Imposition calculator: how many fit on a sheet?
Choose the press sheet and the finished size, then enter bleed, gap and margin. The calculator works out how many copies (ups) fit on one sheet and draws the layout. An SRA3 sheet, for example, holds four A5 flyers with bleed.
Contents of this page
Imposition calculator
What the calculator takes into account
- Bleed
- Every copy gets its own bleed all round. With 3 mm, A5 (148 × 210) becomes an area of 154 × 216 mm.
- Gap
- An extra gutter between copies, for cutting tolerances or die cutting, for example. Usually 0 mm.
- Margin
- The unprintable area at the edge of the sheet, often 3 to 5 mm in digital printing and more in offset for the grippers.
- Orientation
- The calculator tries portrait and landscape and fills leftover strips with rotated copies.
Printers often lay out copies with shared cut lines, that is, without double bleed between them. Then one or two more sometimes fit on the sheet. The calculator deliberately shows the safe option.
Examples on SRA3 (320 × 450 mm)
| Finished size | Ups with 3 mm bleed and 5 mm margin |
|---|---|
| A4 | 2 |
| A5 | 4 |
| A6 | 6 |
| A7 | 13 |
| DL leaflet | 4 |
| Business card 85 × 55 | 23 |
| US business card 3.5 × 2 in | 23 |
| Square 148 × 148 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What does “ups” mean in printing?
The number of copies of the finished product on one press sheet. Eight up means eight per sheet.
How many A5 fit on SRA3?
Four, each with 3 mm bleed.
How many business cards fit on SRA3?
With 3 mm bleed per card and a 5 mm margin, 23.