x [EN] Output Intent – Overview

General Information

What is an Output Intent?

How is the Output Intent defined?

Why is the Output Intent necessary?

Is it enough to set the Output Intent correctly for color adjustment?

How do I find out which profile needs to be specified in the Output Intent?

How can I check which profile is embedded in the Output Intent of my file?

Why is it important that the 'exactly' right profile is used?

Are there concerns about the effects of using profile variants?

Errors and their resolution

Missing output intent or missing embedded profile

Incorrect output intent or incorrect embedded profile

Incorrect ICC profile in terms of name and content

• Cause: Incorrect information for title, issue, format, or layout was chosen when creating the job
• Cause: Incorrect or outdated specifications used as a basis
• Cause: ICC profile file missing in application support folders

Correctly named, but content-wise incorrect profile (Incorrect MD5 hash value)

• Cause: Variant of the profile used
• Cause: Conflict between the used job option (Adobe PDF preset) and InDesign version

General Information

What is an Output Intent?

The Output Intent is a property (in PDF 1.x) that applies to the entire file. It describes the target output device and thereby defines how color values should be interpreted, serving as a simulation context or an instruction for color interpretation.
 

In addition, the Output Intent serves additional purposes depending on the PDF/X standards. In PDF/X-1a workflows, the Output Intent describes the working CMYK space. In PDF/X-3 workflows, all objects are dynamically converted with color-managed color into the color space of the ICC profile embedded in the Output Intent based on the ICC profile. In most cases, this is the CMYK color space, but RGB or grayscale is also possible.

How is the Output Intent defined?

There are two types of Output Intents:

1. Embedded ICC profile – e.g., PSO coated V3, defining the target device’s color space.
2. Named Output Intent – a name referencing a standard output condition (without embedding the actual profile).

Using a named Output Intent instead of embedding the profile can reduce file size. However, this is generally only appropriate for PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3 files without color-managed content—and only when no profile variants are involved.
In such cases, the viewing or printing software must find the correct external profile. If the sender and recipient use different versions of that profile, color discrepancies may occur. Therefore, named Output Intents are not allowed in DUON workflows.

In Adobe applications, Output Intents are added when creating PDF/X files via the “Standards” tab in the Adobe PDF Settings dialog. The exact steps depend on the application. Third-party plugins can also add Output Intents.

Why is the Output Intent necessary?

The DUON portal enforces specific production requirements (for print file creators, publishers, and printers) to ensure high quality and process safety.

Each magazine, issue, and section (e.g., cover or inside pages) has a specific ICC profile assigned, reflecting the unique printing conditions.

Only when this exact profile is used by the file creator can a reliable soft proof (simulation of the print result) be produced.

Because setting the Output Intent is usually a manual step, it also serves as an indicator that the profile was properly applied during color conversion.

Is it enough to just set the correct Output Intent for color adjustment?

No, that’s not enough.
You must also adjust the actual color values. The goal is for the colors in the new color system to appear visually consistent. This means, for example, that images in a source color space like sRGB or Coated FOGRA39 must be converted into the required target profile (e.g., PSR LWC PLUS V2 M1).

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Think of it like changing train tracks:
Imagine you start in country A with a track width of 50 cm and enter country B with a track width of 50 inches. Simply relabeling the measurement doesn’t help—you must change the physical track width and then use the correct measurement unit.

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How do I find out which profile to use in the Output Intent?

The required profile depends on the publication title, issue, format, and possibly other parameters. You can find the required profile (including its name, MD5 hash, download link, and more) under Technical Specifications, available on the title's media page after selecting the booked issue and format. The same information is also available in your job summary after selecting the publication, issue, and format.

How can I check which profile is embedded in the Output Intent of my file?

You can view the Output Intent and the embedded profile directly in Adobe Acrobat Pro. Here’s how:

1. Open the PDF file you want to examine in Acrobat Pro.
2. Go to Tools > Print Production > Preflight.
3. Switch to the Profiles tab and run any check by double-clicking it (e.g., “Check compliance with PDF/X-4”).
4. Then switch to the Results tab.
5. Expand the following path:
   Overview > OutputIntents > OutputIntent [Name] > ICC Output Profile
6. At the end of the list, you will find the MD5 hash value of the embedded ICC profile.
    

This MD5 hash allows you to compare the exact version of the profile used with a reference (e.g., those provided by the ECI or required by DUON).

