Print Information System Improves Efficiency

EFI's print management information system, Printsmith, is now available in version 8.0 with new product features to improve efficiency and save customers time and money.

Printsmith is claimed to be a flexible and feature rich system for print and copy shops.

EFI said that the software can now help manage roll-fed presses, wide-format and super-wide format printers.

Material calculations for roll-fed presses can be done by weight to support how paper rolls are typically ordered.

For wide-format and super-wide format printers, materials and labour calculations can be done as a function of the area being printed, whilst pricing can be done by run or finished size with multiple calculation methods to determine price (including area), added the company.

Printsmith users can define each roll-fed press or wide-format printer within the system, entering machine costs, speed capabilities, as well as minimum and maximum width of rolls, for example, said EFI, and the software also supports finishing capabilities for those processes.

Other highlights of version 8.0 of the software include a quick access panel that enables each user to customise the functions they see in the window for faster access to commonly used features, as well as there being paper calculator templates for quicker job set-up, automated security back-up of the software and full 'cost plus' system capabilities.

Additionally, an electronic scheduling module is available for purchase.

The module provides information on load factor, downtown, overtime and milestone activities.

It has drag and drop functions and integrates with the tracker module, which provides users with real-time shop floor data collection and job costing.

Ron Woodruff is general manager of the commercial division of Relevant Works, a marketing company in Ohio (USA), who said: "I've had a wish list of features for Printsmith for years and 8.0 answers almost all of them.

I haven't been this excited about new features since Report Writer.

I'm especially pleased with the new quick access panel and scheduler." Marc Olin, senior vice president and general manager of EFI's advanced professional print software, added: "Printsmith is already indispensable for small print shops, copy centres and other on-demand digital operation and the latest version goes another step further in automating the business process so our customers can improve productivity and increase profits." Printsmith integrates directly with EFI Fiery-driven output devices for job ticketing and data collection, allowing productivity improvements and version 8.0 now enables digital assets to be attached within Printsmith and sent directly to the Fiery, added EFI.

Version 8.0 is also integrated with EIS, EFI's visual tool for business analysis, which provides an interactive 'command centre' that instantly recaps the state-of-the-business and links to other key data.

EFI said that Printsmith Site enables printers to offer online products and services with complete integration in to the Printsmith system for faster job turn-around and a more streamlined workflow, from the ordering user's desktop through to production.

Version 2.5 of Printsmith Site has a redesigned 'intuitive' user interface that is similar to EFI's Digital Storefront.

Printsmith 8.0 is available now and will be offered free to customers currently on EFI's maintenance programm e, added the company.

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