1. Select Print
2. In Print dialog box, select the Adobe PDF driver as the name of the printer
3. Select Print To File or Save As File on Mac platform
4. Click on the Properties button
5. Select the Layout tab
6. Click on the Advanced button
7. Under Graphics Options/True Type fonts, select Download as Soft Fonts
8. Click the OK button. This will return you to the Adobe PDF Document Properties box
9. Select the Adobe PDF Settings tab
10. Uncheck the “Do Not Send Fonts to Adobe PDF”
11. Click the OK button to return to the Print dialog box
12. Click OK or Print
13. The Print to File box or the Save PDF File As… box will appear
14. Type in a name for the file; this will be a Postscript file ending in “prn”
15. Click the OK button
16. Launch/Open Acrobat Distiller
17. In the Distiller window, select the Press Quality setting
18. Drag the Postscript file icon you just named into the window
19. Distiller will now make and save a press-ready file
20. Click on the new PDF file and open it in Adobe Acrobat
21. In Acrobat, choose Document Properties under the File menu
22. In the Document Properties window, click on Fonts. If you see “Embedded” or “Embedded Subset” next to every font listed, you have succeeded in creating a press-ready PDF file!

Other tips and reminders

Be sure color files have consistent color assignments. Frequently, files will have specific PMS colors used along with custom mixes of CMYK. If a match is required on a piece, don’t mix custom colors to achieve PMS colors. Just use one or the other.

PMS colors should be consistently designated for coated or uncoated stock. Use the color that matches the type of stock to be printed. Uncoated colors will not appear as intended on a coated stock like gloss covers, text or laser papers. Refer to the PMS color code books for coated or uncoated stock to accurately assign colors to your file.