Printing signs and embroidery
Print and sign production run price
Price a print or sign run from setup, stock sheets, spoilage allowance and production time.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
planned sheets = ceil(required pieces/(pieces per sheet × (1-spoilage))); quote = total run cost/(1-margin)
Yield per sheet comes from a verified layout including bleed, trim and machine limits. Spoilage is a planning fraction, not a guarantee of good output. Setup, ink and labor included in sheet cost must not be counted again. This also supports repeated identical sign pieces; it does not calculate sign wind loading or electrical design. Use your own records for the same scope and period. Example figures are illustrative, not industry benchmarks. Results exclude income taxes and any cost you have not entered. Check the result before pricing work or committing resources.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Required sellable pieces (pieces): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Finished pieces per stock sheet (pieces/sheet): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Planned share of sheets lost to spoilage (%): Enter a percentage from your records or an explicitly chosen scenario. No typical or recommended rate is supplied.
- Stock and printing cost per sheet (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Fixed setup and proof cost (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Additional finishing person-hours (person-hours): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Loaded labor cost per person-hour (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Target margin on the quoted price (%): Enter a percentage from your records or an explicitly chosen scenario. No typical or recommended rate is supplied.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Modeled quote before sales tax is $364.53 for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Required sellable pieces: 500 pieces
- Finished pieces per stock sheet: 2 pieces/sheet
- Planned share of sheets lost to spoilage: 5.00 %
- Stock and printing cost per sheet: $0.60
- Fixed setup and proof cost: $40.00
- Additional finishing person-hours: 3.00 person-hours
- Loaded labor cost per person-hour: $25.00
- Target margin on the quoted price: 25.00 %
- Modeled quote before sales tax
- $364.53
- Entered job cost
- $273.40
- Contribution after entered costs
- $91.13
- Planned whole stock sheets
- 264 sheets
- Modeled price per sellable piece
- $0.73
- The example is illustrative. This is not a market quote. Include all relevant costs; omitted costs are not added automatically.
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Price a print or sign run from setup, stock sheets, spoilage allowance and production time. Inputs come from your own records and stated assumptions; no rates or legal limits are looked up.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.