Frequently asked questions

Orders can be placed through several different methods.

  1. Submit a quote request through our quote form and a customer service representative will contact you via email for a quote.
  2. Submit the details of your project directly to print@asu.edu - this can be preferable for large or complex projects. 
  3. For select products such as business cards, stationery, name tags, or other brand collateral, self-service options are available on ASU Print Online. You are able to design your product, view a digital preview, and place orders through the system here: ASU Print Online

While we are not able to provide formal quotes over the phone, you are always welcome to call us at 480-727-1636 or visit us on the Polytechnic campus to speak with a customer service representative about your project.

While every project is unique, we strive to complete every project as quickly as possible and will make every effort to meet your deadline-driven requests. Most simple, in-house print projects can be completed within 3 to 5 business days of proof approval, but it is best to communicate any deadlines up-front so we can make special accommodations as necessary.

Rush service is available for projects, sometimes as fast as a same-day turnaround with pickup on the Polytechnic campus. For off-campus deliveries, we also offer FedEx Express shipping options. 

There are some factors that can impact the lead time for a project, so please allow extra production time for situations such as the following:

  • Delays in approving proofs from our prepress team
  • Using specialty papers that are not available in-stock or need to be shipped 
  • Using specialty finishing processes such as die-cutting, foil stamping, router cutting, etc.
  • High-quantity print projects 
  • Installation or graphic design services
  • Delivery methods other than customer pickup typically add 1-2 business days to the expected lead time

Call us at 480-727-1636 or email print@asu.edu with your order number and a customer service representative can help track your order through the process and provide delivery updates.

Yes! We have a number of printed samples and substrates available to view at our Lab on the Polytechnic campus. Stop by anytime or schedule an appointment by phone or email.

Additionally, we can also produce a hard copy proof of your print order upon request for a small additional charge, so you can see exactly what your printed piece will look like before the full run is completed

If you are planning to pick up your order from the Polytechnic campus, you will be contacted by a customer service representative confirming that the order is ready. If you have not received an email, please contact us before coming to the Lab to verify the status of your order.

Once you have been notified, you can visit the Lab anytime between 9AM and 5PM, Monday through Friday. Depending on the size of your order, you can park in the 20-minute loading zone at the front of Lot 30 outside of the Technology Center, or you can navigate to the back of the building and pull up to our loading dock for larger orders. We are the second loading dock on your left with the ASU gold-wrapped doors. 

If you would prefer curbside pickup, please call 480-727-1636, and someone from our team can bring your packages out to your vehicle.

We offer a number of different delivery options to service the entire ASU community, including off-campus locations.

ASU Courier Delivery is a fast, affordable delivery service available to any ASU campus mail code. If you’re not sure what your mail code is, you can find a list of all mail stops here: https://cfo.asu.edu/mail-codes

We are also able to ship to any off-campus location using FedEx Express or FedEx Ground delivery. FedEx Ground is the most economical option but does not guarantee delivery times - if you have an event-driven delivery date, please specify your desired delivery date and our team will select the most economical Express method to guarantee delivery by your desired date.

Templates available on ASU Print Online are designed to reflect ASU brand standards and are pre-approved by Enterprise Brand Strategy and Management. As a general rule, these templates allow for content and logos to be personalized but the layout, size, or other graphic elements cannot be modified. 

For business cards, there are some additional customization options. The University Business Card template allows you to select from a number of pre-approved designs to be printed on the back of your card. Any new designs need to be approved by Enterprise Brand Strategy and Management and can take 3-4 or more weeks to go through the necessary approval channels. Email print@asu.edu with any requests related to business card backs.

There are additional templates available that allow you to customize the back of your card, including a custom mission statement, appointment back, or even a second business card design with different contact information. You can find the list of available templates here:ASU business cards

ASU signage policy dictates rules surrounding permanent or wayfinding signage around campus, as well as an approval workflow to submit signage projects. This policy is managed by Enterprise Brand Strategy and Management and the Office of the University Architect. 

The entire policy, as well as a list of applicable signage applications, can be found here: https://brandguide.asu.edu/requests/approvals/signage

If you’d like to submit a quote request for a signage project ahead of time, feel free to do so. However, we will be unable to proceed with production on any signage projects until the project has been submitted and approved through the Signage Approval Form.

