All important technical terms relating to web-to-print, print MIS, closed shop and printing software – explained in a compact and understandable way.
Order processing includes all processes from order acceptance through production to delivery and invoicing. In modern printing companies, this process is increasingly carried out by specialists Printing software automated to minimize errors and shorten lead times.
Print shop automation refers to the technical control and handling of printing processes without or with minimal manual intervention. This includes areas such as automatic order acceptance from shop systems, document creation, preflight checks and handover to production systems. See also: Workflow automation with PrintDesk.
An interface through which software systems communicate with each other. In the web-to-print context, APIs enable the connection of shop systems (WooCommerce, Shopify) with production software or print MIS systems. PrintDesk offers REST API interfaces for integrating external systems.
A B2B print shop is aimed exclusively at business customers (companies, corporations, agencies) rather than private individuals. Typical features: Login requirement, individual price lists, budget controls, role concepts and brand-specific ordering portals. Related to: Closed shop solution.
A brand portal is a central digital platform through which employees or partners can access and order brand-compliant materials (printed matter, templates, logos). It ensures compliance with corporate identity requirements without manual approval processes. More about this: Brand portal for printing companies.
A closed shop is a non-public online print shop that is only accessible to authorized users (e.g. employees of a company). It enables the central management of print orders with defined products, prices and CI-compliant templates. Ideal for corporations, franchise systems and trading companies with branch networks. More about this: Closed shop solution from PrintDesk.
Synonymous with a B2B print shop or closed shop at the corporate level. The Corporate Print Portal centralizes all of a company's print orders, provides brand-appropriate templates and enables budget control at the cost center or branch level.
Generic term for all software solutions that were developed specifically for the operation of a printing company. This includes order and customer management, calculation, document creation, production control and web-to-print functions. Difference to ERP: Printing software is tailored to the specific requirements of the printing industry. More: Printing software from PrintDesk.
Pre-press includes all steps between order receipt and printing: file checking (preflight), color conversion, imposition and creation of print-ready PDFs. Automated prepress is a central element of modern printing Web-to-print solutions.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulates the handling of personal data in the EU. Relevant for printing companies when processing customer data, order histories and personalized print data. PrintDesk is hosted on servers in Germany and is GDPR-compliant.
ERP systems (e.g. SAP, Microsoft Dynamics) are comprehensive business software solutions for finance, production, logistics and human resources. In contrast to a print MIS, ERP systems cover cross-industry processes, but are often too generic for the specific requirements of print shops. More: Print MIS vs. ERP.
The technical connection between an online shop (WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento) and printing software. Through an integration, orders are automatically transferred, product data is synchronized and status reports are played back - without manual data entry. More: Web-to-print integration.
The print calculation calculates the price of a print job based on material costs, makeready times, machine costs, graduated quantities and margin. Errors in manual calculation often lead to losses. Automated calculation in PrintDesk calculates prices based on rules and without errors. More: Calculation with PrintDesk.
The lead time refers to the period between receipt of the order and delivery. By automating order processing and pre-press, print shops can significantly shorten their lead times - a key competitive advantage in the online printing market.
See: Print MIS. An MIS in the printing company context is a specialized information system for managing all printing-relevant data and processes: customers, orders, production, calculation and finances.
An e-commerce shop through which print products can be ordered, configured and paid for online. Online print shops can be operated publicly (open shop) or closed (closed shop) and are connected to the print shop's production software via web-to-print technology. More: Set up an online print shop.
Counterpart to the closed shop: A public online print shop that is accessible to all visitors without a login. Typical for B2C printing companies (Flyeralarm, SAXOPRINT etc.). In the B2B sector, however, closed shops are often preferred.
The automated processing process of PDF print data: from file checking (preflight) through color correction and page rejection to handover to the RIP or printing press. An automated PDF workflow significantly reduces errors in pre-press.
Automatic checking of incoming print data for technical errors: incorrect resolution, missing fonts, RGB colors instead of CMYK, incorrect bleed format. Preflight software prevents incorrect print data from going into production, thereby saving significant costs and time.
A Print MIS is a specialized software solution for printing companies to manage orders, costing, production planning, customers and financial documents. In contrast to general ERP systems, a print MIS is tailored to the specifics of the printing industry: bulk prices, substrate costs, makeready times and complex product configurations. More: Print MIS software from PrintDesk.
Print on demand: Individual copies or small runs are only produced once the order has been received - without storage. Print on demand has become economical thanks to digital printing technology and web-to-print software and is particularly widespread in the e-commerce sector.
ROI measures the profitability of an investment. When adopting web-to-print or print MIS software, the ROI comes from savings through reduced manual work, fewer errors, faster turnaround times and increased order volume. More: Calculate web-to-print ROI.
SaaS software is delivered as a service over the Internet - without local installation. The provider takes care of hosting, updates and security. PrintDesk is a SaaS solution: You use the software browser-based without having to operate your own server.
The technical connection of Shopify shops with printing software. Through a Shopify integration, orders from the Shopify store are automatically transferred to the print MIS or order processing. PrintDesk offers native Shopify integration. More: Connect Shopify with print shop.
Quantity-based pricing: The higher the order quantity, the lower the unit price. Graduated prices are standard in the printing sector and must be displayed correctly in the printing software - both in the shop and in the calculation and on invoices.
Variable data printing is a printing technique in which each printed copy is individually personalized - with a different name, image, offer or QR code. VDP is used in direct marketing, personalized mailings and packaging. More: Variable data printing explained.
Web-to-Print refers to technologies and processes in which print products are ordered online, configured and transferred directly into the production process of a print shop - without any manual intermediate steps. The term includes both B2C online printing and B2B ordering portals Closed shops. Basis for most modern print shops. More: What is Web to Print? and Web-to-print software from PrintDesk.
The automated control of all process steps in a print shop: order acceptance → preflight → prepress → production → delivery → invoicing. Workflow automation significantly reduces processing times, errors and personnel costs. More: Workflow automation with PrintDesk.
WooCommerce is the most used eCommerce plugin for WordPress. Many small and medium-sized printing companies operate their online shops on a WooCommerce basis. PrintDesk offers native WooCommerce integration: orders are automatically imported and further processed as print jobs.
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Web-to-print automation for modern print shops. A product from Druckhaus interactive GmbH.