How to Use the Online Print Configurator

Our configurator at fourpillarsprinting.com/products/custom-print-job gives you live pricing as you build your order. Here's how each part works:

Upload (Step 1)

Drag and drop your PDF or click to browse. The tool detects your page count automatically. Once uploaded, you'll see:

• Filename confirmed
• Page count detected
• A green checkmark

Need to tweak your pages first? Click "Use Advanced Editor" to rearrange, reorder, or remove pages before configuring.

Configure (Step 2)

Paper Type — dropdown selector. Options range from 20# Bond (standard) up to cardstock and photo paper. Heavier paper costs more per page but produces a more substantial finished book. See our Paper Options article for the full breakdown.

Binding — dropdown selector. The available bindings are filtered automatically based on your document's thickness — a very thin doc won't show Perfect Bind as an option, and a very thick doc won't show Saddle Stitch. Each binding shows its flat fee inline (e.g., "Coil Binding (+$4.00)"). Select "No Binding" for loose leaf.

Color — toggle buttons: Black & White or Full Color. This is a per-page cost, so it has a significant impact on price for longer documents.

Print Sides — Single-Sided or Double-Sided. Double-sided uses half the sheets for the same page count, which lowers paper cost noticeably.

Binding Covers — appears only when Coil or Wire-O binding is selected. Choose front cover and back cover stock from the dropdowns.

Add-ons — checkboxes for hole punch, lamination, etc. These only appear when no binding is selected (most add-ons aren't compatible with bound books).

Quantity — number input. Pricing updates live for any quantity.

Pricing Sidebar (right side)

Updates instantly as you change any option. Shows:

• Price per unit
• Total for your quantity

The formula is: Base Fee + (pages × color cost/page) + (sheets × paper cost/page) + binding flat fee + add-on costs. Double-sided halves the sheet count, which is why it saves money.

Add to Cart

Once you're happy with your configuration, click Add to Cart. The configurator:

1. Creates a Shopify product variant with your exact price and weight
2. Adds it to your cart with all your specifications recorded as order notes
3. Your print specs go to our production queue when you complete checkout

Mobile note: The full configurator is desktop-optimized. On mobile you'll see a prompt to use the Express uploader at fourpillarsprinting.com/express — it's a simpler flow designed for phones.