The best file format for most print orders is PDF format, exported in PDF X1-a format. Additionally, for complex layouts, you can also provide a packaged InDesign file along with your PDF (https://www.canto.com/blog/package-indesign-files/

The resolution for embedded images in your document should be between 150-300dpi. The best way to check how your print will look is to open your PDF proof in Adobe Acrobat and set your zoom to 100%, then look at your images and text to ensure that it is crisp and legible.

Please add at least .0625” (1/16 of an inch) of bleed on each side of your document and ensure that your graphics are extended into this space. Margins can vary from project to project, but at minimum we recommend at least ½” margin around the edge of your design where there is no critical text or graphics. [find a good resource for bleed, maybe expand to include the difference b/w bleed and margin]

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The easiest way to process payment for a Print Lab order is by direct-bill to a cost center. If a valid cost center is provided at the time of job placement, your project will be billed via Internal Service Delivery within a few days after your job is complete. You will then be sent an email containing your ISD reference number and a copy of your final invoice. You can also designate a billing manager email to be CC’d on each project when the job is ordered. 

If a valid method of payment is not provided, an invoice will be sent and you will be required to provide a valid payment method within 30 days.

For Internal ASU Department Payments: Please provide us with your Cost Center (CC) and Program/Gift/Grant/Project (PG/GF/GR/JC) code.

If you would like to include any additional worktags, or if your department requires audit/department reporting tags (such as Sun Devil Athletics or WP Carey) the full text of the worktag must be written out along with the number or the worktags will not be included with the Internal Service Delivery.

(Example: CC0001-PG00001, D0001-PIL-General-Administrative)

For External (Non-ASU) Payments:

Credit Card - If you would like to pay by credit card, please call us at 480-727-1636. We are able to process Visa and Master Card. For higher-value charges, please consider using a direct-billing method or pay by check if possible to avoid additional processing fees.

Check – Please make all checks out to ASU Print and Imaging Lab and mail/deliver to 6075 S. Innovation Way West, Room 115 Mesa, AZ 85212. Include the invoice/job number in the memo field.

Requests for permanent building wayfinding signage, or inserts for the door signs placed outside of cubicles or offices can be ordered through Facilities Management here: https://webtma-support.asu.edu/FDMServiceRequest/Default.aspx

A mailing barcode is a 9 digit code that can be used by ASU Mail Services to bill first class postage directly to your department account. It is the equivalent of using first class stamps to mail an envelope, but the barcode is unique to your cost center account. 

First, you must generate a barcode here: https://newbarcoderequest.asu.edu/

Once you have your 9-digit code, it can be added to envelopes ordered through ASU Print Online. These envelopes can be dropped off in your outgoing mail bin and Mail Services will automatically charge postage to your account once the pieces are scanned in.

 

A number of approved templates are available through ASU Print Online for products such as business cards, letterhead, envelopes, name tags, and more. 

Editable PDF/InDesign templates for various products can also be found here: [link to template page]

All ASU print projects should follow the ASU Brand guidelines. You can find a link to the Brand Guide here, which contains guidance on the proper usage of ASU fonts, logos, graphics, and more: https://brandguide.asu.edu/

For more information specifically regarding brand guidelines for printed materials, see: https://brandguide.asu.edu/execution-guidelines/print

 

Nearly all products ordered through the Print Lab have bulk discounts available. There are no specific quantity breaks that you need to order; rather, our pricing is built on a sliding scale that factors in the cost to set up each machine combined with material costs, so your unit price will gradually decrease as you order higher quantities.

In printing terms, pages generally refers to the number of pages of content in your document, whereas sheets refers to a physical sheet of paper. For example:

A 40 page book would have 40 pages of content in the document, and would be composed of 20 sheets of paper printed double-sided.

 

The maximum print size depends on a number of factors, including the paper type and printing process. As a general rule, the maximum print size on our HP Indigo 7900 is 11”x17”, and our Xerox iGen 4 can print up to 14”x25.5”. 

In large format, sizes vary more depending on size of the roll or sheet being printed on; please consult a customer service representative for more information for your particular project.

 

We love recycling and repurposing hardware as much as possible. If you have existing popup banners that you have had for years and want to have the graphics replaced with a newer design, we can do that. Especially if it were a Premium Popup Banner, we printed for you! If you're unsure where it came from, we can look at the hardware and see if it is replaceable

The Print Lab can help facilitate recycling for old banners, hardware, and other printed materials. Email print@asu.edu with the specifics of your request and we can help ensure that your materials are properly recycled. 

For more information about sustainability and printed materials, visit Zero Waste