Custom Printing

How to order custom index tabs

A. CHOOSE THE SHEET SIZE & TAB EXTENSION

Choosing the sheet size is easy. Your tab sheet needs to be the same size as the sheets filed with the tabs.

When specifying sheet size, it’s a good idea to distinguish the height and width and to indicate which dimension is the binding edge, that is, the side with the hole punching in it.

For example, state your tab sheet size as 11″h x 8-1/2″w, binding edge on the 11″ side. The tab extension is the width measurement of the tab. If your sheet size is 11″h x 8-1/2″w, binding edge on the 11″ side with a 1/2″ tab extension, the tabs will extend 1/2″ from the 11″ side of the sheet. The standard tab extension is 1/2″.

Note: Make sure that the ring binder or report cover that will hold your contents and tabs has an allowance for the width of your index tabs.

You want to be sure your tabs don’t stick out of your cover.

For example, if the sheet size is 11″h x 8 -1/2″w, binding edge on the 11″ side with a 1/2″ tab extension, your report cover will need to be at least 9″ wide to conceal the tabs. On a ring binder, the cover would need to project at least an inch beyond the outer edge of the regular pages mounted on the rings

B. CUT, SET & BANK

You need to determine the tab cut, the number of tab sets, the number of tabs in each set, the number of banks and the number tabs in each bank. This may seem confusing, but the examples at the end of this section will help pull this all together. First, let’s look at tab cut.

Cut is one tab’s proportion of a sheet.

For example, a 1/5 cut tab on an 11″h x 8-1/2″w, binding edge on the 11″ side sheet means that five tabs will fit the length of 11 inches. A 1/5 cut tab on an 8-1/2″h x 5-1/2″w, binding edge on the 8″ side sheet means that five tabs will fit the length of 8-1/2 inches.

A tab set is a complete group of tabs. It is all your index tabs from your first tab to the last.

For example, you have a sales kit with eight tabs. Each sales kit will get a tab set, that is, all eight tabs. A bank of tabs is a group of consecutive tabs that make up the length of your sheet. An example should help clarify this. Let’s say you are putting together 100 sales kits with eight tabs each. Regardless of tab arrangement, you will need 100 sets of eight tabs for a total of 800 tabs.

C. TAB OPTIONS

Mylar is a trademarked plastic product. The clear or colored transparent Mylar coating is applied to the tab and helps protect it from wear. It also makes them rigid for easy flipping. Use colored Mylar to help different sections to stand out. Choose a Mylar color which best complements the other contents and the cover.

D. Paper Stock and Color

Standard tab sheets are 90# or 110# white index stock. Other index colors include blue, canary, cherry, green, gray, manila and salmon.

E. Body Printing or Body Copy

Body printing refers to printing on the body of the tab sheet, in contrast to printing on the tab extension.

A company logo or project design printed on the tab sheet will dress up the tabs and tie them in to the design of the entire piece.

Ink Color Other ink colors besides black are available. A PMS ink color match can be done to match a logo or design color.

Punching Standard punching for tabs is 3 round holes, 5/16″ diameter, to fit a 3-ring binder. You can specify different punching or no punching.

Collating If you have numerous tabs, you may want to have the tabs collated into sets.* Then you are ready to put them in your binders without sorting them.

Shrink-wrapping Shrink-wrapping the sets in plastic wrap is another alternative. This keeps the tabs together, helps reduce wear on the sheets and keeps dust and dirt off them. Shrink-wrapping is especially good for tabs that will be shipped a long distance or stored for a period of time.

GLOSSARY

Bank: A bank of tabs is a group of consecutive tabs that make up the length of your sheet.
Binding Edge: The side of a sheet to be used for hole punching or binding.
Body Copy: Body printing refers to printing on the body of the tab sheet, in contrast to printing on the tab extension.
Cut: Cut is one tab’s proportion of a sheet. For example, a 1/5 cut tab on an 11″h x 8-1/2″w, binding edge on the 11″ side sheet means that five tabs will fit the length of 11″.
Collating: To assemble tabs in their proper final order, from the first tab to the last.
Extension: The tab extension is the width measurement of the tab. If your sheet size is 11″h x 8-1/2″w, binding edge on the 11″ side with a 1/2″ tab extension, the tabs will extend a 1/2″ from the 11″ side of the sheet. The standard tab extension is 1/2″.
Mylar: Mylar is a trademarked plastic product that is applied to the tab. This transparent plastic can be clear or colored.PMS: A system of mixing and identifying ink colors by number. The initials stand for Pantone® Matching System.
Set: A tab set is a complete group of tabs. It is all your index tabs from the first tab to the last. For example, you have a sales kit with eight tabs. Each sales kit will get a tab set, that is, all eight tabs.
Tab: The projecting part of a sheet used for filing.
Typeface: The design of type.

If you need assistance ordering custom index tabs –please call us we can take your information over the phone and provide a quote immediately.

Let our custom printing services provide your custom index tabs at competitive prices.