Proof Sheets

This article looks at designing and printing a simple item sheet (proof sheet) with a plain background. A more complex proof sheet, complete with background elements, is described in the article Proof Sheets with Multiple Poses.

Throughout this article, we will be referring to the item sheet reproduced below. The template used for this item sheet is available for download here.

Additionally, this article assumes familiarity with the Template Designer and the available design elements.

Creating the item template

All item sheets require a Fixed Size Item template. This template is used to populate each subject’s image and information.

To create a Fixed Size Item:

1. Navigate to the Template Designer (NeoPack)

2. Start a new template (File>New or select the new template icon from the toolbar)

3. The New Template Design window appears. Select the option - Fixed Size Item

4. A blank canvas appears. Click on the canvas to activate, then enter the size of the template. The example above used a size 2.00" x 3.20"

5. Drag an image hole onto the template and size as desired

6. Optionally add text boxes, barcodes, and graphics

7. When satisfied, save the template in the templates directory

CAUTION

The template must be created as a "Fixed Size Item". No other template type can be used to create a proof/Item sheet.

Forming the item sheet

Proof sheets, a type of Item Sheet, are formed in Item Sheets Mode of NeoPack. Users select the subjects to be included in the Item Sheet, the template to be used, and how they are to be arranged on a given sheet. Other settings, such as the sort order and page breaks, are also available.

Attention

Simple Item sheets such as the one described in this document do not allow for any objects on the ‘background’ of the sheet. All information must be part of the item template itself.

Item Sheet Background templates allow the user to add elements to the ‘background’ of the sheet and are used in the example of Proof Sheets with Multiple Poses

Start a new item sheet:

1. Navigate to Item Sheets Mode and start a new item sheet (Edit>New or click the New Item Sheet button on the toolbar)

2. The “Subjects to Include” window appears. Checking the "All" folder automatically selects every subject within the job. Individual folders may be checked and unchecked as desired, and Individual subjects may be selected or unselected as desired from the Checked Folder(s) tab.

NOTE

Selecting subjects here does not specify which images are used for a given subject.

If subjects are matched to more than one image the user will have choices as to which images to use in the Sheet Page Settings described below

Additionally this step does not create the sort order in which subjects are added to the sheet.

3. Add a Description to the appropriate field to give a name to your sheet. (This can be called on an Item sheet template with @description.)

4. Click Next to proceed to the Arrangement options.

5. The "Templates/arrangement" window allows the user to select the item template to be used for the sheet and arrange the item on the finished page. The "Item" section lists all the fixed-size items present in the user's template directory.

CAUTION

If the Item template is not listed here, check you created a "Fixed Size Item" as described above and that Template Paths are correct in tsAdmin.

6. The user also has the option to select a Layout (Item Sheet Template) or use the "Plain background" option. In this example, Plain Background was checked, activating the parameters for arranging the item on the finished page. Units may be either inches or millimetres; Auto-size page will automatically generate a page size based on the number of items across and down, and the margin settings; or a fixed page size is entered according to the size of the sheet the proofs will be printed on.

7. Click Next to continue to the “Sheet page settings” Window

8. Set the sort order. Three levels of sorting are available according to any subject or folder field. Additionally, select which images to include, page break settings, and check "ignore" to avoid including unmatched subjects (i.e., subjects without images) on the page.

9. Click OK to form the Item Sheet.

TIP

Toolbar icon shortcuts allow the use to return to each of the windows shown in Figure 4 above and edit or adjust settings as needed.

To edit information in the Subjects to Include window, click the clipboard icon with a blue check mark.

To open the Template/Arrangement window, click the scroll icon.

To modify Sheet Page settings, click the paper icon with red check marks.

To remove a formed sheet, click the Red X icon.

Printing the item sheet

When satisfied with the appearance of the item sheet, click the Print icon on the toolbar, or select File > Print from the main menu.

Because images on an item sheet are typically displayed at a small size, it is recommended to check the Use internal (thumbnail) images option. This setting uses the thumbnails generated during image import rather than the full-size originals, resulting in faster, more efficient printing performance.