A method of preparing a circuit board, the circuit board comprising: a surface layer having a predetermined region configured to accommodate one or more first components; and an Insulating layer adjacent to and in contact with the surface layer; wherein the method comprises forming an elongated groove (520a, 520b) in the surface layer adjacent to the predetermined region, the elongated groove extending a determined depth into the Insulating layer and configured to accommodate (350, 352) a corresponding elongated footing (547a, 547b) of a second component, a body portion of the second component extending overtop of the first component, said elongated footing defining a portion of a perimeter of the second component, characterised in that evaluating the determined depth comprises: i) determining a maximum stencil thickness based on a minimum aperture size required in a stencil to be used for depositing conductive paste onto the surface layer for accommodating the one or more first components; ii) determining a minimum conductive paste depth required for the second component; iii) providing the stencil having a selected stencil thickness less than or equal to the maximum stencil thickness; iv) comparing the minimum conductive paste depth for the second component with the selected stencil thickness, the minimum conductive paste depth exceeding the selected stencil thickness; and v) determining the determined depth to be at least equal to a difference between the minimum conductive paste depth and the selected stencil thickness. a surface layer having a predetermined region configured to accommodate one or more first components; and an Insulating layer adjacent to and in contact with the surface layer; wherein the method comprises forming an elongated groove (520a, 520b) in the surface layer adjacent to the predetermined region, the elongated groove extending a determined depth into the Insulating layer and configured to accommodate (350, 352) a corresponding elongated footing (547a, 547b) of a second component, a body portion of the second component extending overtop of the first component, said elongated footing defining a portion of a perimeter of the second component, characterised in that evaluating the determined depth comprises: i) determining a maximum stencil thickness based on a minimum aperture size required in a stencil to be used for depositing conductive paste onto the surface layer for accommodating the one or more first components; ii) determining a minimum conductive paste depth required for the second component; iii) providing the stencil having a selected stencil thickness less than or equal to the maximum stencil thickness; iv) comparing the minimum conductive paste depth for the second component with the selected stencil thickness, the minimum conductive paste depth exceeding the selected stencil thickness; and v) determining the determined depth to be at least equal to a difference between the minimum conductive paste depth and the selected stencil thickness. i) determining a maximum stencil thickness based on a minimum aperture size required in a stencil to be used for depositing conductive paste onto the surface layer for accommodating the one or more first components; ii) determining a minimum conductive paste depth required for the second component; iii) providing the stencil having a selected stencil thickness less than or equal to the maximum stencil thickness; iv) comparing the minimum conductive paste depth for the second component with the selected stencil thickness, the minimum conductive paste depth exceeding the selected stencil thickness; and v) determining the determined depth to be at least equal to a difference between the minimum conductive paste depth and the selected stencil thickness.