Should I use the Coated or Uncoated Pantone guide for my conversion?

Match the swatch guide to the paper you are actually printing on. The same Pantone ink looks noticeably different on a coated versus an uncoated sheet, so picking the wrong reference bakes color error into the job before it even starts.

• Coated (C): use for glossy, satin, or silk stocks. Ink sits on top of the surface, so colors look brighter and more saturated.
• Uncoated (U): use for matte, linen, or natural uncoated paper. The surface absorbs ink, so colors appear softer and slightly muted.
• Order of operations: pick the paper, choose the matching guide, then approve the color.

When a brand color must hold across different stocks, note both the C and U values so each print run references the right one.