Frequently Asked Questions

• Poster Printing
• Billing

Poster Printing

1. How much do poster prints cost?
   Poster printing prices are charged per square foot of printed media. Below are the prices for the different kinds of media that we have available:
   • Bond Paper: $6/square foot
   • Glossy Paper: $8/square foot
   • Tyvek: $9/square foot
   • Canvas: $10/square foot
   Additional charges may be applied for file modifications needed to prepare a poster for printing. We also have poster tubes available for $4.60.
2. What kind of paper do you print your posters with?
   We use premium papers: 46-pound coated bond and 7-mil glossy. Most other services use 24 to 28 pound uncoated papers.
3. How long does it take to have my poster printed?
   Our normal turnaround time for poster printing is 24 hours. Rush charges may be applied if your printing must be completed in a short timeframe.
4. How much do custom posters cost?
   We bill for design services at $70 per hour. Including design time and printing, a custom poster usually costs between $150 and $300. Costs will vary depending on the complexity of your poster.
5. How long does it take to get a custom poster?
   Our normal turnaround time for a custom designed poster is one week. This includes working with you on the layout, proofing time, and producing the final print. Depending on our workload, we may be able to complete your poster in under a week if requested, but rush charges may be applied.
6. What poster layout programs do you suggest?
   Our preferred poster layout software is Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Pagemaker, Adobe InDesign, and Macromedia Freehand can also produce good results. We have Poster Templates available for these programs.
7. Why don't you have a PowerPoint poster template?
   We strongly recommend against using PowerPoint to design your poster. PowerPoint is screen presentation software and was never intended to be used for large-format printing. PowerPoint posters frequently have problems with color consistency, font errors, and other issues. It requires extra time for us to process PowerPoint posters, and we cannot guarantee accurate results.
8. What if I've already made my poster in PowerPoint?
   If you've already laid out your poster in PowerPoint, we will do our best to print it and produce your desired results, but there will be a charge for the extra time required to process your file. This is usually around $20-$30, however it can be higher depending on the difficulties we encounter with your poster.
9. What should I do before sending my poster file for printing?
   If you used Adobe Illustrator (recommended) or Adobe InDesign to create your poster, please follow these instructions before sending your file:
   1. Save a copy of your file as a backup.
   2. Unlock all objects and layers within your document.
      • Object Menu -> Unlock All
      • Layers Windows -> Check that all are unlocked
   3. Select All
      • PC: Ctrl-A
      • Mac: Command-A
   4. Outline Fonts
      • Type Menu -> Create Outlines
      • This converts your text to graphics, so it will no longer be edittable, but it will ensure that your poster prints accurately. Make sure that you have saved a copy of your file (Step 1).
   5. Make sure all images are "embedded".
      • In the Links Window, select each linked file and click the arrow at the upper right-hand corner of the window.
      • Select "Embed Image"

Billing

1. What is a shortcode?
   A shortcode is a six-digit University of Michigan account code used for financial transactions. Michigan MultiMedia uses shortcodes to bill for our services.
2. What methods of payment does Michigan MultiMedia accept?
   Our preferred payment method is a University of Michigan shortcode. If you are unable to pay with a shortcode, we can also accept check or credit card, but we do not accept cash.