FOCUS ON FILE PREPARATION
In this issue we announce two new tools designed to help you prepare your files — the new edition of Right from the Start and FastPath File Check. Think of your files as the raw materials for your job, and use these tools to ensure that your books are made from the very best.

File Check — The Newest

Addition to

The latest addition to the FastPath family of web services is File Check. File Check is a complete web-based solution designed especially for use by Courier customers and their compositors. It performs remote file inspection, file collection, and file delivery, without the need to buy, install, or configure any preflight or FTP software. All you need is a web browser (either Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer for Macintosh or Windows). And because document inspection always takes place at your compositor's computer, bandwidth is not an issue and documents remain completely secure.

File Check gives your compositor the ability to check your files for costly and time consuming problems quickly, easily, and most importantly, before sending them to Courier for print production. When file problems are discovered early, fixing them is less expensive and less likely to cause delays. File Check is available through the FastPath website right now on a trial basis.

It's your compositor's job to prepare and send problem-free files. When you work with Courier, your compositor can check your files for a wide range of problems with FastPath File Check before sending them. It's so simple to use that it just doesn't make sense to send files without checking them first. You should instruct your compositor to start using it right away. It will save you time and money, job after job.

Whether you use an in-house compositor, hire one outside, or do the work yourself, you should look into FastPath File Check. Learn more about the service and how to get your compositor started using it at www.courierfastpath.com.

Key Benefits of FastPath File Check

• It's configured and customized for Courier's workflow
• One click quickly checks your entire multi-file job
• Extensive online help shows how to fix each problem identified
• One click collects all files and the inspection report into one compressed archive
• One click transmits your collected files to Courier's FTP server
• Saves time and money by identifying file problems early

Right from the Start REVISED! The new 5th Edition has gone to the press

It happens to everyone at least once — you think you've put that job to bed only to get a last-minute call from your CSR explaining that your files won't print. Your graphics are in the wrong format. Your fonts are missing. Or your PDF files are improperly prepared. Thoughtful planning "right from the start" of your project can save you time and money as your digital files glide through prepress. And it's easier than you think!

Courier explains exactly how in Right from the Start — the book professional's guide to preparing digital files for print production. The book is your key to hassle-free production. For more than six years, Courier has provided copies of Right from the Start to customers and their compositors. The soon-to-be-released fifth edition of the book contains updated production guidelines and an all-new section on production workflow that includes information about CTP, color management, preflighting, and much, much more.

Make sure to get your free copy of the book as soon as it's available by signing up at www.rightfromthestart.com/rfts/5e.htm.

Win a Right from the Start hat!

If you're one of the first 20 customers to send us the name and e-mail address of a compositor that you would like to have use FastPath File Check on your Courier jobs, we'll send you a sharp looking Right from the Start hat. E-mail your entry to us at marketing@courier.com.

About FastPath

Courier's FastPath website (www.courierfastpath.com) is your connection to a growing family of web-based services that make doing business with Courier very easy. You may already be familiar with FastPath Status Check. Courier customers have been using Status Check for almost a year to check quickly on the status of their jobs and their paper inventories 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Now FastPath offers File Check as well, and there are several other services in development.

Right From the Start Tip

Use extreme care when creating your own bar codes. Never go to press without first scanning the proofs of the bar codes to ensure their quality. Make sure your bar codes will separate properly. Most bar codes generation packages set the bar code color to a custom setting like "bar code black" and the white space to "space color". Adobe Illustrator can open most bar code formats, and you can edit the colors to match the colors in your document.