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When you generate final output, you can reduce spot colors by converting them to process color, by mapping them to other spot colors, or by omitting them entirely.
When you preserve or reduce spot colors in final output, the changes that you make affect only the output. The PDF digital master remains unchanged.


	Preserving spot colors in final output

	Reducing spot colors in final output

If you convert spot colors to process color, Color Combiner can simulate the hue of spot colors in a proof-including traps, knockouts, and overprints-using the standard four process colors. See About Color Combiner.

When to preserve or reduce spot colors in final output

Preserve spot colors in final output if the job files contain only the spot colors that you want in the final output.

Reduce spot colors in final output in these situations:

Spot colors were introduced in marks. If the marks (for example, the color bar) from the imposition plan contain spot colors that you do not want in the proof, do not output the spot colors.
The output device changed. If the output device is different from the one that you anticipated during refine, you may need to reduce spot colors during final output.
You use a late-binding workflow. Some printers prefer to preserve color information as long as possible. This means that they delay color conversion and color reduction until the proofing or final output stages. This is called a late-binding workflow because the job files are not tied to a specific output device until necessary.

CAUTION: It is better to reduce spot colors during refine—not proofing and final output—because it ensures consistency between proofs and final output and because color conversion is better in the refine process than the proofing and final output processes. For example, color conversion during final output may fail or may generate blank areas. Also, overprints and knockouts may be incorrect because the colors are converted by Adobe Extreme which paints over existing raster in an opaque manner.

How to preserve or reduce spot colors in final output

To preserve all spot colors in final output, change a setting in the process template. See Preserving spot colors in final output.

To reduce spot colors, choose one of these two methods:

To Reduce	Use This Method	Consider This
All spot colors in final output	Change a setting in the final output proof process template. See Reducing all spot colors in final output.	With this method, you have to convert all spot colors to process color. You cannot omit or map spot colors.
Individual spot colors in final output	Use the Color Separations dialog box before you generate the proof. See Reducing individual spot colors in final output.	With this method, you can convert, omit, or map spot colors. When you use this method, it affects all subsequent proofs, final output, and exports. The Color Separations dialog box does not work with composite PDF files. If you use the Color Separations dialog box and edit the process template during the same proof process, the most recently applied settings take precedence.