Graphics Support

Why you can't use Word or Publisher files for printed documents

Most Printers, including University Printing Services only support printing from page layout program files; PageMaker, Quark Xpress, and InDesign. These layout programs are specifically designed to address the requirements and constraints of Postscript and multicolor ink (high-end) printing.

Files done in Word, WordPerfect, PowerPoint, or Excel are not designed to work within a postscript environment. Printing services may be able to use some part of the file but it is still not nearly as efficient as PageMaker, Quark XPress, or InDesign. In some instances the job has to be re-created from scratch.

Files done in Microsoft Publisher 2002 work partially within the printing environment but require extra processing time, which leads to unnecessary costs. Publisher graphics may not separate correctly and grayscale TIFFs have to be re-saved as EPS files before they will separate correctly. Publisher documents will reflow whenever the target printer is changed, which will happen unless documents are initially set to their printer's imagesetter specifications. (Reflow will cause the text to wrap differently than was originally intended, which means text may no longer align or fit as it appeared on the source file.)

If you can't provide a file using a page layout program, Printing Services will work with you and take your word processing file and import it into an appropriate page layout program prior to sending it to prepress.

The University Printing Services Web Site has a more detailed explanation as well as other useful articles to help you move your project through the print process.