Printing Procedures

AU Printing Procedures

Updated November 2006

These procedures, and the adherence to the minimal graphic standards established by The Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM), should be followed by all Auburn University employees for the procurement of printed material designed and/or initiated by the AU community. Following them helps ensure good stewardship of state funds in the area of publications and print material, and timely production and delivery of the material.

All Print Jobs
All print jobs require a two-step process:

Step One
Any type of print order, including full color printing — regardless of job size, quantity, monetary value, or whether the job will be printed on or off campus — requires as a first step the completion of an appropriate online Printing Order Form (downloadable Word document). This form not only allows OCM to track printed material and costs for the university more efficiently, but also enables departments to more easily access the status of their orders. (For questions about whether a project might be exempted from printing procedures due to special circumstances, call Graphic Services in OCM at 844-9999; a hard-copy sample of the project along with a written reason for the exemption request will be reviewed by OCM and, if approved, a “Printing Procedure Exemption Form” issued.)

Step Two
Once the form is filled out, it should be printed and sent to OCM along with a sample of the piece for approval to print. While departments may obtain quotes on their own, no department can go directly to the printer of its choice for printing. Likewise, no printer can begin work on any project without a written “Approval to Print” from OCM and, when needed (for jobs costing $2,500 or more), a purchase order from Procurement and Payment Services. The “Approval to Print” form will be sent directly to the printer by OCM. For all projects intended for an external audience, OCM requests 20 copies from vendors for our central university printing files. Occasionally, if the vendor does not send these samples, OCM may contact departments to request these samples.

Photocopying/Duplicating
All jobs that are strictly photocopying/duplication (black-and-white or color copying) should be produced on the AU campus. If for some reason you need to request that a copying/duplicating job go off campus, prior approval from OCM is needed. However, completion of the Copying Order Form referenced above is still required. It is the campus copy center’s responsibility to make sure all projects received adhere to the university’s graphic standards, and, if the project is to be distributed off campus, has the approval of OCM. If the copy center is unable to print the job cost-effectively or in a timely manner, then it will immediately forward the form and specifications to OCM for processing, eliminating the need for a department to fill out forms twice.

Letterhead/Stationery
For assistance in ordering letterhead and stationery, you can visit online at https://fp.auburn.edu/ocm/graphic_services/stationery/, or call the Office of Communications and Marketing for an order form at 844-9999.