04.29.16
In a recent addition to its e-book series, EFI has listed and described its top ten reasons for investing in an automated workflow solution. They are:
1. Reduction of manual touchpoints
• A manual touchpoint has an administrative cost associated with it as well as chances for error.
• Each manual touchpoint requires people and time to rekey information, create job jackets, preflght files and more.
• Streamlining your workflow with automated processes reduce manual touchpoints and eliminate the chance for
errors.
• Workflow standardization immediately cuts down on administrative time required to handle each type of job,
getting jobs into production quicker and with less cost.
2. Cost reduction
• Manual touchpoints require people, time and have the potential for errors incurring costs.
• Automation of manual touchpoints can:
- Controls costs by reducing manual operations.
- Reduce common bottlenecks including proofing, job estimation, preflighting and order entry.
- Increase capacity, throughput and on-time delivery.
- Reduce the chance for error by eliminating the need for double entry.
3. Accurate information management
• Notes on paper, spreadsheets and other standalone systems for storing information will slow your business down.
• With a streamlined automated process, orders to fl ow through your shop seamlessly, with minimal manual
intervention with a central data location.
• With an integrated workfl ow, managers can pull data including sales trends, inventory levels, staff productivity,
customer order history, storefront activity, shipping and more to get greater insight into your company.
• With an automated integrated end-to-end workflow, managers can immediately identify and address bottlenecks,
along with how and why delays occur.
4. Faster throughput
• Today, customers typically want more speed and less cost, whether it’s 100 labels or a half-dozen editions of
1,000 books with different page dimensions — by tomorrow, wait... yesterday.
• Automation can reduce time-consuming processes associated with job ticketing, imposition and routing that
continue to require involvement throughout the production process.
• An end-to-end automated workflow can increase throughput without increasing costs – on your existing
equipment with your existing staff.
5. Reduction of errors
• Customers are constantly looking for partners who can guarantee the best service possible.
• A key part of customer service is making sure that jobs are received, produced and delivered with little to no errors
or delays.
• As deadlines become shorter, ensuring that print jobs are produced and delivered without error becomes more of
a challenge—particularly when manual touchpoints are involved.
• Eliminating human intervention where possible not only reduces cost, but reduces the amount of errors and
mistakes.
6. Put small jobs on autopilot
• Automation makes short runs more practical, easier to manage and efficient to produce.
• While some complex jobs demand manual intervention, many jobs can be produced more efficiently and
eff ectively using automation.
• Automation can make jobs with a repeatable pattern or template more efficient by decreasing production time
with minimal costs to maintain healthy profit margins.
• The time savings achieved through automation allows for a better utilization of employees throughout the entire
organization.
7. Trackability and communication
• Automation enables real-time tracking of jobs throughout the production cycle.
• Shop communication is drastically improved with end-to-end automated workflows enabling visibility and
improving customer service.
• Automated workfl ows create visibility enabling customer service team members to know exactly where their job is
at all times throughout the plant without physically leaving their desks.
8. Better billing and invoicing
• With a streamlined automated process, orders to fl ow through your shop seamlessly, with minimal manual
intervention with a central data location empowering:
- Reduced ship to bill cycle resulting in greater cash flow
- Improved visibility
- Reduced administration time
- Easy recuperation of additional costs (AAs)
9. Addition of new services
• Automating print production can drastically reduce production costs and open up new business opportunities.
• Services such as Web-to-Print, can provide the starting point for automating order entry and preflighting to ensure
fi les are print-ready.
• Whether it is adding QR codes or creating a cross media campaign with personalized landing pages (PURLs) to
compliment a printed piece, automated workflow solutions empower you to spend time focusing on the value-added
service offerings while jobs are running smoothly in the background.
10. Visibility
• Greater clarity enables managers to identify issues, enhance efficiency, prevent errors and make informed data-driven
decisions.
• With a single comprehensive data source for production data to reside automatically in real time, managers will
have immediate visibility to:
- Proactively plan
- Decrease waste
- Optimize production process control and capacity utilization
To read the complete e-book, click here.