Why is it important that the "exact" correct profile is used?

In the DUON portal, almost 100,000 print documents are uploaded per year. In the output intents, we often find profiles with the correct name. However, we have noticed that despite having the same name, the contents of the embedded profiles differ from the expected profiles. Therefore, we decided not to use the name of the color profile as a criterion for assessing whether the correct profile is embedded, but rather to compare a checksum for this question.

We refer to the differing profiles as "profile variants". It is not always possible to determine how significant the differences are from the outside. Color differences are not excluded.

Are there any concerns when using profile variants?

Yes. In individual cases, we have been able to confirm this. If profile p is supposed to be used for the delivery of an ad, but the data provider instead uses profile p' (where p' refers to a profile with the same name but different properties), this can lead, among other things, to data being processed or simulated incorrectly.

The use of p' can result in incorrect or lower-quality processing or simulation if the properties of p and p' differ significantly. For example, the embedded profile is used in the Output Intent profile to simulate how the ad will appear, such as when viewed in Acrobat.

On all sides – whether in agencies, publishers, or printing companies – it is common practice to deliberately ignore and internally replace the profile in the Output Intent for various (technical) reasons. This is not a problem as long as profiles p and p' do not differ.

It becomes problematic when p and p' differ in terms of color characteristics or mathematical properties, because then, for example, a simulation in Acrobat (where p' is used) suddenly looks different from a hard or soft proof environment (where p' is ignored and replaced with p).

For conversion and simulation, various mathematical transformations are used, based on, among other things, A2B tables, CLUTs, matrix parameters, or the white point of the embedded profile in the Output Intent.

Using the Profile Connection Space (PCS), values are converted into the simulation color space with the help of the B2A tables of the device profile g of the simulating device (e.g., a monitor or proofing profile). Often, ready-made profiles from hard and soft proof systems are used. In such cases, the target profile p of the printing process and the device profile g are combined into a simulation profile s. The simulation with the simulation profile s is only successful if profile p – and not profile p' – is used.

Errors, Causes, and Remedies

Missing Output Intent

A (completely) missing Output Intent usually indicates that a PDF/X standard was not selected during creation. More information on this topic can be found in the following article:

t-r [EN] PDF/X-Standard & Version – DUON-PORTAL HELP CENTER (EN)

Missing Profile in the Output Intent
If an Output Intent is present but a profile is missing from it, this indicates the use of an alternative type of Output Intent.

There are two types of Output Intents: one includes an embedded device profile that defines the color space of the target device (e.g., PSO coated V3). The other type is a name that defines the target color space and typically refers to a standard output condition.

Using a named Output Intent instead of an embedded profile can reduce the file size of a PDF document. However, this is generally only feasible for PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3 files without color-managed content. Even then, it is only safe in environments where no profile variants exist. Named or referenced Output Intents are not permitted in the DUON portal.

Therefore, please make sure to do the following:
In the "Export Adobe PDF" dialog under the "Output" tab in the "PDF/X" section, select the required profile file in the "Output Condition Profile Name" field.

When creating PDF/X-4 files, leave all other fields empty.
If working with PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3 standards, you may accept entries in the lower fields only if they were set automatically.

Incorrect Output Intent or Incorrect Embedded Profile
The preflight check reports that an incorrect ICC profile was used in the Output Intent. There are two distinct cases here, each with different causes:

1. A wrong ICC profile is embedded in the Output Intent — both name and content do not match the selected job setting.

Possible causes:

a) Incorrect details selected when creating the job (e.g., wrong title, publication, format, or placement)
b) Incorrect or outdated templates/settings used as a basis
c) ICC profile file is missing from the application support folders

2. A correctly named ICC profile is embedded, but its content is incorrect or does not fully meet the requirements of the selected job setting.

Possible causes:

d) A profile variant was used (e.g., same name but with differing colorimetric or technical properties)
e) Conflict between the selected job option (Adobe PDF preset) and the version of InDesign used

Tip:
Always ensure that the ICC profile embedded in the Output Intent exactly matches the specifications of the job ticket — both in name and content, i.e. the MD5-Hash value from your Preflight matches the Publisher MD5-Hash value spec. Variants or outdated profiles may pass visual checks but still lead to incorrect color reproduction in proofing or printing.

Incorrect ICC Profile (Name and Content)
An ICC profile has been embedded that, based on clear criteria (e.g., the name of the ICC profile), does not meet the required specifications. This can have various causes and can be resolved in different ways.

