The new functions Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is adding to the 2016 version of its Prinect print and media workflow will make life easier for media service providers in the commercial and packaging printing sectors, speed up their processes, and make these more profitable. Numerous areas of the workflow system have been significantly expanded in close consultation with Prinect customers. Improvements focus on the Prinect cockpit’s interface for more intuitive operation, enhanced process integration between management information system (MIS) and production workflow, and the possibility of complete color reports to provide end users with documented proof of quality – now also augmented by long-term reports. In addition to the well-established JDF interface, the system now also features an API (application programming interface) that enables data to be shared with systems of third-party suppliers for the first time. What’s more, Prinect is now more capable of handling even the largest data volumes – such as versioned documents with several thousand pages – extremely quickly.

The new Prinect Cockpit – intuitive operation rather like a smartphone

Heidelberg has made the Prinect cockpit’s user interface much simpler and much more intuitive. The open job can now be displayed beside the job list and the job memo. Users can cast a quick and efficient glance at the job content, identify the correct job, and start processing it. The job history is now displayed with all the benefits of a grouping table, which makes it far clearer and far easier to read. In the cockpit, it is also possible to display the individual jobs in the job pool and assign them from there to the current mixed form. Individual jobs can be sorted, filtered, and also deleted in the mixed folder. When working with an individual job, the layout of the mixed job it is part of is now also displayed.

Mixed forms can already be displayed in the Prinect Business Manager

A growing number of media service providers are using mixed forms to save time and money by processing several print jobs together. In the new version, the Prinect Business Manager now enables actual costing of such mixed forms in addition to control and monitoring functions. The Prinect Business Manager does the necessary material planning and analyzes the allocation of costs between the individual jobs. As a result, print shops benefit from reliable planning from the time they enter the relevant jobs in the system and can calculate the costs incurred more accurately. This in turn delivers more cost-efficient production processes and higher margins.

Improving customer loyalty with documented quality

It’s nothing new for media service providers to be under significant cost pressure, but print buyers also prefer suppliers who can provide convincing proof of their capabilities. Means of standing out from the crowd and improving customer loyalty are therefore becoming increasingly important. Prinect Analyze Point now offers the possibility, throughout the production run, of fully documenting the color quality of print jobs for all Heidelberg measuring equipment using color reports that are prepared and evaluated automatically. This enables media service providers to prove to customers that they are complying with the color guidelines for every print job. Further detailed in-house color reports are possible, including new long-term reports, which enables media service providers to further improve production processes. Both print shops and print buyers thus benefit from greater reliability, including repeat jobs.

Welcome freedom – Prinect offers API-based interface to other systems

Prinect can now also be connected via an API interface to media companies’ existing third-party systems. These are typically in-house analysis systems or other ERP systems of third-party suppliers. Consequently, media service providers can now incorporate data from Prinect for their production monitoring via the Prinect API interface into their own systems where they can then include their own diagrams and KPIs. It is also possible to transfer data relating to the specific job status into an in-house system so as to document specific steps or the job status for the company’s customers.

“With the new Prinect functions, Heidelberg is aiming to make life easier for media service providers. In concrete terms, this means we want our customers to earn more money and to do so faster. Some 200 software engineers at Heidelberg are working on achieving this day in, day out. That also makes Heidelberg one of our sector’s main IT players,” says Christopher Berti, Head of Product Management for Prinect at Heidelberg. 

International Prinect User Days on November 18 and 19 at the Print Media Academy in Heidelberg
As in previous years, potential and existing Prinect users once again have the opportunity to take a close look at the new version of Prinect at the Prinect User Days 2015, and also to discuss new functions with the Prinect development and product management team. The innovations will be explained at a total of 24 workshops and key industry issues such as the new ISO standard will also be discussed. To obtain details of the program and register, go to: www.Prinect-Anwendertage.org