1. Reduction of manual touchpoints
• A manual touchpoint has an administrative cost associated with it as well as chances for error.
• Each manual touchpoint requires people and time to rekey information, create job jackets, preflght files and more.
• Streamlining your workflow with automated processes reduce manual touchpoints and eliminate the chance for
errors.
• Workflow standardization immediately cuts down on administrative time required to handle each type of job,
getting jobs into production quicker and with less cost.
2. Cost reduction
• Manual touchpoints require people, time and have the potential for errors incurring costs.
• Automation of manual touchpoints can:
- Controls costs by reducing manual operations.
- Reduce common bottlenecks including proofing, job estimation, preflighting and order entry.
- Increase capacity, throughput and on-time delivery.
- Reduce the chance for error by eliminating the need for double entry.
3. Accurate information management
• Notes on paper, spreadsheets and other standalone systems for storing information will slow your business down.
• With a streamlined automated process, orders to fl ow through your shop seamlessly, with minimal manual
intervention with a central data location.
• With an integrated workfl ow, managers can pull data including sales trends, inventory levels, staff productivity,
customer order history, storefront activity, shipping and more to get greater insight into your company.
• With an automated integrated end-to-end workflow, managers can immediately identify and address bottlenecks,
along with how and why delays occur.
4. Faster throughput
• Today, customers typically want more speed and less cost, whether it’s 100 labels or a half-dozen editions of
1,000 books with different page dimensions — by tomorrow, wait... yesterday.
• Automation can reduce time-consuming processes associated with job ticketing, imposition and routing that
continue to require involvement throughout the production process.
• An end-to-end automated workflow can increase throughput without increasing costs – on your existing
equipment with your existing staff.
5. Reduction of errors
• Customers are constantly looking for partners who can guarantee the best service possible.
• A key part of customer service is making sure that jobs are received, produced and delivered with little to no errors
or delays.
• As deadlines become shorter, ensuring that print jobs are produced and delivered without error becomes more of
a challenge—particularly when manual touchpoints are involved.
• Eliminating human intervention where possible not only reduces cost, but reduces the amount of errors and
mistakes.
6. Put small jobs on autopilot
• Automation makes short runs more practical, easier to manage and efficient to produce.
• While some complex jobs demand manual intervention, many jobs can be produced more efficiently and
eff ectively using automation.
• Automation can make jobs with a repeatable pattern or template more efficient by decreasing production time
with minimal costs to maintain healthy profit margins.
• The time savings achieved through automation allows for a better utilization of employees throughout the entire
organization.
7. Trackability and communication
• Automation enables real-time tracking of jobs throughout the production cycle.
• Shop communication is drastically improved with end-to-end automated workflows enabling visibility and
improving customer service.
• Automated workfl ows create visibility enabling customer service team members to know exactly where their job is
at all times throughout the plant without physically leaving their desks.
8. Better billing and invoicing
• With a streamlined automated process, orders to fl ow through your shop seamlessly, with minimal manual
intervention with a central data location empowering:
- Reduced ship to bill cycle resulting in greater cash flow
- Improved visibility
- Reduced administration time
- Easy recuperation of additional costs (AAs)
9. Addition of new services
• Automating print production can drastically reduce production costs and open up new business opportunities.
• Services such as Web-to-Print, can provide the starting point for automating order entry and preflighting to ensure
fi les are print-ready.
• Whether it is adding QR codes or creating a cross media campaign with personalized landing pages (PURLs) to
compliment a printed piece, automated workflow solutions empower you to spend time focusing on the value-added
service offerings while jobs are running smoothly in the background.
10. Visibility
• Greater clarity enables managers to identify issues, enhance efficiency, prevent errors and make informed data-driven
decisions.
• With a single comprehensive data source for production data to reside automatically in real time, managers will
have immediate visibility to:
- Proactively plan
- Decrease waste
- Optimize production process control and capacity utilization
To read the complete e-book, click here.