Most applications can now save out as or export to PDFs. PDFs have become the standard for printing workflows. The advantages are —
1) Fonts are embedded by default.
2) Problems that an application might create will be visible in the PDF, so it is important to closely check the pdf once the application creates it to catch issues.
3) If you have a calibrated workflow, profiles can be embedded.
4) Unlike many, we have an Adobe licensed workflow, so you can be confident the contents of the pdf will print exactly as you see it.
5) Most applications now have a default PDF setting that says something along the lines of ‘high quality printing’. This is generally the safe choice.
6) Feel free to vary default settings to preserve spot colors. Spot colors keep color definitions precise, and can alleviate the issue of monitors displaying colors differently.