In typography and printing, the preparation of camera-ready materials up to the actual printing stage, which includes typesetting, page makeup and plate processing. By the turn of the century, the creation of digital content by authors and designers, digital printers, computer-to-plate (CTP) technologies and DI presses all contributed to dramatically shortening the prepress cycle.

This workflow migration so radically changed the process that, unless they could adapt and expand services to survive, almost all independent prepress businesses in North America were eliminated. See digital printing, CTP and DI press.