Production Terms and Timeline

We know that timeliness is critical to your success with print projects. Understanding the factors around a project’s in-hand date is helpful in setting proper expectations for your customers. Many of these are within your control: meeting the order cutoff time, plus the turnaround time and shipping time you select.

Cutoff Time

The time by which you must submit your artwork and complete your purchase starts the turnaround time clock. If you miss the day’s cutoff, the time you see is for the next business day.

Cutoff time is determined by the turnaround time you choose. It is either 10 am or 1 pm in the PRODUCTION FACILITY’S time zone — not the time in your own location or where the project is being shipped to. For example, if you are in the Central time zone, you would need to submit by 9 am your time to make the 10 am cutoff time for a facility located in the Eastern time zone.

Turnaround Time (TAT)

TAT is the number of business days it takes to produce and prepare your project for shipping or pickup.

Here’s when the clock starts ticking:

Did you meet the cutoff time? Your project’s TAT starts the same day.

Did you miss the cutoff time?
TAT starts the next business day. Projects are shipped on the last day of (or sometimes before) the end of the TAT time.

Shipping Time

This is the amount of time it takes for your project to be shipped from our production facility and arrive at the destination address. Next-day shipping is just that and arrives the next business day.

If you choose ground shipping, consult our ground shipping page for estimated shipping times.

In-Hands Date

This is the anticipated date to receive your project and is influenced by the cutoff time, turnaround time, and shipping time.

See the table below for examples.

     Days to In-Hand Examples

Next Day In-Hand

Meet cutoff time

Same-day turnaround time

Next-day shipping time

7 Days In-Hand

Meet cutoff time

4-day turnaround time

3-day shipping time

8 Days In-Hand

Missed cutoff time

4-day turnaround time

3-day shipping time

NOTE: The in-hand date is a combination of the production time and the shipping time, which means it is the date you will receive your items in person.

If you submit your order by the cutoff time, your in-hand date includes production time and shipping time. Projects submitted after the cutoff time, go into production the following business day.

Production Timetable

Turnaround Time (TAT)

Cut-Off Time

Shipped By / Pick-up Ready

Same Day

10:00 AM - Facility Time Zone

9:00 AM - Facility Time Zone

Next Day Express

9:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

5:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

Next Day

10:00 AM - Facility Time Zone

5:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

2 Days

1:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

5:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

4 Days

1:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

5:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

7 Days

1:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

5:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

9 Days

1:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

5:00 PM - Facility Time Zone

Factors That Extend Turnaround Times

Group shipping and bundling services may add 1-2 days to TAT

Booklets, calendars, and catalogs require review and approval of a digital proof prior to production. It may take up to one business day to receive that proof.

Local delivery orders are delivered on the next scheduled day for your zone (excludes day of production).