1. Consult with your production partners (if you have any) to ensure that all aspects of your color management workflow integrate seamlessly with theirs.

Discuss how the color workflow will be integrated with your workgroups and service providers, how software and hardware will be configured for integration into the color management system, and at what level color management will be implemented. (See Do you need color management?.)

2. Calibrate and profile your monitor.

A monitor profile is the first profile you should create. Seeing accurate color is essential if you are making creative decisions involving the color you specify in your document. (See Calibrate and profile your monitor.)

3. Add color profiles to your system for any input and output devices you plan to use, such as scanners and printers.

The color management system uses profiles to know how a device produces color and what the actual colors in a document are. Device profiles are often installed when a device is added to your system. You can also use third-party software and hardware to create more accurate profiles for specific devices and conditions. If your document will be commercially printed, contact your service provider to determine the profile for the printing device or press condition. (See About color profiles and Install a color profile.)

4. Set up color management in Adobe applications.

The default color settings are sufficient for most users. However, you can change the color settings by doing one of the following:

• If you use multiple Adobe applications, use Adobe® Bridge CS3 to choose a standard color management configuration and synchronize color settings across applications before working with documents. (See Synchronize color settings across Adobe applications.)

• If you use only one Adobe application, or if you want to customize advanced color management options, you can change color settings for a specific application. (See Set up color management.)

5. (Optional) Preview colors using a soft proof.

After you create a document, you can use a soft proof to preview how colors will look when printed or viewed on a specific device. (See Soft-proofing colors.)

6. Use color management when printing and saving files.

Keeping the appearance of colors consistent across all of the devices in your workflow is the goal of color management. Leave color management options enabled when printing documents, saving files, and preparing files for online viewing. (See Printing with color management and Color-managing documents for online viewing.)