You can download a template as a PDF, JPEG, or PNG. Geofilter templates can only be downloaded as a PNG. In this article I’ll explain each download option and give you some tips on when to use each one.
The first option for downloading a template is PDF. It's our recommendation to use this option because it is widely accepted by print shops. It’s also superior in a way to the others because it is vector based. Any SVG elements and text elements used in the template will remain vectors in the PDF. (That means they will never lose quality no matter how far you zoom in or out). Equally important, text stays perfectly crisp and clear when printed as a PDF. The other objects in the template, like images and backgrounds, are 300dpi resolution.
With the PDF selected, you have 3 additional options to choose from. You can save paper, add trim marks and/ or add a bleed.
1. Save Paper
If you want to print multiple templates per page, you want to use the save paper feature. Save Paper means the program will put the most templates per page as possible. This allows you to save on the amount of paper you’re using. For example, you can fit two 5" x 7" invitations on one sheet of paper. You can fit four 3.5" x 5" insert cards on one sheet of paper, and so on. This really helps with paper cost!
2. Trim Marks
If you plan to trim the template at home, use a print shop that requests trim marks, or use a local copy center, this is a valuable feature.
3. Bleed
The bleed area is an extra 1/8" added all the way around the design. This is important when you want to print all the way to the edge of the page. Print shops do not print to the edge of a sheet a paper. They print on a large sheet of paper and then cut the design out. There is always some small margin of error when cutting, so the bleed is there to allow the printer to cut with a small amount of shift and still get a perfect looking finished result. If the bleed wasn't there, you'd see small slivers of white around the edges and the results would be less than ideal.
JPEG
The second option for downloading a template is JPEG. This is a 300dpi file that can be used in cases where PDF is either not accepted or just doesn’t make sense. Some printers prefer JPEG and other print shops only accept JPEG files. This is when you’d want to use this option. If the template has multiple canvases/ pages, each canvas/ page will be saved as a separate JPEG and will be packaged in a zip file to be downloaded. (For example, if your template has a front and back side, it will be downloaded as 2 separate pages and put in a zip file.)
PNG
This option is great if your customer wants to share their template on the web or through text. The PNG is compressed so it won’t work for printing but it’s perfect for sharing on social media or via email.
Every Option You’ll Need For Every Situation
As you can see, we’ve added every option you and your customers will need for every situation. The three download types will cover all of your customers needs.