CPS Resources
Custom printing has never been easier. You can now have your favorite PaperDirect® design professionally printed with your logo or other custom elements. Follow the simple steps outlined below to design and place a custom print order online. You can expect the same high quality 4-color printing as you have always enjoyed from PaperDirect®. To get started, shop for the item you want and choose to customize on the product page.
- Login or create a new account. Select a design from one of PaperDirect's best selling designs, or design your own on a plain stock.
- Select an orientation, vertical or horizontal.
- Select a layout, with or without image boxes for logo/photo uploads.
- Keep in mind that all layouts can be completely changed and images added in the Customization step.
- Select a paper color. If choosing a PaperDirect design, you may want to choose the coordinating paper stock color listed under the Desktop Printable specifications.
- Customize your project while viewing it in the preview window.
- You may add and edit text, choose fonts, upload images, etc.
- Default Image Error: You must delete all default images on your document before proceeding with your order.
- Simply click on and delete all of the images that read "Your Logo or Photo Here", "Your Logo Here", or "Your Photo Here".
- View a PDF proof of your project and print for review.
- Save your project files.
- Add your project to the shopping cart and place your order.
Advanced Tools
Align Menu
Selected text and image boxes can all be aligned using the Align menu tools. Note that alignment applies to the outside dimensions of the text or image box; because of this, you may want to minimize the size of text boxes to achieve the alignment you need. To align text within a text box, use the Change Text Alignment tool (above).
- Align Left: All selected text and images boxes are aligned flush left.
- Align Center: All selected text and images boxes are centered.
- Align Right: All selected text and images boxes are aligned flush right.
- Align Top: All selected text and images boxes are aligned to the top most box.
- Align Middle: All selected text and images boxes are aligned to the middle of the selected boxes.
- Align Bottom: All selected text and images boxes are aligned to the bottom most box.
- Distribute Horizontally: All selected text and image boxes are evenly distributed from right to left.
- Distribute Vertically: All selected text and image boxes are evenly distributed from top to bottom.
- Align to Margin: Select this to align select boxes relative to the entire project design surface.
- Align Select Objects: Select this to align selected boxes relative to each other.
Arrange: Bring to Front and Send to Send to Back
- Clicking the Bring to Front
button brings the selected text and image boxes in front of all other boxes. Be aware that if you have overlapping image, the image on top will “knock out” any overlapping part of an image behind it. This includes white space around an image if the image has been closely cropped.
- Clicking the Send to Back
places the selected text and image boxes behind all others.
Change Layout:
- You may choose a different layout anytime, and your text and uploaded image will be repositioned.
- If you have moved, added or deleted text and image boxes and change layouts, you will not lose changes, but the default text and images for that layout will be placed on the design surface. In other words, if you’ve already deleted some unneeded text and image boxes, you may be need to delete them again if you change layouts.
Change Paper Stock
- See the product detail page for specifics on the paper stock weight for the product type you have chosen for project. For instance, standard business cards print on an 80# cover stock, but standard PaperFrames print on 70# text stock.
- At no extra charge, all Custom Print projects give you a choice of four matte stock colors (white, cream and almond cream) and one white glossy stock choice. If you choose white glossy, the coated side of the card includes a special coating at no additional charge for pop and durability.
- Some designs default to a paper stock other than white, but you may change them if you wish. Note that other matching items, such as envelopes, may not match if you change the default paper stock.
- Other premium paper stocks – heavier 110# or 130# stock for business cards, or coated both sides for business cards – may be available when you start your project.
Edit Tools
- Delete will remove any selected text and image boxes on the design surface – or the currently selected left text entry box. To delete multiple boxes, either click and drag on the design surface or hold down the Ctrl keyboard button and select multiple text and image boxes on the design surface, then click the delete button.
- Never fear! Undo will reverse the last change made to your project; you may click undo several times.
- Redo performs the last action before Undo.
Font Tools
Font Typeface
- Choose any font for the selected text box or boxes. Select multiple text boxes by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking; this way you can change several text boxes at once. You can also click-and-drag to select multiple text boxes.
