A product UID is a unique identifier used by our global network of print partners to figure out how to print the files you send via the Gelato API. It is therefore essential that you understand the logic behind product UIDs and correctly map the formats and paper types you intend to send over.
Below you will find a detailed explanation of the components of a product UID with several examples to better understand the concept.
The full list of product UIDs for the products that we support can be found in the Product Catalog of the API Portal.
Product UID structure
A product UID is a string of text made of different parts to identify the product in its entirety. The most important parts are:
- Product category
- Paper format
- Paper type
- Print sides
- Binding type
- Cover paper type
- Fold type
- Coating type
- Protection sides
- Artwork orientation
Note: Please note that not all these parts are mandatory for each product (e.g. there is no "binding type" for flat formats).
Product category
The first part of the UID indicates the product category, e.g. "cards", "flyers", "brochures", etc.
Examples:
- cards_pf_bb_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-0_ct_matt-protection_prt_1-1_hor
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_ver
Paper format
pf is the paper format, e.g. “bb” or "A4"
Examples:
- cards_pf_bb_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-0_ct_matt-protection_prt_1-1_hor
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_ver
Note: More information on paper formats and dimensions is available here.
Paper type
pt is the paper type, e.g. “350-gsm-coated-silk” or "130-lb-cover-coated-silk"
Examples:
- cards_pf_bb_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-0_ct_matt-protection_prt_1-1_hor
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_130-lb-cover-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_ver
Note: For multipage products, this attribute indicates the paper type for the inner pages. Paper type for cover pages is specified in the attribute cpt. Also, "lb" standard is used in North America while the rest of the world uses "gsm".
Print sides
cl indicates the coloured sides: e.g. “4-4” (printed on both sides) or "4-0" (printed on one side)
Examples:
- cards_pf_bb_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-0_hor
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ver
Binding type
bt indicates the binding type: e.g. “glued-left” (glue binding on the left side), "wire-o-left" (wire-o binding on the left side) or "stitched-left" (saddle-stitched on the left side)
Examples:
- glued-multi-page-brochures_pf_a4_pt_100-lb-text-coated-silk_cl_4-4_bt_glued-left_cpt_100-lb-cover-coated-silk_hor
- wire-o-multi-page-brochures_pf_a5_pt_100-lb-text-coated-silk_cl_4-4_bt_wire-o-left_cpt_130-lb-cover-coated-silk_ver
- stitched-multi-page-brochures_pf_a5_pt_170-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_bt_stitched-left_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_cpt_250-gsm-coated-silk_ver
Note: This attribute is applicable only to multipage products.
Cover paper type
cpt indicates the cover paper type: e.g. “100-lb-cover-coated-silk” or "250-gsm-coated-silk"
Examples:
- glued-multi-page-brochures_pf_a4_pt_100-lb-text-coated-silk_cl_4-4_bt_glued-left_cpt_100-lb-cover-coated-silk_hor
- wire-o-multi-page-brochures_pf_a5_pt_100-lb-text-coated-silk_cl_4-4_bt_wire-o-left_cpt_130-lb-cover-coated-silk_ver
- stitched-multi-page-brochures_pf_a5_pt_170-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_bt_stitched-left_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_cpt_250-gsm-coated-silk_ver
Note: This attribute is applicable only to multipage products. In this case the attribute pt indicates the paper type for inner pages.
Fold type
ft is the fold type (if any), e.g. “fold-ver” (single-folded vertical), "fold-hor" (single-folded horizontal), "8pp-roll-fold-ver" (8-folded vertical), "three-fold-hor" (three-folded horizontal)
Examples:
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_ver
- three-fold-brochures_pf_a4_pt_100-lb-cover-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_three-fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_ver
Note: This attribute is applicable only to folded products.
Coating type
ct is the coating type (if any), e.g. “glossy-protection” or "matt-protection"
Examples:
- cards_pf_bb_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-0_ct_matt-protection_prt_1-1_hor
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_ver
More information on coating can be found here.
Protection sides
prt indicates the protection sides, e.g. “1-1” (protection on both sides) or "1-0" (protection on one side only)
Examples:
- cards_pf_bb_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-0_ct_matt-protection_prt_1-1_hor
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-0_ver
Note: For multipage products, this attribute applies only to the cover pages.
Artwork orientation
hor/ver is the artwork orientation, e.g. vertical or horizontal
Examples:
- cards_pf_bb_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-0_ct_matt-protection_prt_1-1_hor
- brochures_pf_a4_pt_350-gsm-coated-silk_cl_4-4_ft_fold-ver_ct_glossy-protection_prt_1-1_ver
You can find the product UIDs for all the products we support by accessing the Product Catalogue from the API portal.
Note: For multipage product, the number of pages should not be included in the product UID but sent separately as an attribute. Read more here.
