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DK core titles – technical workflow

Jackets New Starter (in-house) Procedures and Workflows

Last modified: January 16, 2024

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This is a step by step guideline of the DK core technical workflow from presentation stage to delivery at the Printer(s).

1 – Presentation

The Designer creates the initial presentation spreads ensuring:

  • They use DK authorised fonts only (i.e. from the MT Mosaic Fonts within Font Explorer which will guarantee that we hold the necessary print and digital licences and that these fonts can be lent to our freelancers/packagers later). https://www.dkhandbook.com/?p=8118
  • They run Font Checker from the Fuse menu to ensure all fonts are fully licensed..
  • They leave enough space as part of the design to allow for co-edition’s translation of the UK text (not applicable for non-coeditionable titles).
  • They make sure objects or text are placed at least 6mm from edge of page (except for bleed images).

The Designer places the presentation spreads in the Shared Resources / Common Access > Book_Fairs / Presentations folder on Google Drive.

2 – New book folder

Creative set up a new book folder on Google Drive, giving relevant access to anyone working on the project.

3 – Start up

  1. Once the project is live, the Production Editor sets up the start up meeting with all people involved (designers, editors, production editorial, production, sales operations, picture research, Delhi team, etc.) meet to discuss the schedule, file management and technical guidelines referring to the title.
  2. Sample spreads should be brought to the meeting and looked at, to help identify potential co-ed / technical issues prior to creating the template.
  3. The Production Editor assigned to the project heads the meeting and fills in the start up notes.

4 – Template

  1. The Designer creates the template. (Training is available to designers who have not done templates before or need a refresher). Live layouts should not be created until the template has been finalised and approved.  
  2. The Designer fills in the template checklist and runs the Template SourceReport, ensuring SR is 100% (any fails/errors need to be fixed by the Designer before the template is spot-checked, with any genuine exceptions pointed out to the Production Editor).
  3. The Designer also runs Font Checker from the Fuse menu to ensure all fonts are fully licensed..
  4. If the template contains Illustrator files which are to be kept in the book, the Designer runs SourceReport Illustrator ensuring SR is 100% before submitting that artwork to the Media Archive (MA) team.
  5. The Designer places the template, checklist and sample spreads (presentation spreads) in the Support_Files > Template_Libraries folder and its respective SourceReport, Font Report and Font Checker report in the Support_files > Source_Report > 2_Template on Google Drive. Notify your Production Editor when it is ready. At least one week’s notice should be given to Production Editors to spot-check any template.
  6. The Production Editor spot-checks the template and runs test PDFs to ensure fonts PDF properly and everything looks the way it should. (The Production Editor may ask the Designer to check those PDFs as well).
  7. The Production Editor may have to go back to the Designer once or several times for template corrections, in which case the Designer will have to re-run SourceReport after submitting each updated template, ensuring it is 100% every time. (Only the latest version of the template and its SourceReport, Font Report and Font Checker report should be visible on Google Drive).

5 – WIP (work in progress)

WIP spreads are worked on by Designers and Editors and files are kept in the Print_Assets > UK_Layouts >  1_WIP folder on Google Drive until all colour elements are locked.

6 – Illustrator artworks

If Illustrator artworks are used in the book, a SourceReport Illustrator should be run on each artwork before they are submitted to the MA team. If any artworks need to be updated, a new Illustrator SourceReport should be re-run and re-submitted to the MA team with the revised artwork.

7 – CMYK locked

  1. Once the colour is final, the CMYK layer of each spread should be locked. The Designer moves all the spreads into the Print_Assets > UK_Layouts > 2_Colour_Locked folder on Google Drive.
  2. The Designer then runs the relevant SourceReport (ask your Production Editor if you are unsure which SourceReport to run) on all spreads, ensuring the SourceReport is 100% (any fails/errors need to be fixed by the Designer before the CMYK PDFs are created, with any genuine exceptions pointed out to the Production Editor).
  3. The Designer places the SourceReport in the Support_Files > SourceReport > 3_CMYK folder on Google Drive.
  4. The Production Editor creates the CMYK PDFs using Exporter and the relevant PDF preset (i.e. PRH_Colour_Settings_Coated39 or PRH_Colour_Settings_Uncoated47).
  5. The Production Editor places the CMYK PDFs in the Print_Ready_PDFs > _PE_for_preflight folder on Google Drive.
  6. The Production Editor preflights the CMYK PDFs and goes back to the Designer should there be any preflight errors. If this is the case, the Designer will have to correct the problem files, re-run SourceReport and notify the Production Editor when the files are ready for creation of the relevant PDFs.
  7. The Designer checks the CMYK PDFs in the colour room to ensure he/she is happy with the quality and position of the colour elements.

8 – Text locked

  1. The Editor finalises the UK text and runs the relevant SourceReport (ask your Production Editor if you are unsure which SourceReport to run) on all spreads, ensuring the SourceReport is 100%. (Any fails/errors should be fixed before the UK/US PDFs are created, with any genuine exceptions pointed out to the Production Editor).
  2. The Editor places the UK spreads into the Print_Assets > 3_Text_Locked folder and the SourceReport in the Support_files > Source_Report > 4_UK_Text folder on Google Drive, notifying the Production Editor when this is done.
  3. If the Editor has made any changes to the US files after they have come back from americanisation (see americanisation process below), a new Translation Frontlist (or Backlist) SourceReport should be run ensuring it is 100% before placing it into the Support_files > Source_Report >  5_US_Text folder on Google Drive and notify the Production Editor (the US spreads remain in the 2_Back_From_US folder of Google Drive).

