Lisle, IL – October 4, 2004 – DiMS! organizing print, leading supplier of Management Information Solutions for the printing and packaging industry, will present its new 640 software release to the US market at this year’s Graph Expo. Debuting at Drupa 2004, the key enhancements to DiMS!’ integrated ERP-print management system include: extended enterprise functionalities, robust contract invoicing features, and a streamlined estimation desktop. DiMS! will also feature a robust, bidirectional JDF interface between its MIS and Creo’s Synapse Link/Prinergy prepress workflow system. The enhancements in DiMS! 640 will enable mid- to large-sized printing companies to increase business efficiencies through streamlined processes at an enterprise-wide level. The company will present live demonstrations of the software on the show floor at Booth #4417. Key Functionalities in Release 640 DiMS! is a Web-enabled software package that integrates the complete range of printing and administrative processes. Specially suited to print and packaging companies with multiple plants and mixed printing environments, DiMS! provides unprecedented end-to-end integration resulting in reduced operational costs, improved efficiency and throughput, and increased profitability. The new enhancements in Release 640 bolster DiMS!’ strength as a leading ERP solution for mid to large print and packaging companies. Enterprise Financial Structure The highlight of DiMS! 640 is its extended enterprise functionality. Adding to the existing enterprise-focused structure, which encompasses the breadth of processes (such as enterprise planning, production, purchasing and inventory management, and accounting) across multiple plants, divisions and even international borders, the new release offers a simple way in which to manage complex, often disparate financial transactions across the entire organization. It includes a new setup table enabling the user to link profit centers, company profiles and financial companies to each other. In multifaceted transactions involving multiple plants, contact persons, shipping addresses, or inventory items (such as changes in stock quantities or prices), the appropriate information will be extracted and linked to the relevant profit center. In addition, profit & loss sheets can be split for several profit centers within one company. Contract Invoicing Leveraging economies of scale, many large companies utilize pricing contracts in order to effectively manage their long-term relationships and overall spends. With DiMS!’ contract invoicing functionality, fixed price ranges can be linked to product components, semi-products or end products in specifically drawn up contracts. When generating the invoice, you can select those components and products for which pricing contracts are applicable, and their relevant quantities, after which the agreed upon contract prices are calculated automatically. This ensures strict compliance with contractual terms. During billing, it is also possible to generate an invoice appendix (or Contract Invoice) containing elements from the contract, agreed prices and validity periods, for easy reference and quick retrieval of terms. Estimation Desktop The Estimation Desktop is a tool for managing complex alternative estimates including sales prices in a project. It enables the user to make cost summaries of the cost kinds. This feature also makes it possible to view the price-building process in several succinct ways (i.e., per Process Step Object (PSO) or group per type), in addition to determining the sales price, which can be saved in the database. Streamlining the estimating process, the Estimation Desktop gives the user the possibility to copy the complete estimation of an indiscriminate alternative or an indiscriminate project. In other words, rather than reinventing the wheel for each complex estimate, the user can create a template estimate from any "alternative" and copy that to other projects, while only then changing the required variables. Other Features and Enhancements Release 640 also includes the use of “Favorites” in order to gain quicker access to desired information, in addition to a PapiNet interface that supports versions 1.1 and 2.1 of the global standard governing the flow of information among the parties engaged in the buying, selling, and distribution of forest, paper and wood products. JDF Interface Between DiMS! and Creo’s Prepress Workflow System DiMS! and Creo have collaborated to achieve a seamless, bidirectional interface utilizing the JDF standard. This working integration will be on display at Graph Expo in DiMS!’ booth, #4417. How it works... Creo’s prepress workflow system runs on a Prinergy server and Synapse Link software, which receives messages about prepress events and runs reports showing the usage of prepress material and resources. These reports give real-time information about the materials and resources that have been used on particular jobs. By integrating the prepress system with the MIS system, an automated exchange of production data and job status information is created between the two systems. Powered by the JDF interface between DiMS! and Creo’s Prinergy system, when a production job is created in DiMS!, all relevant details about the job status are automatically sent to Creo’s Prinergy server, so that the same job is recorded in the prepress system. Once complete, DiMS! receives an acceptance message from Prinergy. The change of status is also correspondingly registered in the existing iDiMS! Today workflow page. This robust, two-way messaging interface between the DiMS! Management Information Solution and Creo’s Prinergy prepress workflow system is but one example of the streamlined processes printers can achieve through JDF integration. Schedule a DiMS! demonstration at Graph Expo, Booth #4417 To schedule an appointment for a demonstration of DiMS! at Graph Expo, or for more information, call +1 630.649.7888, e-mail to [email protected], or visit our Web site at www.dims.net.