While being examined by a pre-press professional, the document will go through many stages, including:

-Proofreading for spelling and typing errors

-Making sure all pictures and other graphics are in a suitable format

-Separating the colors for printing on a press that uses two or four colors

-Checking that all fonts are coming through correctly

-Checking general layout guidelines, such as margins and paper size

Finally, the document is edited and ready to be printed. A printing plate is created and a proof, one copy used as an example, is made. The proof will usually be checked by the prepress staff, and if it is satisfactory, the document may be printed.