Printing Knowledge:

Understanding Alterations

In the printing industry, the term "alteration" refers to a change made to the order, document, or design after production has started. This can include modifications to the text, graphics, and layout of the document or a change to the production order itself.


Alterations can be made for a variety of reasons including mistakes in the text or layout, or updates to the information in the document. In such cases, the printing company will typically make the requested changes in the digital files and if needed, reprint the document.

This image displays the different alterations requests that a printer will ask from their clients. The requests listed in this image are: low resolution of images, misspellings, and grammar mistakes.
This image displays how picking the quality of different paper types will affect the print outcome.

In general, alterations can be time-consuming and costly for the customer. Because of this, it is important to carefully proofread and review your book during the proofing phase in order to minimize the need for alterations.

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