In-plants Must Find New Roles

In-plant managers should be on the lookout for ways to improve document management, storage and output in their organizations.

In-plant managers can and should play a leadership role in developing their organizations' document management and storage systems.

• They can work with information systems (IS) managers to evaluate software and set guidelines for the production process.

• They can help set and enforce standards-such as TIFF, PostScript, PCL and PDF.

• In-plants can recommend that documents be stored in a print-ready format.

• They can assume responsibility for indexing and archiving, and act as a resource for users who are searching the system for desired information.

In-plant managers can also help design print workflows for distributed printing. Deciding where to print a document has been largely at the discretion of the user. The primary factor was convenience, not cost reduction. Today document management software will direct network traffic to the most appropriate printers, based on preset parameters that include cost, as well as convenience. In-plant managers can play a role in setting these parameters, ensuring that their low-, mid- and high-volume devices achieve maximum utility.

In addition to control, the newest generation of document management software also provides greater flexibility. Users will gain scanning capabilities and the ability to index and store scanned documents on a server. It will be easy for users to locate and incorporate scanned pages into business documents and repurpose that information.

The need for customized sales and marketing materials has spurred interest in variable data printing, and in-plant managers are in the best position to champion its advantages. One way to implement variable data printing is with third-party software. Planet Press, marketed by Objectif Lune USA of Rutherford, N.J., gives in-plants the ability to offer variable text and graphics on affordable, networked printers.

The Internet will play a vital role in the way documents are distributed in the future, and Web-based printing represents an area of opportunity for the in-plants that choose to participate. In-plant managers can educate themselves on this topic by attending seminars and visiting sites like the Internet Printing Protocol at www.pwg.org/ipp. This site is dedicated to defining a protocol that can cover the most common situations for printing on the Internet. Major printer and print server manufacturers are participating in this project, as are Microsoft and Netscape.

The goal is to enable users to find out about a printer's capabilities, submit print jobs to a printer, find out the status of a printer or a print job, and cancel a previously submitted job. Web-based printing is just beginning to unfold so in-plant managers are in an excellent position to evaluate—and perhaps drive—its applications.

Data Center Printing

Combining data center and in-plant printing is becoming more prevalent with the advent of flexible printing systems that handle both job streams. Usually the decision to consolidate is made when either the data center or in-plant needs to upgrade equipment. At that time, organizations look at the attractive financial benefits of integrating these print streams into one operation.

According to the 1998 Xplor International Technology Directions Survey, almost one-third of companies are integrating computer printing into the in-plant. However, another third of respondents are integrating in-plant printing into the data center.

Incorporating data center printing into an in-plant is an excellent way to cost-justify expenses associated with networked, digital devices. Talk to your vendor about how other companies have integrated these functions. Create a proposal that explains how the in-plant can efficiently handle both operations. The in-plant manager that lays the necessary groundwork with managers and administrators stands a much better chance of walking away with increased business.

Workflows within an organization continue to evolve, but there is always a role for in-plant managers who understand these changes and adapt their business processes accordingly.

by Sam Errigo

Sam Errigo is director of digital products at Danka. For more information about Danka products and services, please visit the company Web site at www.danka.com or contact Sam at: Sam_Errigo@danka.com.