File Size

Color print jobs can have a file size that is much larger than black and white print jobs. The larger file size can lead to longer processing times and increased traffic on your network.

Because color images must contain data about each layer of color, the file might contain three to four times more information than a grayscale file and over 24 times more information than a black and white file. In addition, ICC profiles are embedded in some file types (such as EPS, JPEG, and TIFF images). While ICC profiles by themselves might not be very large, they do increase the size of an image. If you only have one image repeated throughout a print job, and if you construct your job so the image is downloaded only once, the embedded profile is of little concern.

However, if you use a variety of different images, each with an embedded profile, or if you construct your print job so that each image is downloaded every time it appears, the embedded profiles can add unnecessary volume to the print job. If you plan to use a wide variety of color images, create or save them with the same color space so they all use the same ICC profile. You can also install color images in a resource library so they can be reused.