This glossary focuses on decisions: which pixels count after a crop, where bleed lives relative to trim, why image PPI is not printer DPI, and when a color or PDF term changes the production workflow.
Pixels per inch describes how many image pixels are assigned to each printed inch at a specific physical size.
Why it matters: It is the core raster-resolution calculation for deciding whether a source image has enough pixels after the final crop.
Use this concept →The actual pixel density of the usable image at its placed physical dimensions, calculated separately on width and height.
Why it matters: A metadata tag can say 300 while the placed image is effectively 150 PPI; effective PPI uses real geometry.
Use this concept →Dots per inch describes output dots from a printer or marking device. It is not the same quantity as image pixels per inch.
Why it matters: Printer hardware DPI should not be matched one-for-one to the image PPI requirement.
Use this concept →The raster width and height measured in pixels, such as 6000 × 4000 px.
Why it matters: These are the real source counts used to calculate print capacity; file size in MB is not a substitute.
Use this concept →Creating a new raster with a different pixel count by estimating or discarding pixels.
Why it matters: Upsampling can change appearance but cannot restore original detail that was never captured.
Use this concept →Increasing pixel dimensions through interpolation or generated estimates.
Why it matters: It can help meet delivery dimensions but should not be confused with recovering captured detail.
Use this concept →The proportional relationship between width and height, such as 3:2, 4:5 or 1:1.
Why it matters: When source and print ratios differ, a fill layout must crop or a fit layout must leave unused space.
Use this concept →Removing part of an image frame to change composition or match a target ratio.
Why it matters: Cropping removes usable pixels, so effective PPI should be calculated after the final crop.
Use this concept →Scaling and cropping an image so it covers the full target rectangle.
Why it matters: Fill avoids borders but can remove edges when source and target ratios differ.
Use this concept →Scaling an image so the full source remains visible inside the target rectangle.
Why it matters: Fit preserves the entire image but can leave borders or unused paper area.
Use this concept →The finished physical dimensions after the printed piece is cut.
Why it matters: Product size normally refers to trim, while the artwork canvas can be larger because of bleed.
Use this concept →Artwork extended outside the trim so small cutting variation does not reveal an unintended unprinted edge.
Why it matters: Bleed is added outside trim on every required edge and must come from the exact product specification.
Use this concept →An interior zone that keeps critical text, logos or subjects away from trim and finishing variation.
Why it matters: Safe margins reduce the usable content area; they are different from bleed.
Use this concept →Space reserved between content areas, pages, panels or imposed pieces.
Why it matters: Gutters can be needed for binding, cutting or layout separation and are product/workflow specific.
Use this concept →Arranging finished pages or pieces on a larger sheet in the order and orientation required for printing and finishing.
Why it matters: Reader order is not always press-sheet order, especially for booklets and folded work.
Use this concept →Placing multiple finished pieces on one parent sheet, such as 8-up business cards.
Why it matters: Yield depends on piece footprint, bleed, gaps, margins and allowable rotation.
Use this concept →The larger sheet on which multiple smaller finished pieces are imposed.
Why it matters: Its usable area, not only nominal paper size, determines real N-up yield.
Use this concept →Sheet area reserved by some printing equipment to grip or transport the substrate.
Why it matters: A mathematical grid that ignores press clearance can overestimate usable sheet area.
Use this concept →A review output used to verify content, geometry, color or production assumptions before the full run.
Why it matters: A technical file pass cannot replace a physical or provider-approved proof for critical work.
Use this concept →A structured check of the file and production assumptions before delivery or printing.
Why it matters: Useful preflight covers geometry, resolution, bleed, safe area, color, format, fonts and proofing—not only PPI.
Use this concept →The normal distance from which the finished print is expected to be seen.
Why it matters: Large prints viewed farther away may tolerate lower raster density than close-viewed small detailed work, subject to provider limits.
