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Booklet Imposition Calculator

Work out booklet imposition instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Booklet Imposition Calculator

Saddle stitching folds each sheet to carry four pages, two on each side, so the page count must be a multiple of four and the sheet count is pages divided by four rounded up. A 22 page saddle stitched booklet is impossible; it becomes 24 pages with two blanks, which affects both layout and the quoted price.

Formulas

Sheets

sheets = ceiling(pages / pages per sheet)

Padding

blank pages = sheets x pages per sheet - actual pages

Worked example

With the default values below, Booklet Imposition Calculator returns Sheets of paper needed of 6. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Pages in the bookletminimum 1
24
Binding methodone of Saddle stitch (4 pages per sheet), Perfect bound (2 pages per sheet side)
Saddle stitch (4 pages per sheet)

Results

Sheets of paper needed
6
Blank pages to pad out
0
Pages per sheet
4
Spreads in the layout
12

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Sheets
  3. 3Padding
  4. 4Sheets of paper needed= 6
  5. 5Blank pages to pad out= 0
  6. 6Pages per sheet= 4
  7. 7Spreads in the layout= 12

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to whole numbers, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Booklet Imposition figure worked out?

sheets = ceiling(pages / pages per sheet). Saddle stitching folds each sheet to carry four pages, two on each side, so the page count must be a multiple of four and the sheet count is pages divided by four rounded up.

Why does this matter?

A 22 page saddle stitched booklet is impossible; it becomes 24 pages with two blanks, which affects both layout and the quoted price.

What do I need to enter?

Enter pages in the booklet, binding method. The defaults shown are a realistic worked example — swap in your own figures to get a result you can use.

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