How to Use the Online Sign Letter Calculator?

The Sign Trade Supplies Online Letter Calculator allows Trade Plus members to generate instant pricing for acrylic, ACM and foam lettering. You can use the calculator to price a job from a customer proof, compare different materials and thicknesses, and then upload your artwork and order the finished lettering online.

Here’s how to use it.

First, head to the Sign Trade Supplies website and log in to your account.

You need a Trade Plus account to access the Sign Letter Calculator and its pricing. If you are not already a member, you can register for a free Trade Plus account.

Calculator pricing is only available to Trade Plus members and is not visible to the general public or users outside the trade.

Once logged in, use the website search bar and search for “letter”. Select the Sign Letter Calculator from the search results.

Before entering anything into the calculator, take a look at the artwork or proof for the job.

• Material
• Material thickness
• Colour
• Overall artwork width
• Overall artwork height
• Number of letters and characters
• Design detail
• Fixing method

For example, you may have a proof for 5mm black acrylic lettering with snap-fix locators to the rear, measuring 1500mm wide x 175mm high. That gives you most of the information you need to produce an instant price.

Start by selecting the required material. The calculator can be used to price acrylic, ACM and foam lettering.

For our example, we would select Acrylic.

Next, select the required material thickness and colour.

For our example, the specification calls for 5mm black acrylic, so we would select the corresponding thickness and colour options. Make sure these match the customer proof before moving on.

Next, enter the overall width and height of the complete artwork.

For our example, enter Width: 1500mm and Height: 175mm.

Use the overall dimensions of the complete design rather than the dimensions of an individual letter.

The next step is particularly important. Enter the total number of letters and characters contained within the design, including relevant logo elements or shapes.

In our example, the design contains the wording “Bean Bunch” along with a coffee cup graphic. There are 11 characters in total, including the coffee cup and its small handle.

Check the artwork carefully rather than simply counting the letters within the wording.

Next, choose the option that best represents the complexity of the artwork.

Our example uses a basic sans serif typeface with relatively simple logo shapes, so it would be considered a simple design.

If the artwork includes script lettering or more intricate details, select the option that best matches the design.

Now select the required fixing method.

In our example, the customer proof specifies locators, so we would select the appropriate locator fixing option.

Once this has been selected, you have entered the information required to generate your price.

Your calculated price will appear at the top of the page. You can now use this price when preparing your quotation for the customer.

Because the calculator is available online, you can generate pricing without having to submit each standard lettering job for a manual quote.

You can also use the calculator to quickly compare different specifications.

For example, your customer might want prices for both 5mm and 10mm black acrylic lettering. Simply change the thickness from 5mm to 10mm and the price will update.

You can also change the material from acrylic to ACM or foam, select the appropriate options and compare the pricing. This is useful when your customer wants several options before deciding which specification to proceed with.

Once your customer has approved the job, return to the calculator and make sure the final specifications are correct.

You can then upload your artwork, add the lettering to your website basket and place the order through the standard online checkout.

This allows you to move from initial pricing through to ordering using the same online system.

The Online Letter Calculator is designed to make quoting standard acrylic, ACM and foam lettering quick and straightforward.

If you have a more complex lettering requirement or are unsure which options to select, contact the Sign Trade Supplies customer service team by phone or email. We can help you work through the requirements and find the right solution for your project.