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These brief definitions will help you better understand how each file format is best used.
PDF (short for Portable Document Format) is a file format developed by Adobe as a means of distributing compact, platform-independent documents. PDF captures formatting information from a variety of desktop publishing applications, making it possible to send formatted documents and have them appear on the recipient’s monitor or printer as they were intended.
You can use Adobe Acrobat to create PDF files, and you can view PDF files either with Adobe Reader or via a web browser with the PDF Viewer plug-in. For more information, visit the Adobe Acrobat website.
EPS (short for Encapsulated PostScript) is a vector format designed for printing to PostScript printers and imagesetters. It is considered the best choice of graphics format for high resolution printing of illustrations. EPS files are created and edited in illustration programs such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW.
Vector graphics are a scalable, resolution-independent format composed of individual objects or shapes. Vector images can be resized easily without loss of quality making them an ideal format for initial logo designs and illustrations to be used in multiple sizes.
JPG (short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, and pronounced jay-peg) is a file format best used for photo images which must be very small files, for example, for web sites or for email. JPG uses lossy compression (lossy meaning “with losses to quality”). Lossy means that some image quality is lost when the JPG data is compressed and saved, and this quality can never be recovered.
File compression methods for most other file formats are lossless, meaning “fully recoverable”. However, this integrity requirement does limit efficiency, limiting compression of photo image data to only 10% to 40% reduction in practice (graphics can be smaller).
While we prefer one of the above formats when submitting files, we do accept native files for the following software programs:
Microsoft Word 2013 or earlier
Microsoft Publisher 2013 or earlier
Microsoft Excel 2013 or earlier
Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 or earlier
Adobe InDesign CC 2015 or earlier
Adobe Illustrator CC 2015 or earlier
Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 or earlier
Adobe Acrobat 11
We can view and print most AutoCAD® files in dwg and dxf formats.
Note: Formatting and font issues may occur when submitting any of the above file formats. For more information on file formats, download our Design Instructions.
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