Before seeking quotes for NCR printing it’s always a good idea to fully consider your required specifications. This will help to prevent misunderstandings and assist you in controlling variable cost factors. Here is a checklist that may help:
1) Artwork Files - Do you have print ready artwork? There is a common misconception that providing a hardcopy form to the printer is job done. However, your chosen print partner requires artwork supplied electronically usually as a high resolution PDF, JPEG or TIFF files. If you only have a hardcopy of your artwork it will usually have to be recreated by your graphic designer or printer, as scans of your document will not be as sharp as original artwork. This can work out expensive as some companies charge up to 50 per hour. The moral is that if you have paid for artwork, always ask your supplier for copies, just in case you want to change supplier with minimum fuss and cost in the future.
2) Procurement Quantity? Consider the quantity of NCR sets, pads or books you need. Pads and books usually contain 50 sets, but you should check with your printer to confirm this. To avoid possible confusion your purchase order should state the number of sets you are ordering as well as the number of pads; for example 1,000 sets (20 pads). To reduce the unit cost of your forms we recommend you order what you consider to be your estimated annual consumption. However, this is dependent on you having sufficient storage space and whether you think the form will require changing within the next 12 months.
3) Are All Parts of Your NCR Set The Same? Most NCR sets have identical layout and printing all their constituent parts. However, when designing multi-purpose forms, for example combining a purchase order form with an invoice from, you will probably require the different parts of your form to have different artwork.
4) Choose A Practical Form Size. When deciding on your form size you should go for the smallest size to reduce NCR paper costs. However the form should not be so small that it renders it unreadable or difficult to complete.
5) Define How Many Parts In Your Set. You can specify a duplicate sets (top page plus one copy), triplicate sets (top page plus two copies), quadruplicate sets (top page plus three copies) etc. You could in theory have as many copies as you require, however, in practice this is limited by how much pressure you can apply to the top sheet to allow the impression to appear clearly on bottom sheets.
6) Single Sided Printing or Printed Both Sides? You may not realise it but it is possible to print on both sides of your form if required. For example, you may find it useful to print your company terms of business on the reverse. Obviously printing on both sides will increase the cost of the job.
7) How Many Pantone Colours? One of the ways to reduce the cost of your printing is to reduce the number of ink colours used in your work. The is because the use of multiple pantones increases the amount of press time to process the job. Just using standard black will minimise the overall cost.
What Paper Colours Will You Use? To facilitate the distribution of your form you can opt to have different coloured pages. For example you could choose to have the top sheet: white, second copy: yellow, third copy: blue, fourth copy: pink.
9) Is Numbering Needed? It’s possible to uniquely identify each of your NCR sets by allocating a unique number. This process is known as crash numbering and is normally charged at a set amount per thousand sets.
10) Is Drilling Needed? To save you having to punch filing holes in your forms, you can request your Printer to drill holes on the left hand edge or at the top. There is normally a fixed price per thousand sets for this service.
11) Where Do You Require Your Pads or Books To Be Glued / Bound? The most common choice is to glue or bind the forms at the left hand edge, like a reading book, but you can also have them bound at the head if you wish.
12) Fixed Writing Shield Required? When you write on the top set of your NCR pad or book, you need to insert a shield (usually a piece of card) to prevent the writing impression going through to the next set of forms in the pad / book. For an additional cost you can ask your Printer to add a fixed writing shield, sometimes known as a wrap around cover. As the name suggests the shield is permanently attached to the pad or book thus facilitating the process.
Want to find out more about NCR Pads, then visit our site on how to choose the best NCR Forms for your needs.