represent your content is important, no matter if your materials are being read by a dozen or a thousand people. The way your content is presented, its value and its accuracy, significantly impacts the way people will receive it. Mistakes in a document’s style, formatting and layout design will reflect poorly on you. From the granular level to the surface level, when you provide better documents you make better impressions – the two aren’t isolated, but rather go hand-in-hand.

Why Digital Proofs Create Better Print Projects

Proofing isn’t a new concept. Reflecting back to 1999, Mimeo co-founder David Uyttendaele filed a patent for the first technology that could enable users to see a real-time proof of a printed document online, complete with binding and finishing. This proofing technology, though it has taken different shape and form, is still in use today.

Mimeo offers the unique ability to proof your document, make changes and see those changes reflected in real time. Proofing a document is one of the last, but undoubtedly one of the most crucial, steps in building a document with Mimeo. If you are already familiar with adding your content in the file sequencer, the following screen prompts a virtual proof of the document you are building.

By proofing from the cloud, it enables users to make changes to materials in real time, and see a visual representation of these changes. Users can make unlimited amounts of changes until they see from both a cost and design perspective of what document specifications best fit their project. Digital proofs are instant, eliminating time associated with either driving to a local printer or receiving a shipment. Additionally, many traditional printers charge their customers for proofs, further adding costs for businesses.

What You See Is What You Get

Taking a cue from Plato’s philosophy on forms, Mimeo’s virtual proof of your document is the representation of exactly how your document will be printed. You can see the previous selections made in the proof, like the document type, color and if it’s a single or double sided print. The virtual proof allows you to flip through each page of the document from front cover to back cover, just like you would if it were in your hands.

Any changes that are made in the proofing process are reflected immediately. Likewise, the document’s price will be updated in real time in consideration of any changes.

Using Mimeo’s Virtual Proof

Chances are, that all this while you’ve been focused on content creation. Proofing lets you see the document from the perspective of its intended audience. The practice of proofing establishes a platform to assess what works and what could be modified for the better. You can take advantage of the proof’s flexible features with the power to:

• • Remove or change the binding type

• • Add clear, matte, frosted or cardstock covers

• • Choose how you want the front and back covers printed

• • Change the paper stock

• • Play with color and plex

• Create sections with inserts like tabs or slip sheets

To make any changes, simply go to the left pane of the proofing screen. You can select, remove or change different finishing types and so forth. After you make changes, you can navigate through the document page by page or section by section.

Mimeo encourages customers to take advantage of our real-time pricing. If you have to adhere to a tight budget, choosing certain finishes and paper stocks over others will lessen the price. If you’re focused less on the economics but more on environmental responsibility, Mimeo offers 100 percent recycled paper and a wide variety of paper that meets EPA recycling guidelines. All things considered, once you’ve finished making your changes and proofing the document you can increase or decrease the quantity.

Save For Later or Add To Cart

When you use Mimeo’s document proofing tool, the next steps don’t require you to directly purchase or order the document. Requirements change over the time, and so does content. You can save the document and reopen the proof later to make any necessary changes. Once you’ve established what’s needed in coordination with what fits to your budget, you can then proceed to ordering and purchasing.

By submitting documents through our online proofing tool, Mimeo customers avoid taking multiple trips to printing facilities and eliminate the wasted paper that comes from mistakes and overstocks.

If you’re interested in learning more about proofing with Mimeo, check out our video on how to create a document.

Proof Your Print Materials in the Cloud – Free Account

Mimeo was created to give people back time. Users can upload content to their digital library and organize files by folders. Want a hard copy printed? Build, proof, and ship in a few minutes. Content can even be shared with varying levels of permissions to other Mimeo users. No order minimums, no commitments, 24/7 support!

Users can place a print order for delivery to hundreds of locations with a single click. Instead of hundreds of emails, easily view and map the status of each shipment. What would have once been a massive undertaking is now organized in one screen.

Click around a free account and start organizing your content, regardless if it’s a single poster or 1,000 different corporate brochures varying by geographic region or brand.  

Now cross a content-related project off of your to do list!