Choose image files for printed forms
Overview
If a logo or header image looks correct on screen but comes out streaky, banded, or discolored once your form is printed or emailed as a PDF, the file's color mode is almost always why. This article explains what happens and how to avoid it before you upload.
Who uses this feature
Administrators and office employees
Applies to all business types
Applies to all trades
Things to know
ServiceTitan's PDF conversion process supports images in RGB color mode. Images in other color modes (most commonly CMYK JPEGs) may look correct in the browser but may come out distorted when the form is printed or emailed as a PDF.
If you're not sure about a file, run a test PDF once before rolling the image out to your forms.
What actually goes wrong
Every image file is built from color data, and there are two common ways to store it:
RGB: The format screens and web pages use.
CMYK: A format built for professional printing presses. Design software like Photoshop or Illustrator often saves in CMYK by default, especially for anything originally made for print, such as a truck decal, a flyer, or a business card.
The tool that turns your form into a PDF only understands RGB. When it receives a CMYK file, it may read the color data incorrectly, and the image may come out looking distorted. Usually this shows up as visible stripes, dots, or a washed-out, patterned look, even though the same file opens fine in a browser or on your desktop.
Reference
File type | Color mode | Result |
|---|---|---|
PNG | RGB | Prints correctly |
JPEG | RGB | Prints correctly |
JPEG | CMYK | May print distorted |
Before you upload or link to an image
If a designer or print shop provided the file, ask for (or export) an RGB version. It's the same artwork, just saved for screens instead of a printing press.
When in doubt, use PNG. It's built for logos and text graphics, always stores color as RGB, and keeps edges sharp.
Most image editors show the color mode in the document or export settings. Look for a menu labeled Mode or Color Space and confirm it says RGB, not CMYK.
After uploading or linking to an image, generate a test PDF before rolling the image out everywhere it's used. This applies to both uploaded files and images linked from HTML content on the form.
If you have questions about a specific file, share it with Technical Support and we can confirm its color mode directly.