Use this concept →An additive color model used by screens and many image workflows, represented by red, green and blue channels.
Why it matters: Some print providers request RGB files and handle conversion themselves; do not assume RGB is always wrong for print.
Use this concept →A subtractive print color model based on cyan, magenta, yellow and black components.
Why it matters: Commercial workflows can require a specific CMYK profile, but a generic conversion is not universally correct.
Use this concept →A data description used by color-managed systems to characterize how a device or color space represents color.
Why it matters: The correct profile depends on the provider and workflow; embedding or conversion rules should follow their instructions.
Use this concept →A color-managed screen simulation of another output condition using profiles and compatible software.
Why it matters: It can preview gamut and tonal changes but still depends on display calibration and cannot reproduce paper physically.
Use this concept →The range of colors a device, color space or output condition can represent.
Why it matters: Colors visible on a display can fall outside a printer/paper gamut and require mapping during conversion.
Use this concept →A color-management strategy for mapping colors between source and destination gamuts during profile conversion.
Why it matters: The appropriate choice belongs to the color workflow; it should not be guessed as a universal setting.
Use this concept →Portable Document Format can preserve pages, vector graphics, text, raster images and print metadata in one delivery file.
Why it matters: A PDF is not automatically print-ready; page size, boxes, fonts, color and provider presets still matter.
Use this concept →A PDF page box that can describe the intended finished trim boundary.
Why it matters: Print systems can use page boxes to distinguish the finished product from surrounding bleed or media.
Use this concept →A PDF page box that can describe the region containing bleed beyond trim.
Why it matters: It helps represent bleed geometry without relying only on visible crop marks.
Use this concept →The outermost PDF page boundary that defines the physical page/media extent represented by the file.
Why it matters: Different PDF boxes can coexist; provider requirements determine which boxes are expected.
Use this concept →Visible marks showing intended cutting positions outside the finished content.
Why it matters: Many online print services do not want manually added marks; include them only when requested.
Use this concept →Including font program data in a PDF so text can reproduce without relying on fonts installed at the destination.
Why it matters: Provider workflows can flag missing fonts; embedding rules should be verified during preflight.
Use this concept →Shapes and paths described mathematically rather than as a fixed pixel grid.
Why it matters: Logos, text and line art can remain sharp at many sizes when the workflow preserves them as vector objects.
Use this concept →An image represented by a fixed grid of pixels.
Why it matters: Photographs and flattened artwork have finite pixel dimensions, so their effective PPI changes with print size.
Use this concept →Reducing file size by encoding data more efficiently; some methods discard image information.
Why it matters: Heavy lossy compression can create artifacts even when the pixel count is numerically sufficient.
Use this concept →A common raster image format using lossy compression, widely accepted by photographic print services.
Why it matters: It can be appropriate when the provider requests it, but repeated heavy recompression can damage detail.
Use this concept →A raster file format that can store high-quality image data with different compression and color options.
Why it matters: Some professional workflows accept TIFF, but it is not inherently better or required for every provider.
Use this concept →A lossless raster format commonly used for graphics and transparency on screen.
Why it matters: It may be accepted for some print workflows but is not a universal substitute for provider-requested JPEG, TIFF or PDF.
Use this concept →The thickness allocated to the bound edge of a book cover wrap.
Why it matters: It depends on page count, paper and binding; changing those inputs can require a new cover template.
Use this concept →A binding method where folded sheets are nested and stapled through the fold.
Why it matters: Page count, creep and imposed order depend on complete folded sheet signatures.
Use this concept →The incremental outward shift of inner pages in a nested folded booklet caused by paper thickness.
Why it matters: Longer or thicker saddle-stitched booklets can need compensation so trims and margins remain consistent.
Use this concept →Print services and software sometimes use terms loosely—for example, “DPI” when they mean image PPI. Print Prep Lab uses the technically relevant meaning in its calculations, while still acknowledging the search terms people commonly encounter.