We at ePUB hear it all the time: Why do I have to fill out GPO Form 952? Simple . . . because the government loves paperwork! In all seriousness, GPO’s form 952 is vital to the success of your job. While it assists ePUB in particular, it also aids you, the customer, by helping keep your project on schedule and on budget. How does it do this? By giving GPO specification writers and GPO vendors as much information as possible about an electronic file or files. The 952 form gives the printing industry all the information necessary to successfully bid on, prepare and output, and finally print your job.

Created in 1993, Form 952 was designed to be the tell-all form regarding the composition of your electronic files. It’s divided into categories that explain the work that went into creating your files and in many cases the work that will be required to successfully output the files. When properly completed, these categories tell the casual reader simple things such as file name, and fonts used. To a trained prepress specialist, the form also provides detailed information such as required software and version, and it alerts the specialist to any extra steps needed for successful output. Issues such as bleed, proper image links, and color information are also all very important issues to the prepress specialist and should be included in the 952.

All of that information sounds important, doesn’t it? Now, realize that the form serves as the sole link between you, the creator, and the contractor who will print the job. You cannot possibly travel with your disk, as it moves through GPO and then onto the printer, so the 952 is your connection to your job. In other words, the 952 should “speak” for you, and it does so by containing all pertinent information about your files. Simply put, a properly filled out 952 is essential for GPO to properly do its job, which is to get you the best possible product, at the best possible price, and delivered on time.

Still not quite sure how the humble 952 helps? Think of the form as an extension of your electronic submission. As mentioned earlier, a prepress specialist, by simply reading a few key areas on the form, can immediately tell if the product is likely to withstand the test of the press. The four primary issues that a specialist will look for are proper color mode(s), font usage, file format, and software usage. Making sure that the 952 indicates the use of appropriate color mode(s), fonts, file formats and software is the first test of files, and it is impossible without a form like the 952. The second test that any good prepress specialist conducts is to compare the 952 to a directory printout of the supplied files. If the 952 indicates that the files are properly submitted (step 1) and accurately reflects the contents of the disk (step 2), it is a good sign that the files are OK. If one of the four issues (color, fonts, format, software) looks fishy, your job will get a more thorough investigation, perhaps right here in ePUB.

“OK, I understand why I have to fill it out,
but does it have to be so confusing?”

Well, the answer is NO… and unfortunately YES as well. The form can be confusing because creating good files can be confusing as well. Understanding the fundamental principles behind good file creation is essential for properly filling out the form. That’s why ePUB always recommends having the designer (or person who creates the files) fill out the form. Passing the responsibility of completing the 952 to someone other than the file(s) creator is never a good idea, and should be avoided. That being said we know that the 952 still isn’t easy enough to use so we’re in the process of modifying the form. GPO has discussed several changes, the major one being that the 952 should be shortened and made more concise. Several other issues have come up in this process, and we are still revising so stay tuned. In the meantime, ePUB has created a help file that explains the 952 in detail. Click here to download it in PDF format.

The 952, when properly prepared, is a form of great importance to GPO, our customers and our print vendors. Hopefully, this article has provided insight that will help you fill out a pristine form of your own. Should you even need assistance filling out your 952, call us and we will be happy to assist!

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