G7 Master Facility Qualification

G7 is Idealliance’s global industry-leading set of specifications for achieving visual similarity across all print processes. Earn G7 Master Qualification to demonstrate your facility’s leading capabilities in color management, device alignment, and standardization to serve the global print and packaging supply chains. G7 Master Qualification is granted to a physical facility.

G7®: One file, One separation,
One calibration, One aim point
Print Anywhere®


G7 Master Qualification status indicates that the facility has calibrated certain equipment and systems to G7 gray balance and neutral tone curves and is capable of delivering G7 proofs and print products. While many G7 Masters are printing companies, other graphic solutions providers such as creative and premedia providers may also be qualified as G7 Masters. 
Download the G7 Facility Qualification Brochure | ES
Qualification is granted according to three distinct compliance levels.

G7 Compliance Levels

G7® Grayscale Compliance:
This is the fundamental level of G7. Regardless of printing technology, if we can ensure that a printer or press prints the neutral tone ramp well, then all other colors will tend to fall into line more easily.

Grayscale is the level that we are used to seeing. A target print is printed on a stable printing system and measurements of that target are used to correct the ink curves to bring the printing system into alignment with the G7 ideal neutral density curve.

Aligning the printing of various printing methods in a plant to this same neutral aim point is a tremendous step forward in getting these disparate printers to match. While achieving this G7 level will naturally help all the colors to be consistent, the only thing that is required at this level is for the K and CMY neutrals to be aligned to the G7 tone curve and the CMY neutrals gray balanced.

G7® Targeted Compliance:
This is the intermediate level of G7 and G7 Targeted is achieved when G7 Grayscale is achieved, plus the solid ink measurements for primaries and secondaries (CMY and RGB) and substrate color are also within spec to one of the G7-based TARGETED color spaces.
  • This can be achieved according to the absolute white point or using substrate-relative condition. G7 Targeted compliance is not limited to only the reference print conditions in ISO 12647-2 or in ISO PAS 15339, any G7-calibrated dataset can be used as G7 reference print condition.
  • Those who want, can use their own color reference in place of the standard CRPC’s, but their files must be verified as being compliant with G7 Grayscale.
  • G7 Targeted achievement lets customers know that not only can a facility hit G7 Grayscale, but they can also achieve a higher level of compliance and their strongest colors can hit, for example, the specific LAB values for GRACoL 2013.

G7® Colorspace Compliance:
This is the highest level of G7 compliance and the most stringent. G7 Colorspace includes all the requirements of the G7 Targeted level (and therefore the G7 Grayscale level) and adds the matching to an entire Reference Print Condition. This level demonstrates that you are maintaining extremely tight tolerances throughout the whole color space. An entire IT8.7/4 target is compared against the targeted color space and the average of all the 1617 patches needs to be with a narrow range of tolerances. This assures that the printing system can consistently reproduce the entire color space and not just the primaries and secondaries (CMY and RGB).
  • G7 Colorspace can also be relative to either the absolute white point or the substrate-relative aim values.
  • G7 Colorspace level is also further divided into two separate purposes, Press or Proofing. There are slightly more stringent requirements (tolerances) for proofing.


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Two Options for Getting G7 Qualified

An Idealliance certified G7 Expert is required to qualify print facilities for the first time. A G7 Expert must be onsite to conduct and review calibration data, then submits an online application to Idealliance for 3rd party verification. Final G7 Master Qualification is granted by Idealliance.

Option 1: Send an employee to a G7 Expert/Professional Training program to then qualify your proofing/printing system. For upcoming training events, go to printing.org/events/workshops for G7 and G7+ Training.

Option 2:
Hire a G7 Expert consultant to qualify your proofing/printing system. Find a G7 Expert in the Official Idealliance G7 Expert Directory here.



G7 Master Program Fees

New G7 Master Submission
Application Fee - $800 (per facility)
Grayscale or Targeted Compliance - $100*

Colorspace Compliance - $150*
*(per device)


Renewal G7 Master Submission
Application Fee - $550 (per facility)
Grayscale or Targeted Compliance - $100*

Colorspace Compliance - $150*
*(per device)

  • Each facility qualification requires a new application or renewal application and a minimum of one (1) device compliance
  • Qualification and Compliance Levels (Grayscale/Targeted/Colorspace) will be noted in the database listing
  • Additional Qualification Types, Failed, or Resubmitted sheets are charged per Qualification Type, Grayscale/Targeted ($100) or Colorspace ($150)
  • Custom targets are charged per target or reference submitted ($50 each)
  • Good for one year. Requires annual renewal by a Certified G7 Expert or G7 Professional within 90 days of qualification expiration
  • G7 Expert consulting fees may be additional, negotiated with, and paid to the G7 Expert. See your G7 Expert.


Submission Fee examples:

New Submission
$800 Application Fee + $100 Targeted Fee for 1 press= $900 Total

Renewal Submission
$550 Application Fee + $150 Colorspace Fee for 1 proofing device = $700 Total

Download the G7 Facility Qualification Brochure | ES

View the G7 program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Questions, or for G7 Master submission updates, contact:
Idealliance
g7@idealliance.org
703-837-1070

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