- In addition to selecting font size from the drop-down menu, you may also click on the size number and enter the number you would like, allowing incremental size changes.
Font Typeface Styles
- The toolbar follows standard conventions for Bold, Italic and Underline.
- Font size and styles apply to all selected text boxes. Select multiple text boxes by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking; this way you can change several text boxes at once. You can also click-and-drag to select multiple text boxes.
- If the selected typeface does not have a style available, the bold and/or italic buttons may be disabled. See the above font list for each typeface’s available styles. Underline applies to any typeface.
Font color
- Font color changes apply to all selected text boxes. Select multiple text boxes by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking; this way you can change several or all text boxes at once. You can also click-and-drag to select multiple text boxes.
Text box fill
- Text box color fill changes apply to all selected text boxes. Select multiple text boxes by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking; this way you can change several or all text boxes at once. You can also click-and-drag to select multiple text boxes.
- If you’ve filled a text box with a color and want to remove the color, select the text box(es), then click the “No Fill” checkbox.
Text box border color
- Text box border color changes apply to all selected text boxes. Select multiple text boxes by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking; this way you can change several or all text boxes at once. You can also click-and-drag to select multiple text boxes.
- If you’ve selected a text box color and want to remove the color, select the text box(es), then click the “No Outline” checkbox.
- The weight drop down menu lets you change the line thickness.
- The Dashes drop down menu lets you change the line style.
Text Alignment
- Align selected text boxes left, center or right. Select multiple text boxes by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking; this way you can align several or all text boxes at once. You can also click-and-drag to select multiple text boxes.
- Tip: You can align, then move text boxes using multiselect. Click and drag your selections.
- If you have accidentally multiselected an image along with text boxes, click on a text box and re-multiselect text boxes only to enable alignment buttons.
- Note that text alignment applies to words within a text box. To align text boxes and images to each other, use the Align menu (described under the Advanced tool below).
Insert Images
Upload an Image:
- Click here to upload and place photos, logos or other images. The maximum file size is 50MB.
- File formats accepted: TIF images (*.tif), JPEG images (*.jpg, *.jpeg), PNG images (*.png), Bitmap images (*.bmp) and GIF images (*.gif)
- Once your image is uploaded, you may move, resize or even rotate it on the design surface. Simply click on the image to select then drag one of the corner “handles” to resize. The image proportion will not change. Also note that image quality will likely degrade if you stretch an image larger than what you uploaded. It’s always best to upload a larger image and reduce the size, if anything.
- Note that all computer monitors are calibrated differently, so the colors you see on screen may not match the printed colors. If you have a logo with strict spot color (PMS) specifications, our four-color process digital presses will only approximate the color. Generally, you should design in CMYK color formulas for digital presses.
- Logo and photo images must be at least 300 ppi (pixels per square inch). Microsoft Windows users can check image sizes by right clicking on an image from a Windows Explorer file list and selecting Properties, then clicking on the Details tab. Apple users can open the image in Preview, click on Tools, then Get Info to see the dimension in pixels.
- Save your images at a size approximating the size on the printed piece. Resizing an image from small to large reduces resolution and makes the printed image fuzzy. (The exception to this rule is resizing a vector-based image, such an Adobe Illustrator EPS image. However, all images uploaded must be bitmapped or rasterized image file types: GIF, JPEG, BMP, TIF or PNG.)
- Crop your image closely to eliminate white space. If there is white space around your image, this will make your logo or photo significantly smaller than it could be printed. If your image is not saved with transparency, white space around your image will “knock out” background images.
- Print your Preview Proof to ensure the quality of the images is acceptable. PaperDirect cannot be responsible for quality of uploaded images, so please check your previews carefully.
Upload a Document:
- Click on this drop down menu option if you have a PDF you want to upload. This can be an image or a combination of image and text.
