What SparkPrep checks (and what it fixes)

Here is every check SparkPrep runs, in plain words, using the numbers from your printer's own guide. Nothing here is borrowed from another printer.

Quick answer

SparkPrep checks trim size, bleed, spine width, safety margins, total ink (240% for IngramSpark), CMYK color, picture resolution, fonts, transparency, barcode space, spine text, leftover template guides and ISBN match. It explains each problem and can fix most of them, then export a print-ready PDF/X-1a file.

Want the answer for your book? Upload it and SparkPrep checks it against your printer's own rules.Scan my book free

Cover checks

Check	What it means	SparkPrep can fix it?
Full cover size	Is the file the exact size for your trim, page count and paper?	Yes, it re-fits the cover
Bleed	Does the background run 0.125" past every edge?	Yes, in most cases
Spine width	Does the spine match your printer's paper and page count?	Yes, it re-fits the spine
Spine text	Is the book thick enough for spine text, and does the text fit?	Flags it and shows you where
Safe zone	Are words and faces away from the trim and fold lines?	Flags it and shows you where
Barcode space	Is the barcode box on the back clear?	Flags it
Template leftovers	Did the printer's guide lines get left in the art?	Flags it
ISBN match	Does the ISBN on the cover match the one for this edition?	Flags it
Color and ink	Is it CMYK, and under 240% total ink for IngramSpark?	Yes
Resolution	Is the art at least 300 DPI at full size?	Can upscale with SparkPrep's own non-AI method; tells you if a new file is better

Interior checks (every page)

Check	What it means	SparkPrep can fix it?
Page size	Is every page your trim size (for example not letter size)?	Yes, it re-fits and re-centers
Margins	Is everything, including page numbers, inside your printer's safety area for your page count?	Yes
Fonts	Is every font built into the PDF?	Yes, when the font allows it
Color in a black and white book	Is there any RGB or rich black hiding in the pages?	Yes, exports true black and white
Ink limit	Is any spot over 240% total ink?	Yes
Pictures	Are pictures sharp enough to print?	Flags each one by page
Transparency and layers	Are there live effects that can print as boxes?	Yes, flattens them

What you get

A plain-English list of every problem and where it is.
Fixes for the problems SparkPrep can repair itself. It only asks you for a new file when fixing would damage your art (for example, stretching a picture that's the wrong shape).
Print-ready files in PDF/X-1a, the format printers trust most.
A report. Books whose final files pass every check get The SparkPrep Certified Complete Publisher Preflight Report.

What it costs

The scan is free and tells you how many problems there are. The audit shows every problem and where it is for $1.99 ($3.99 after January 1). The Advanced Audit checks every interior page, up to 300, for $9.99. Fixing and exporting a book is $74.99 per book, and audit fees count toward it. Designing your cover in Cover Studio (224 free templates, 333 free fonts) is free.

Prefer to fix things yourself? Every check above has a do-it-yourself guide on our print file fixes site.

Find out what's wrong with your files before the printer does

SparkPrep checks your cover and every interior page against the exact rules Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu use, tells you each problem in plain English, and can fix it for you.

Scan my book free See how SparkPrep works

The scan is free and shows how many problems your files have. To see every problem and where it is, the audit is $1.99 ($3.99 after January 1). The Advanced Audit checks every page, up to 300, for $9.99.

Questions people ask

Which printers does SparkPrep check for?

Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu, each with its own numbers.

Does the audit fix my files?

No. The audit finds and shows every problem. Fixing and exporting print-ready files is part of the book price, and the audit fee counts toward it.

More on this site

What is book preflight?Book preflight means checking your cover and interior files against your printer's rules before you upload, so KDP or IngramSpark doesn't send them back.Book preflight checklist24 plain-English checks for your cover and pages, in the order to do them.Who needs book preflight?First book, going wide, hardcover, color or picture book: what to check for each.Preflight vs. a proof copyWhat each check catches, and why skipping preflight costs time.KDP vs. IngramSpark file rulesThe numbers that differ between KDP and IngramSpark, in one table.

Free help from SparkPrep

Print File FixesStep-by-step fixes for bleed, margins, fonts, transparency, picture quality, color and spine problems.Print Cover SizesFull cover size charts, spine widths, barcode space and hardcover rules for KDP and IngramSpark.Rejection Messages DecodedWhat KDP and IngramSpark rejection messages really mean, in plain English, and what to do next.First Book GuideYour first print book, step by step: costs, timeline, words to know and the mistakes to skip.Free book toolsCover calculator, spine width, margins, DPI checker and page count, on sparkprep.legenddary.com.

Last updated 2026-11-01. Written by Joshua Davis, founder of SparkPrep. Numbers come from each printer's own published guides; always double-check your printer's current rules before you upload.