　　Computers, electronic job ticketing, digital output and workflow. It is all just so much binary bamboozling. Or should that be binary boozing? Truly, the relentless onslaught of techno-wizardry could turn you to drink, particularly in a Drupa year. This year new technology investments especially for workflow will be on everyone's agenda, not least because somehow the two week expo-thon that is Drupa must be paid for.
　　This will be a spending year technology is so very seductive and few printers can resist its charms forever. With platesetters, digital presses, proofers, copydot scanners and the like return on investment is tangible, so investing is easy. But with workflow, nailing down the investment return is not quite so simple. It is especially tricky where humans are the primary workflow management and processing system. Workflow automation and JDF require machines as well as people, and both should be every printer's priority. Workflow automation does not have to cost a fortune and for small companies it is not so much about technology as it is about effective process management. When it comes to change the scary part comes way before the actual purchase of new equipment.
　　Most of the reason for trying to improve a workflow is growth, either to support a business as it expands or to allow the business to expand. A company's basic organisation needs to serve customers efficiently and cost effectively.
　　The biggest limitation
　　Probably the biggest limitation to any small business is an excess of personally designed systems, such as filing systems that do not make sense to anyone except the receptionist, or software set ups with highly specific defaults that only suit one user. For a workflow to function effectively it has to be as generic and impersonal as possible, with clear definitions for job functions and production tasks.
　　Start any change to the workflow with a review of jobs and personnel, and try to quantify operator knowledge and experience. Not only will this give employees a chance to perhaps change their job descriptions, it will also help identify any training requirements.
　　Existing infrastructures
　　Next evaluate existing computing and network infrastructures. Check network, processor and hard drive capacity, the number of active files, applications and frequency of use, and catalogue all inputs and outputs. If ISDN is the only file delivery option, upgrade it along with e-mail, databases and file servers, documenting everything as you go. Make sure software upgrade paths are available, and that all software meets customer requirements.
　　Customer habits are key to any workflow review: they are the reason for improving workflows in the first place. Customer training and support will be needed as well as employee training, and combining the two encourages good customer relations and positive attitudes.
　　Organisation and method underlie good workflow management. Adding technology for automation is the next step. In the UK there are several companies specialising in prepress workflows, but for small businesses it is best to work with a company that understands the business and with whom staff feel comfortable. Support has to be paid for so include it in the investment budget, along with funds for upgrades and a growth path.
　　Integration with other business systems is key to any new workflow technology and ideally integration extends to customers' systems. Building cooperative systems can help point towards new business opportunities, and help lay the foundation for them. Making sure that everything plays together nicely is also a good means of identifying other equipment investment needs, and can provide the skeleton of an implementation plan.
　　There are about as many approaches to workflow management as there are companies, but most production workflow management systems are built around the Rip, or a server that controls raster image processing. Adobe and Global Graphics dominate the Rip technology business, with PostScript language interpreters capable of processing raster data from the most basic data files through to the most complex. Both companies supply technology to a wide range of prepress manufacturers and developers. Global Graphics is a purely Oem supplier but has shown rather more interest in the business of workflow and data processing for printing and publishing than Adobe. These days Adobe is more concerned with populating the world with its application software.
　　Rigorous system audit
　　Global Graphics printing software underlies HP's front end systems for the Indigo presses and the company's Jaws PDF library provides Quark with the means to process PDF output files. Jaws is also used in XPress 6.0 for EPS previewing. Global Graphics technology is also used by over 30 developers including AB Dick, Agfa, ArtQuest, Esko-Graphics, Heidelberg, KPG, Onyx, Rampage, RealTimeImage, Screen, Xitron, and many others.
　　Choosing the right technology depends entirely on the outcome of a rigorous system audit and workflow analysis. It is a good idea to use an outside consulting company to do this, but make sure to avoid high ticket management consultants whose knowledge of prepress and printing extends to ordering stationery. Armed with the technology requirement and a sound implementation plan contact a prepress distributor specialised in prepress. There are several in the UK well worth talking to.
　　Preferred applications
　　Marlowe Graphic Services supplies Print Centre Lite for £3,995. It comprises various workflow management modules for managing the server, plus queue, file and system configuration tools. Print Centre is basically a Windows NT server set up to manage prepress applications, taking care of file and device management, file routing and output. It operates as a local infrastructure within which a user can work with his preferred applications for layout, preflighting, imposition, proofing and so on. MGS has partnered with the likes of EnFocus and Global Graphics to strengthen its offering and also developed a series of its own modules. Altogether this puts the company in a strong position, with substantial experience in implementing digital solutions.
　　Apex Digital Graphics has developed a workflow system for small businesses based on the Compose! Express workflow technology (itself a Global Graphics implementation). This system is designed specifically for the two-up sector and will support both PDF and raster workflows. It runs under Windows to manage input and output spooling, file queuing and management and Apex has developed a series of modules to handle specific tasks such as imposition, trapping, proofing and remote output including web-based file management.
　　One of the attractions of this type of base technology is that the user can grow with the system, building up experience and confidence in working digitally without the risk of getting overwhelmed by too much sophisticated technology.
　　Do not forget the Brunner 80/20 rule: 80% of software operators use 20% of a given software's capability. Make sure you are using 100% before you upgrade.
　　Workflow management tools
　　NCS distributes Creo technologies including workflow management tools. Brisque Access for example is an entry level single CPU Brisque Rip for driving four- and eight-up engines. Prinergy Access is similarly positioned to support a PDF based workflow. Creo developed the Mac-based PS/M Rip. Version 8 was recently introduced running under OS X and supporting transparency flattening for PDF Ripping, and PDF/X-1a through incorporation of Creo's PDF2Go technology.
　　At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the importance of Job Definition Format cannot be understated. Even if it is only to get operators to be aware of what the initials stand for, any workflow system needs to reflect the concepts inherent to JDF.
　　The most important of these is the fact that workflow systems should be set up to maximise file and data sharing. All of the major Rip and workflow system companies are working on solutions to provide JDF compatibility. Much of this is modular and suitable for entry level workflow management.
　　Agfa's Apogee Series 3 is JDF compliant reading and writing JDF commands, via Print Job Ticket Format. Apogee X however uses JDF commands along with a job database and XML. Although this might sound a bit overwhelming for the novice user, Apogee's complexities are Agfa's problem, not the operator's. One of the attractions of working with Apogee is the Delano order management system that works alongside the business management system. It is still early days for Delano, but order and project management tools could be a good digital starting point.
　　It is more about people
　　In a small business, workflow management actually has very little to do with technology. It is more about people and task management than anything else, and this generally comes down to defining procedures and processes.