With the right software tools, print businesses can look ahead to a more profitable future.
With speed, reliability and efficiency all being essential components in today’s workflow operations across every sector of the printing industry, the added ingredients of web to print and cross media are increasingly being added into the mix. The combination of all these components is expected to operate seamlessly and flawlessly to facilitate the operation of an end-to-end production environment where each process dovetails into the next. Sophisticated yet practical products have resulted in errors largely becoming unwanted artefacts of the past, and all required productivity elements can now integrate from start to finish. This means that, across all sizes of business enterprise, the same high quality throughput is guaranteed with optimum consistency and in-built marketing and cloud-based benefits.
The high levels of importance applied to using the right digital front end (DFE) and its data handling and RIPping powers often appears to take precedence over the other operational necessities in use by forward-thinking print houses, regardless of the devices they use. In digital terms, while many companies have come to rely totally on the power of the software they use to drive their devices, greater benefits can be generated by integrating all processes to incorporate full accountability that removes the time-consuming manual elements that can be prone to errors.
Overall efficiency has now become of paramount importance to companies as they strive to increase profitability by becoming more efficient and growing their margins. The elimination of tedious tasks with the application of automation makes sense for companies who want to optimise their time doing what they do best, with the knowledge that all activities are fully accountable and that repetitive chores can be streamlined to remove the likelihood of mistakes.
End-to-end workflow can now encapsulate everything from incoming data, through all prepress and production, through to comprehensive process management that starts with the receipt of an incoming order and onwards through job management to stock control, invoicing and receipt of payment. Operating this type of environment enables print companies to augment their profitability by making the most valuable use of their resources. This, in turn, leads to a reduction in waste and improved environmental performance. Just-in-time trends have also meant that businesses need to be able to react quickly with the right levels of flexibility and versatility to handle shorter runs and variable data in tight turnaround times.
Spoilt for choice
EFI’s understanding of the high levels of processing capability required by today’s print businesses has led the company to become the leader in its field when it comes to job handling and full accountability. Its comprehensive choice of MIS and ERP business software products enables companies of all sizes to benefit from automating manual tasks, and all are designed to streamline operating procedures, yet contain the right levels of versatility to adapt as productivity and administrative needs change over time.
For large single- and multi-site operations, EFI’s Monarch ERP software has been tailored specifically to handle comprehensive process management tasks that are required across all print specialists; these include analogue operations such as screen process, flexo and offset litho as well as digital businesses. Bringing the power of automation to complex sites with multiple processes has reaped dividends for its users.
Browser-based EFI Pace is, again, fully scalable as a print management system and can be customised to streamline operations. A popular choice for a broad range of print houses from SMEs upwards in size, this MIS solution provides full integration that simplifies all processes, from estimating and production through to sales management. The emphasis on the growing demand for e-commerce and cross media awareness is accommodated with full customisation, ensuring that businesses can boost the features when needed, both now and in the future.
DirectSmile has been brought into EFI’s portfolio, complementing a mix of web to print, cross media and dynamic publishing capabilities.
The benefit of estimating and business management extends to small commercial print companies and copy shops, who can take advantage of PrintSmith Vision’s capabilities. Optimised for on-demand and digital environments, this browser-based software allows for seamless automation that encompasses functions such as estimating and scheduling, production and invoicing.
Nor are packaging and label specialists forgotten in EFI’s drive to bring integrated business management across the industry. Radius ERP/MIS again concentrates on the specific needs of companies that need to streamline their estimating and production workflows for labels, folding cartons and flexible packaging, with the emphasis on time savings and error reduction and the ability to remove touch points and, thus, to generate greater profits.
EFI’s reach into automation and efficiency also extends into its web to print capabilities. As more and more jobs are received via online services and capabilities, how this data is handled and processed is becoming increasingly reliant on efficient online facilities. The straightforward handling and processing of incoming data direct from clients, who also want to maintain control of their jobs’ progress, can be dovetailed into a print company’s overall scheduling and cross media plans. This ensures that machine uptime is optimised and overall time savings are generated. The net result is the ability for print houses to take in more work without compromising their capabilities, yet simplifying web-based ordering. Ad hoc customers and regular clients alike are able to upload files, choose the print options that they need, preview their selections and obtain a quote.
The well-established Digital StoreFront web to print platform has specific SmartStore functionality with Visual Product Builder, allowing print buyers and administrators to manage and control jobs. With sophisticated tools that generate customisable layouts though ready-made templates, storefronts can be scaled for all devices, from desktop computers through tablets to mobile devices, thanks to full HMTL5 and CSS3 capabilities.
Dynamic platforms
One of the key requirements in today’s print environments is, of course, variable data printing and versioning; this type of customisation can be the back-bone to customer-driven campaigns. Interaction is no longer merely the province of web to print, and its role is complemented by dynamic publishing and cross media solutions. The need for a single, harmonised platform is fulfilled by EFI’s OPS (Online Print Solutions), that incorporates support for fully integrated workflows, MIS, ERP and CRM.
This bringing together of web to print storefronts, cross media marketing and dynamic publishing has also been complemented with the addition of DirectSmile to EFI’s portfolio of business software. A logical move that is designed to serve as a strong link with the company’s existing products now strengthens e-commerce and cloud-based methodologies. As such, it is relevant to all print companies that increasingly are needing to respond to demands for the generation of stronger marketing strategies with their clients. Cross media capabilities are favoured by web compliant companies, adding to the benefits of online ordering by assisting full web to print functionality and with marketing automation that includes VDP and full customisation.
Across all sectors of the industry there are businesses which increasingly want to extend their core services beyond basic print services. EFI has acknowledged the shift of emphasis towards automation by providing a comprehensive portfolio that covers all production and administrative processes. With Fiery proving to be the fastest DFE currently available on today’s market, optimum end-to-end productivity is enhanced with JDF compliance. Its features are complemented by full accountability of all operational procedures, plus a series of tools to enhance web-based needs that include creativity, design and marketing.
Today’s print environments now extend far beyond the former traditional boundaries offered by most companies where jobs came in, were produced, and delivered to the client with little accountability or communication. Strong and reliable integration is now the key to successful business growth, and EFI has simplified this route by providing a comprehensive product portfolio which has the power to generate greater efficiencies, enhance communications, promote clients’ marketing strategies and generate more profitability.