- To create a PDF from Microsoft Office applications, download the “Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS” add-in for 2007 Microsoft office document from the following URL: https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4d951911-3e7e-4ae6-b059-a2e79ed87041&displaylang=en. After install the add-in, you can save any office document to PDF directly. By the way, Microsoft Office Publisher has embedded Export to PDF function, so the add-in is not needed for Publisher users. For Microsoft Office 2003 and other software: You can download a free PDF printer and print your document by the PDF printer for creating a PDF version of the document. PDFCreator is one of these free open source PDF printer options. It can be downloaded from https://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/ (PaperDirect cannot be held responsible for any third-party links offered as help.)
- After you browse to locate your PDF and upload it, you will be asked which page you would like to place the PDF on, i.e., front or back.
- Note that you can upload a multiple page PDF and select what PDF page goes on what project side all at once.
- Once a PDF is on the design surface, it is treated like any other image.
Insert Text
Add Text Box
- To add a text box, click on the Insert Textbox button in the Insert section of the Main Toolbar. The new text box will appear in the upper left corner of the design surface, and a new text entry box will appear in the left text entry column at the bottom.
- Added text boxes that you haven’t typed into will be lost if you change layouts, and any deleted default fields will reappear.
Misc. Questions
How soon will I get my order?
We typically complete Custom Print orders within 24-48 hours, then ship Ground. The number of days in transit depends on how far your location is from our headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. If you need your project faster, we can ship 2nd day or overnight. Just select your ship method during checkout.
How does your value compare to others?
We generally have all-inclusive prices, with the exception of upgraded paper stocks. Here’s what’s included at no extra charge:
- Access to all our unique, exclusive designs. You won’t pay more to see more than just a few. We also have horizontal and vertical versions for designs.
- Use of our best design tool. You won’t have to pay more to get advanced features that let you move text and images around; change fonts, styles and colors; change layouts; and more. (Others may charge extra to use their “advanced” tools.)
- Any of our five standard paper stocks. You won’t pay more for changing from our recommended base stock to another base stock. Choose White, Cream, Willow White, Almond Cream or White Gloss. White Gloss in any weight generally includes an extra coating on the front side for added pop and durability. (You might pay more than $10 premium for glossy stock with others.)
- Logo or photo upload. You won’t pay a penny more for putting your image on your project. (Add $5 per image from one competitor.)
- Fast delivery. You also won’t pay extra to get your projects sooner than our “print and ship within 24-48 hours” normal service. We ship from Colorado, so add the normal ground shipping time from Colorado to your location to the 24-48 hours we normally take to ship your order.
- Removal of our logo from the back of your card. Actually, our logo never appears on the back. We don’t use your business or calling card to promote our brand at your expense, and we certainly don’t charge $4.00 to remove it.
Can I cancel my order?
By the time you contact us, your order has already moved through our systems to our manufacturing team. That’s why we ask you to double check spelling, text placement and quality of uploaded images using the online proofs we provide on the Preview page. If you have a question or don’t like your online proof, please call us at 800.272.7377 before you submit your order, and we’ll help make it the way you want.
System Requirements
- Internet Explorer 7 or higher. Note that we’ve optimized our design tool for Windows Internet Explorer for Windows XP, Vista and 7. Apple OS X users will find the best experience with Safari.
- Adobe Flash, version 10 or higher is required for the design tool.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDF proofs.
Save For Later / Reload a Saved Project
- Name and save your project on the Approval Page. If you Add to Cart, your project will automatically be saved.
- To return and begin working on your project again, either click on the “Work on Saved Project” button on the Product Page or Sign-In to PaperDirect, go to My Account and click on Project List under Custom Print. From your project list click on the project you’d like to open.
Zoom Tools
- Zoom In
increases the size of the project on the design surface. When you use the Zoom In button, you will see another magnifying glass button in the lower right-hand corner of the design surface. Clicking this pops up a thumbnail of the design surface and lets you drag the highlighted box around so you can view different areas of a zoomed-in project. You may also use the scroll bars on the bottom and right to move around.
- Zoom Out
decreases the size of the project on the design surface.
- Actual Size
shrinks your project to the printed size, including bleed edges. The dotted lines show where your project will be cut.
- Fit to Page
makes your project as large as possible on the design surface.