Designing and printing a calendar is essentially setting up a custom production process for each and every project. Therefore, there are a few things that we think you should know so that your calendar can go smoothly. We'll make them as brief as possible here; please feel free to ask if you need any more information on any topic.

• The art process works best with one person on your end communicating with one person on our end of things. Design by committee usually isn't terribly successful, and it just doesn't work from a communication perspective.

• We don't get a project printing until we have your signed approval that it's okay to print. Once a project is approved to print, changes cannot be made (as it will be printing), so please triple-check your project before signing that approval form.
• We'll give you design ideas to review. Once you approve the design (or a stage of the design), going backwards in the process (re-design things, make changes after approval, etc) usually incurs additional charges. But don't worry, you'll look at many proofs before approving something.
• Turnaround times cannot be guaranteed until there is an art approval. We will often quote turnaround times based upon an assumption that you approve you art on a certain day ... but if that doesn't happen, then the calendar will probably not be ready on the original date.

• Due to our clients' budget and time constraints, we generally don't supply hard copy proofs for calendars under 1000 quantity. The proofs will be mailed to you - and you will need to mail them back to us - before we can begin printing. (This usually takes about 7 days, so please plan this into your schedule). If you want to upgrade the shipping of the proofs we can do that and just add the cost to the final invoice.
• If you don't feel you have the time for proofing, you can waive proofs. However, please be clear that if you waive proofs (verbally, via email, or via our form), you have waived your rights to any claims of incorrect and/or inaccurate color on your calendars.
• If you didn't order 1000 calendars but want a proof, we are more than happy to get you one. (It's safer for us, and better for you.) Please add in 5-7 working days into your leadtime if you want hardcopy proofs, and request a quote for proofs with your project.
• PDF proofs are not color accurate. The color will only be as good as the materials you have supplied to us.

• When you submit a press-ready PDF for calendar orders of 500 calendars and under, we will make an internal proof. (If it's 1000 and over we will send you the proof to approve.) We will compare this proof to your PDF, and if they are reasonably similar in color, and the same in terms of pagination and design elements, we will internally approve and print it. However, if there are problems we will let you know what they are and give you several options:
• 1. The first option is for us to send you the proof that we're looking at. Via US Mail there is no charge, if you want expedited then you cover shipping. This delays the calendar by as much time as it takes you to get the proof.
• 2. You can waive seeing the proof. This means that if there is something "wrong" on the final calendar that we mentioned, you don't have any claims on those items.
• 3. You can send us a new file. Sending us a new files requires about 30 minutes of extra computer time, at $75 to $150 per hour. We'll usually try and keep it as light as possible, but there is extra time involved in preparing the file again to print. This also adds 1-2 days, and you still may end up needing to do #1 or #2 again, but is often the safest way to proceed.

• In the rare case that there is an error in the printing that was not approved by you, we will reprint your calendars. Reprints, however, require that you return or destroy the calendars that you have. Additionally, there can be no changes to the reprint other than fixing our error.
• Should you require other changes to the reprint, you would be responsible for the reprint costs.

• Once the calendars have left our dock, they are your calendars. Therefore we require insurance on all shipping methods, or prepayment in full for the order, shipping and taxes prior to shipping.
• We supply the shipping services - and provide quotes from several shipping vendors - as a courtesy to you. With the fluctuations in oil, prices can vary. You are responsible for the actual shipping cost as invoiced to us, regardless of the courtesy quotes from our shipper.
• If you have your own shipper, own FedEx or UPS number or someone you'd like to use, we're more than happy to facilitate that. Just let us know.
• If something happens to the calendars en route, we will do our best to submit the claim on your behalf and get the claim paid. Regardless of the claim, you are responsible for the invoiced price of the calendars as shipped.

• October, November and December are what we call "Calendar Season." In the past, we haven't changed our prices during this time. However, what we've realized is that it costs us significantly more money to deal with dozens and dozens of time-sensitive calendars, and we end up paying more all the way around for supplies, bindery, etc. Therefore, beginning May 1, 2008 our prices have been adjusted to reflect the costs of "Calendar Season."
• While we don't officially "guarantee" calendar delivery times, we're generally extremely good at keeping our time commitments to you. However, during Calendar Season we cannot keep to the same standard 7-10 working days for a calendar. It will take longer.
• Don't procrastinate. Order early.
• We will honor our pre-calendar season pricing if: (1) you've paid your deposit, (2) you've signed a bid, and (3) if we have 12 months of materials and the cover materials for your calendar ... all before October 1st. If any of this comes after Oct 1, then your pricing will revert to Calendar Season pricing.

• If you sign our bid, you are our client. This means if your client doesn't pay, you still need to cover the invoiced cost on time. So we suggest that you have your client sign an iron-clad approval form on your end of things, and get them to pay up front.

• The printing industry has standards which have been around for many years, and like most printers we abide by them. These guidelines are listed on the back of our invoices and our bids, and are an important source of information about the details of your calendar project.

These policies have been put into place over several years to be sure that we can provide excellent, fair service, and to make sure that we communicate in advance what each of our responsibilities are. If there are any questions, please ask us in advance so that we can clarify (or modify) things as necessary. Thank you, and we look forward to delivering you a beautiful calendar.