9 – Final files

  1. Final files need to be supplied to the Production Editor 2 weeks before the file at printer date (unless otherwise agreed with your Production Editor).
  2. The Production Editor moves all UK spreads into the Print_Assets > UK_Layouts > 4_Final_files folder on Google Drive and creates the UK and US text PDFs using Exporter and the PRH_PDF_ Translation preset.
  3. Once all text pdfs have passed preflight, the Production Editor creates the in-house plotters by combining the final CMYK/Text pdfs for both the UK and US editions.
  4. The in-house plotters will be created in the Print_Ready_PDFs folder on Google Drive.
  5. The Production Editor emails the Designers/Editors with a link to the in-house plotters and a date when they need a list of corrected files.
  6. The Production Editor makes the PDFs for any corrections needed and updates the in-house plotters for a final creative check.
  7. Once approved by creative, the Production Editor sends the final CMYK, UK and US PDFs to the printer.
  8. One day after the FAP date, The Production Editor emails the digital rights team
    (dk-digital_rights_checks@uk.dk.com) to notify that files are ready for digital rights checks.
  9. Approximately two weeks later, the printer sends digital plotters. An imposition check is carried out by the Production Editor to ensure the pages run in order and text/images are in place.
  10. Before the Production Editor archives the book, designers, editors and jacket designers are responsible for clearing up the book folder and ensuring only the necessary elements go into archive.

10 – Jacket

The Designer creates the UK/US jackets ensuring:

  • they use Jacket Genie from the Fuse menu which will ensure that the correct dimensions are used: https://www.dkhandbook.com/?p=2912
  • DK authorised fonts only are used (i.e. from the MT Mosaic Fonts within Font Explorer which will guarantee that we hold the necessary print and digital licences and that these fonts can be lent to our individual freelancers/packagers). https://www.dkhandbook/?p=8118
  • that any special finishes are clearly labelled and placed on their own layer.

A template from the printer should not be necessary unless it is a customised format (i.e. slip cases, novelty boxes etc.)

  1. The Designer runs the Jacket – Frontlist SourceReport on UK/US jackets ensuring SR is 100% (any fails need to be fixed by the Designer before the jacket is PDFed, with any genuine exceptions pointed out to the Production Editor).
  2. The Designer also runs Font Checker from the Fuse menu to help identify fonts that may not be licensed.
  3. The Designer PDFs the jackets using the PRH_PDF_Jackets_Coated39 preset and checks the PDFs to make sure he/she is happy with the quality and that special finishes work as they should.
  4. The Designer places the PDFs in the Print_Ready_PDFs > _PE_for_preflight folder on Google Drive and notifies their Production Editor. This should be done 2 weeks before the Files at Printer date.
  5. The Production Editor preflights the jacket PDFs and goes back to the Designer should there be any preflight errors. If this is the case, the Designer will have to correct the problem files, re-run SourceReport and recreate the relevant PDFs.
  6. The Production Editor places the final jacket PDFs in the Print_Ready_PDFs > Cover_PDFs folder on Google Drive.
  7. The Production Editor sends the jacket PDF  for proofing if required. (Only UK needs to be proofed unless the US has a different cover design).
  8. The jackets team will confirm finishes, h & t bands/endpaper references when they supply the final print-ready cover PDFs to the Production Editor.
Pantone or foil reference should be emailed to the Production Editor and the Production Controller.

Americanisation / Anglicisation

Duping files for americanisation / anglicisation can take place either after CMYK is locked or when text is locked, depending on the project. In either case, the following steps should be followed:

  1. The Editor/Designer dupes the UK spreads for americanisation using Editionizer. (Any artwork/map needing to be americanized should be renamed with the prefix US_ and its UK layer changed to US. If no change needs to be made to the artwork/map, the US InDesign file should share the same link as the UK one). 
  2. The Editor/Designer places a copy of these files in their dedicated Americanisation folder, in the Sent_to_US folder on Google Drive, with the relevant UK SourceReport.
  3. Before americanisation, the americaniser will run Make Ready from the Fuse menu to change the language in the style sheets from UK to US.
  4. Once americanisation is done, the americaniser runs the Translation Frontlist (or Translation Backlist if they are working on a backlist title) SourceReport to ensure they have not introduced mistakes in the file.
  5. The Americaniser places americanised files and their respective SourceReport in the Back_from_US folder  on Google Drive.

If the lead title happens to be US (the language set up in the style sheet should have been set to US language), at the point of anglicisation, once the files have been duped, Make Ready should be run by the angliciser to change the language to UK for the UK version.

Endpapers

  1. An Endpapers InDesign file should be created by the Designer. Once the endpapers are final, the Designer notifies the Production Editor.
  2. The Production Editor creates the PDF using preset: PRH_Colour_Settings_Uncoated47.
  3. The Production Editor will then preflight this PDF before sending it to the printer.

Please note that for for self-ended books, i.e. the first 4 and last 4 pages of the extent should be reflected in the file naming of endpapers, with the insides starting at page 5.