Cause: Incorrect selection of title, issue, format, or layout when creating the job
Description of the cause

You may have simply selected a title, issue, or format that has not been booked at all, and for which the uploaded file was not prepared. It’s also possible that your file was created correctly and you only need to select a different option in the job form.

Solution

Check your production schedule or booking to ensure you’ve selected the correct title, issue, and format for the job. The required ICC profile depends on these selections.

r [EN] Find and download ICC color profile – DUON-PORTAL HELP CENTER (DE)
 

Cause: ICC Profile File Missing in Application Support Folders
Description of the Cause

When a PDF file is created with a profile embedded in the Output Intent, InDesign accesses specific folders to use the designated ICC profile.

For historical reasons, Adobe InDesign accesses both its own application support folders and system folders for profiles.

If profiles are stored only in the system folders, they may be selectable in certain dialogs — but some processes cannot access them.

In such cases, a substitute profile is embedded based on fallback rules, and this substitute is then identified as incorrect.

Solution

Check whether the required ICC profile is properly installed.

[EN] Install profile (legacy) – DUON-PORTAL HELP CENTER (DE)

Correctly Named but Incorrect ICC Profile (Wrong MD5 Hash Value)

When the name of the required ICC profile and the name of the embedded profile in the Output Intent match, many users suspect a false positive error (i.e., a mistake in the validation process).

However, in the DUON portal, a profile's identity is not verified by its name, but by a unique "fingerprint". For every ICC profile, a unique MD5 hash value (a checksum) can be calculated.

We compare the hash value of the ICC profile embedded in the Output Intent with the hash value of the required profile. If even a single byte of the file differs, a different checksum is produced. Only files that use exactly the required profile are accepted — meaning the hash value must match.

There are various causes for a checksum mismatch, which we briefly outline below.

Profile Variant Used

Cause

The computer used to generate the file contains a variant of the required ICC profile. In fact, for many ICC profiles, there are multiple variants circulating — even if they share the same name. This can happen for various reasons:

• Some profile publishers have not maintained strict version control, occasionally releasing updated profile files with the same name but different properties, without adjusting the version number.
• Some users modify or "optimize" third-party profiles themselves — or unknowingly use such altered profiles.

Solution

A profile variant is likely stored in one of several possible folders on the computer where the PDF was created. InDesign uses that version when exporting the PDF.

Steps to resolve:

1. Identify the original computer used to create the file.

Locate the incorrect profile. Be aware that profiles can be stored in multiple system locations. For detailed instructions on where to look, refer to the help article:
[EN] Install profile (legacy) – DUON-PORTAL HELP CENTER (DE)

1. Delete the incorrect profile.
2. Empty the trash/recycle bin — InDesign may still reference the file if it remains there.
3. Identify which ICC profile you actually need and download the exact correct version:
   r [EN] Find and download ICC color profile – DUON-PORTAL HELP CENTER (DE)

Install the profile properly:
[EN] Install profile (legacy) – DUON-PORTAL HELP CENTER (DE)

1. Export a new PDF using the correct profile, then upload it.

This ensures that the embedded ICC profile matches exactly — including its MD5 hash — and is accepted by the DUON system.

Conflict Between Job Option Used (Adobe PDF Preset) and InDesign Version

 

Cause

An incompatibility between the joboptions file (PDF preset/export settings) and the version of Adobe InDesign used can result in a modification of the ICC profile stream in the exported PDF.

Starting with InDesign CC 2014, a new feature called “Seamless Update” was introduced. This function automatically migrates presets and settings — such as print presets, workspaces, custom keyboard shortcuts, and more — from an older InDesign version to the newer one. This eliminates the need to manually recreate settings after an update.

However, in rare cases, this automatic migration fails, which can lead to unexpected side effects — such as changes in the embedded ICC profile object stream, causing validation errors (e.g. mismatched MD5 hash values).

Solution

You can manually re-trigger the migration of older settings if the automatic process failed:

1. In InDesign, go to:
   Edit → Migrate Previous Local Settings...
   (German: Bearbeiten → Frühere lokale Einstellungen werden migriert…)
2. After migration, recheck your export settings and ICC profile.
3. Re-export the PDF using the corrected settings and upload it again.

This ensures that the correct, unaltered ICC profile is embedded, preventing errors related to corrupted or altered profile streams.