We spend a lot of time and effort procuring print software (print MIS/ERP, production workflow, web-to-print). When large investments are in play it’s not hard to justify the effort. I think the other reason we spend so much time buying print software solutions is because the safest and most common place to point the blame for failed print software implementations is “bought wrong solution.” I find this reason to be rare.

In fact, I really don’t see this often at all. There is one that comes to mind; long-run offset printers who buy a web-to-print solution that was really built for short-run digital print-on-demand. The product workflows supported in the web-to-print are totally incongruent with the long-run offset printer. There is essentially no overlap between how the offset printer engages with their customers (sales representatives, complicated estimates, complex pre-press) to the web-to-print (self-service, ad hoc printing, automated preflight, price list pricing). I used to see this more often, luckily I am seeing it less and less.

Choosing the right print software product is important, the product selection is rarely the primary reason for failed print software implementations.