The number one reason why commercial print jobs fail or are delayed is that the publication is missing fonts or graphics. You can prevent these problems by using Publisher 2000's Pack and Go Wizard.

The Pack and Go Wizard makes it easy for you to take Publisher files to another computer or to your commercial printing service. In just a few steps, the wizard will include the fonts and graphics you used in your publication with the files you save. This way, you can ensure that your publication looks the same on the other computer as it does on yours.

If your publication is opened on another computer, your publication may not appear or print correctly unless the other computer has access to the same fonts and graphics files you used in your publication.

To see an overview of how Pack and Go works, click Start in the Pack and Go Demo window below.

Embed Your Fonts

If you're not sure whether the other computer or your printing service has the same TrueType® fonts that you used in your publication, you can embed the TrueType fonts when you pack your files. The fonts are then automatically loaded when your publication is opened, and your publication will appear - and be printed with - the correct fonts.

Update or Create Links to Your Pictures

If you linked pictures in your publication, Publisher checks the links to the source files. If a source file can't be found, you can either locate the original picture and update the link, or skip the picture and replace it later. You can create links to any non-linked graphics as well.

Make Printouts, Too

If you choose to pack your publication to take to a commercial printing service, the Pack and Go Wizard gives you the option of making printouts on your desktop printer. Your printing service will need a printout of your publication as a composite (all the colors in your publication printed on one sheet of paper). If your commercial printing service requests it, you can also make a printout of your publication as color separations (each process- or spot-color in your publication printed on separate sheets of paper).

Finally, Save Your Files

You can save your packed files directly to an external drive, a network, your computer's hard disk drive, or to disk. When you save your files to disk, Publisher automatically compresses and divides your files so they fit on multiple disks, if necessary.

Publisher also includes a program that makes it easy to unpack your compressed files.

If you make changes to your publication after packing your files, be sure to run the Pack and Go Wizard again so the changes are part of your packed publication.

Find the Wizard

To use the wizard, point to Pack and Go on the File menu, and then click Take to Another Computer or Take to a Commercial Printing Service.