The Complete Till Roll Design Checklist: From Brief to Print

Designing custom printed till rolls is not complicated, but it does require careful planning. Get it right, and every receipt becomes a professional, branded marketing tool. Get it wrong, and you end up with cut-off messages, illegible QR codes, and wasted money.

Print Lord has worked with businesses across every sector, from Brewdog and Uber to Specsavers, fashion brands, sports venues, horse racing operations, restaurants, and retail. We understand both design and print, a combination that commodity till roll suppliers simply cannot offer.

This checklist walks you through everything you need to get your custom printed till rolls right first time, from initial brief to final delivery.

Step 1: Gather Your Brand Assets

Before you start designing, collect everything you will need:

• – **Logo files** in vector format (AI, EPS, or high-resolution PDF)
• **Brand colours** with exact specifications (Pantone, CMYK, or RGB values)
• **Fonts** used in your brand identity (confirm licensing for print use)
• **Brand guidelines** including spacing rules, minimum logo sizes, and colour usage
• **Any existing artwork** you want to adapt or include

If your logo only exists as a low-resolution JPEG from your website, stop. You need proper vector files for print. Print Lord can often help recreate or clean up artwork, but starting with quality files saves time and ensures the best result.

Step 2: Define Your Message and Objectives

What do you want your receipt to achieve? Different objectives require different approaches:

• – **Brand reinforcement:** Logo, tagline, contact details
• **Driving repeat business:** Discount codes, loyalty scheme information
• **Encouraging reviews:** QR code linking to Google, Trustpilot, or social media
• **Promoting events:** Fixture dates, ticket links, early bird offers
• **Cross-selling:** Related products or services
• **Building community:** Social media handles, hashtags, brand story

Be realistic about how much you can include. A receipt covered in dense text gets ignored. One clear, compelling message with a strong call to action performs far better.

Step 3: Understand Design Repeats

This is where most businesses go wrong, and where Print Lord’s expertise becomes essential.

Custom printed till rolls use a repeating design. Your artwork cycles continuously as the roll prints, which means you must plan carefully to ensure at least one complete message appears per typical receipt length.

Consider:

• – **Average receipt length** for your business (restaurants print longer receipts than retail)
• **Repeat length** of your design (how often the pattern cycles)
• **Critical information placement** (logo, QR codes, key messages must appear fully on every receipt)

If your design repeats every 100mm but your average receipt is 150mm, customers will see one complete message plus part of the next. Plan accordingly. Print Lord guides you through these calculations to avoid awkward cuts or incomplete messaging.

Step 4: Choose Your Print Options

Thermal rolls are available in single colour all the way through to full colour, depending on your brand requirements and budget.

Single colour works well for:
– Clean, minimalist brands
– Text-heavy information
– Budget-conscious businesses
– High-contrast, simple designs

Full colour is ideal for:
– Fashion and lifestyle brands
– Businesses with multi-colour logos
– Promotional imagery or photography
– Premium positioning

Print Lord helps you decide which option delivers the best return on investment for your specific needs and brand identity.

Step 5: Plan QR Code Placement and Setup

QR codes on receipts are exceptionally effective, but only if they print clearly and link to something valuable.

Technical considerations:
– Size matters: QR codes need sufficient size to scan reliably (minimum 20mm x 20mm recommended)
– Contrast is critical: Black QR code on white background works best
– Placement: Position QR codes where they will not get folded, crumpled, or cut off
– Testing: Always test QR codes on actual printed receipts before committing to a full order

What to link to:
– Google or Trustpilot review pages
– Loyalty app downloads
– Feedback surveys (ideally incentivised)
– Social media profiles
– Event booking pages
– Promotional landing pages with tracking

Print Lord can help you set up QR codes with usage reporting, so you know exactly how many customers are scanning and engaging. This data transforms receipts from a branding exercise into a measurable marketing channel.

Step 6: Specify Roll Dimensions

Your EPOS system dictates your roll size. Common dimensions include:

• – **57mm width** (compact tills, card machines, portable systems)
• **80mm width** (standard retail and hospitality tills)
• **Custom sizes** available for specialist systems

Length typically runs to 40 metres standard, with longer rolls available for high-volume operations. Print Lord supplies both thermal and non-thermal options, ensuring compatibility with your specific till system.

Check your current rolls or consult your till supplier if you are unsure. Ordering the wrong size wastes time and money.

Step 7: Prepare Artwork to Print Specifications

Once you have planned your design, your artwork must meet print-ready standards:

• – **Resolution:** Minimum 300 DPI for raster images
• **Colour mode:** CMYK for full colour print (not RGB)
• **Bleed:** Allow 3mm bleed on all edges if your design runs to the edge
• **Safe area:** Keep critical text and QR codes at least 5mm from edges
• **File format:** PDF, AI, or EPS preferred (high-resolution PNG acceptable for simple designs)
• **Fonts:** Convert text to outlines or embed fonts to avoid substitution issues

If this sounds technical, that is because it is. Print Lord reviews all artwork before printing and flags any issues. We would rather delay by a day to fix a problem than deliver 100 rolls that do not work.

Step 8: Review and Approve Proofs

Never skip the proof stage. Print Lord provides digital proofs showing exactly how your design will repeat on the roll. Check:

• – **Message completeness:** Does at least one full message appear per typical receipt?
• **QR code clarity:** Are codes large enough and positioned correctly?
• **Colour accuracy:** Do colours match your brand standards?
• **Text legibility:** Can all text be read easily at actual size?
• **Contact details:** Are phone numbers, websites, and social handles correct?

Once you approve the proof, changes become expensive. Take your time, check everything, and involve anyone else who needs to sign off.

Step 9: Order Quantities and Lead Times

Minimum order is typically 100 rolls (five boxes of 20), with bulk discounts available for larger quantities. Standard lead time is 15 to 20 working days from artwork approval and payment.

Plan ahead. If you need custom printed till rolls for a seasonal campaign, event, or product launch, order early. Rush jobs are sometimes possible but cost more and add pressure to the process.

Step 10: Test Before Full Rollout

When your custom printed till rolls arrive, test them immediately:

• – **Print quality:** Load a roll and print several test receipts
• **QR code functionality:** Scan codes with multiple devices to confirm they work
• **Message clarity:** Check that your design repeats as expected
• **Till compatibility:** Ensure rolls feed smoothly without jamming

If anything is wrong, contact Print Lord immediately. We stand behind our work and will resolve issues without delay.

Why Print Lord Gets It Right

Most till roll and machine suppliers know hardware. They understand dimensions, core sizes, and paper weights. What they do not understand is design, brand consistency, or how to make a receipt work as a marketing tool.

Print Lord knows both. We have decades of experience in print and design, helping businesses maximise every customer touchpoint. When you order custom printed till rolls from Print Lord, you get:

• – **Expert guidance** on message planning and design repeats
• **QR code setup** with usage reporting to track engagement
• **Colour matching** to your exact brand standards
• **Artwork review** to catch problems before they reach print
• **Reliable delivery** on brand and on time

We have worked with sports venues, horse racing operations, restaurants, retail businesses, fashion brands, and national names like Brewdog, Uber, and Specsavers. They trust Print Lord because we deliver consistent quality under pressure.

Ready to Get Started?

Custom printed till rolls transform every transaction into a branded marketing opportunity. Whether you need single colour simplicity or full colour impact, Print Lord ensures your receipts work as hard as your business does.

Order your custom printed till rolls today: https://shop.printlord.co.uk/product/custom-printed-epos-till-roll

Print Lord. At your service. On brand. On time.