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Total Print Documentation – Overview

This page gives a high-level overview of how to use Total Print in a real wide-format print shop. It focuses on the main workflow: importing artwork, adjusting layout settings, reading results, and saving calculations for later jobs.

What Total Print is for

Total Print is designed to answer questions that operators ask every day before they print: how much media will this job use, how many copies fit on this roll, and can I combine several orders on the same material without making cutting more complicated. It is a planning layer before the RIP, not a replacement for your existing RIP software.

Basic workflow

  1. Choose the calculator mode – From the main application, select the area calculator or PDF area calculator depending on whether you are working with simple dimensions or full print-ready PDFs.
  2. Import artwork – Drag and drop files into the drop zone or use the file picker. Total Print reads dimensions and prepares them for layout calculations.
  3. Set roll width and spacing – Enter the roll width you intend to use and the spacing required between items for cutting or trimming.
  4. Run the calculation – Start the layout calculation and wait for the results panel to show total area, estimated roll length, and layout details.
  5. Review and adjust – Try alternative roll widths, change spacing, or adjust quantities until you are satisfied with the trade-off between waste and cutting effort.
  6. Save the calculation – Save the scenario so you can recall it quickly when a similar job appears in the future.

Key concepts

  • Roll width – The printable width of your material, usually slightly less than the physical media width. Correct values make all other numbers more accurate.
  • Spacing – The distance left between items on the roll for cutting. Increasing spacing makes trimming easier but can increase waste.
  • Arrangement / nesting – The pattern in which items are placed on the roll. Different arrangements can lead to different media usage even with the same quantity.
  • Layout preview – A visual representation of how items are placed. Use it to verify that the layout looks realistic for your finishing team.

Example: single job workflow

Imagine a customer orders a set of banners, all the same size, on a specific roll material. In Total Print you would import the banner artwork, choose the appropriate roll width, type in the spacing you normally use, and run the calculation. The application shows how many copies fit across the roll and how much roll length is required. You can then decide whether to adjust the quantity, change roll width, or accept the result as-is.

Where to go next

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