Uploading Guidelines

File Preparation

We allow you to submit various digital files, from complete press-ready PDFs to orders where we scan and build from materials and instructions that you supply.

To produce the best possible postcard, we strongly recommend that you review our Preparing Materials page. All files submitted to us will be evaluated for quality. If we find that one or more of your files is below our minimum guidelines for quality, we will either ask you to resubmit replacement files or sign a waiver indicating that you are aware that the file is below our recommended quality and wish us to proceed regardless. Please note that while your first resubmission is at no cost, each additional resubmission will result in an additional charge of $25.

Resolution is the most common quality issue. We recommend that your image be 355 ppi at final size. Images for which the resolution is less than 200 ppi will result in a resubmission/waiver request.

File Compression

We highly recommend compressing your graphic files, although it is not required. Both Windows and MacOS computer systems have built in methods of compressing files into the .ZIP file extension. Some people prefer third party software such as Winzip, 7zip or Stuffit to accomplish this task. For instructions on how to compress your files, click here.

Compression Benefits

• Allows for a faster file transfer by reducing file sizes in most cases.
• Reduce the number of steps required to upload by bundling multiple files together into a single compressed file
  (Exception: Mailing list can not be bundled with graphic files).
• File corruption is less likely during file transfer (Note: Corruption can still occur, it is simply now a reduced risk).

If you must upload a file without using compression, all files uploaded must have the extension as part of the name (Example: file.qxd, picture.tif, logo.eps). Without the file extension, our computers may not recognize the file type, causing the file to appear corrupt (Note: Font files have an increased likelihood of corruption during upload when not compressed).

Naming Your Files

Most computers will allow you to assign just about any name to a file that you want, however certain characters can cause problems during upload that will prevent us from receiving the file. To avoid problems, please name your files using following guidelines:

File names should only contain:

• letters of the alphabet A-Z
• numbers 0-9
• the underscore ( _ ).

File names should not contain:

• Spaces (My File.jpg)
• Special characters ( “,”!#@/ etc..)

Examples of good file names:

• First_image.tif
• First_image_revised.tif
• Blue_layout.pdf

Examples of unacceptable file names:

• First image.tif
• My postcard!.jpg
• Black/white.tif
• Layout revision #2.indd

If you upload a file that includes spaces or special characters, you will likely see the progress bar move to 100%, yet the file will not appear in the folder. If this happens, double-check your file name.

File Extension Warning

If you are not able to compress your files before uploading them, you may still upload each individual file that you need for us to build your card. It is important, however, that all files that you upload have the file extension at the end of the file name. Without the file extension, there is a strong chance that the file we receive will be corrupted during the upload process.

A file extension is typically three characters at the end of your file name preceded by a period (.) (i.e. image .tif or layout .indd). Some programs add this extension to the file name automatically, and others default without it. Most allow you to turn this option on and off. No matter what, if you know the extension, you can always add it yourself by renaming the file and adding it to the end.

Firewall Issues

A firewall is software that acts like a protective barrier or filter between your computer and other computers on the internet. Universities, government offices and most large businesses have some firewall protecting their computers from viruses and hackers. Additionally, many people buy firewall software for their personal computers, and some computers even come with built-in firewall security.

One feature common to all firewalls is that they can be set to disallow certain forms of communication or data sharing between a protected computer (you) and computers on the other side of the internet (us). Whenever a file is ‘pushed’ or uploaded to an FTP site such as ours, there is a sharing of information between our computers and yours. If your computer is behind a firewall that prohibits certain data sharing, you may find that you are unable to upload files to us. We cannot control if your firewall accepts or rejects our upload protocols. If you find you are having problems with your firewall, you can contact your Network administrator, or you can just consult your user’s manual for your firewall to temporarily turn this function off to allow you to upload your files. Other solutions include using a computer with unrestricted access to upload files.

Browser Compatibility

To ensure a seamless experience with our upload system, we recommend using the latest versions of popular web browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Chrome. While our platform has been optimized for these browsers, using outdated versions or less common browsers might result in upload issues. If you encounter any problems, please first ensure you’re using a current version of one of the recommended browsers.

Transfer Rate/Speed

Several factors influence your file transfer speed:

• Internet Connection: Modern broadband connections (like fiber-optic, Cable, or DSL) typically offer faster speeds compared to older connections.
• File Size: Larger files will naturally take longer to upload.
• Network Traffic: Sometimes, during peak hours, networks might experience high traffic, causing slower speeds.

For those with high-speed broadband connections and reasonably sized files, uploads should only take a few minutes. If you find your connection to be particularly slow, or if you’re working with very large files, consider alternative methods to send the file.

Alternate Upload Methods

If you face difficulties with our standard upload system due to file sizes or connection issues, please contact your account representative. They can guide you on alternative methods to get your files to us safely and efficiently.