Streamline Your Graphic Production Workflow

4. Approvals of final PDFs of the file should never be made from an emailed PDF. The customer or CSR should connect to a file link that manages comments and revisions. Everyone should see the file comments in real time.

5. If the file can go from the client to the RIP, do it.

6. Real-time visibility is critical. A daily report is almost worthless. We need a minute-by-minute report.

7. Everyone who interacts with the job or project should have permissions to be updated and view changes, notes or status without opening a spreadsheet or accessing an MIS.

8. The collaboration must be accessible on modern communication devices—laptops, tablets, notepads and smart phones.

9. Notes and revisions should be made and saved in real time, with access permissions to those who provide input or make decisions.

10. All intermediate and final approved versions should be managed and should be the only versions that can be released to production.

Streamlining Everything

The desktop of the future allows anyone who sends orders, makes comments or needs real-time updates to access the information. That requires everyone in the collaboration chain to have his or her own dashboard. Sales, CSRs, clients, designers, managers, executives, production managers, prepress technicians and anyone else even remotely involved should have access to what you want them to see and approve. Think of this: no more emails, voice mails or waiting for someone to respond.

This new, younger, paperless generation of graphic professionals expects instant access to everything, 24/7. They do not want to call or email people for information. With this strategy, they won’t have to.

You will also have eliminated 50 percent of the production management’s workload. Customers, salespeople or CSRs can upload and check their own files, getting automated preflight results in minutes and taking the workload away from production.

You might be thinking, “I have 300 customers. I can’t afford that many connections.” But what if you could? What if you could add connections on your customers’ desktops at no extra cost? The good news is that this is a reality with today’s technology. Anyone who enters in new jobs, asks questions or requests updates by email should be connected to eliminate human touch.

Streamlining to Success

The technology for implementing this level of automation exists, and the next generation of print buyers and brand managers prefer it. They don’t have time for phone calls and emails because they are required to manage more in less time, just like we are.

Also, there is no doubt that today’s highly skilled production managers, prepress managers and graphic technicians are being under­utilized by performing redundant tasks, because most print companies only think of automating the print function at the RIP and press. In reality, most of the profit-draining tasks are happening upstream and could be performed by an intern. There is a huge benefit for these tasks to be automated.

There is some resistance from prepress people who fear their jobs might be at risk. But truthfully, this type of automation is imminent. It is critical that these professionals not just wait for their jobs to disappear, but embrace the changing workflow dynamics and become experts in managing these systems.

These technologies will also change quickly and will provide great ongoing opportunities for those who stay current and keep an eye on the horizon for better and faster systems. Companies that adopt and communicate this vision have a future that is unlimited by the barriers we face today. Happy streamlining.

This article originally appeared in SGIA Journal’s July/August 2015 issue.