a method and system for applying user - specified finishing options to a printed output document . a finishing window is displayed showing a document mimic in the finishing window , and displaying finishing tool selection regions in the finishing window which enable the user to activate selective finishing tools . finishing location identifiers are displayed on portions of the document mimic , each displayed location identifier being associated with the currently activated finishing tool , and each displayed location identifier identifying a region of the printed output document by its location on the document mimic . wysiwyg representations of user - selected finishing tool operations are performed in the portion of the document mimic identified by the selected finishing location identifier . the wysiwyg operations include , but are not limited to , stapling , hole - punching , v - folding , c - folding , z - folding , and binding . also included are wysiwyg operations for undoing each of the aforementioned operations .