Achieving a streamlined, efficient workflow is possible with Corbus as your conductor

In the dynamic landscape of print production, streamlining processes is crucial. Prepress workflow integration plays a pivotal role in streamlining.

Prepress workflow integration is essential in enhancing efficiency, reducing turnaround times, and ensuring seamless communication across departments with better decision-making across the enterprise. These integrations involve connecting various components within the prepress workflow, including systems such as ERPs, CRMs, design software, proofing tools, color management systems and printing devices.

The benefits of prepress integrations are efficiency, quality control, time savings and cost reduction. Automation in workflows equates to a streamlined process, reduced manual steps, faster turnaround time, reduction in waste and increase in printing jobs.

Approach workflow integration as if it were four movements in a symphony.

Symphonies are comprised of four parts, or movements, which can readily apply to the four milestones in prepress system integration which are discussed in the balance of this article:

• Sonata (or Allegro), which is the quick, up-tempo work of Requirements.
• Adante (or Adagio), which is the slower, more deliberate task of ensuring Data Consistency.
• Minuet (or Scherzo), which is the delicate balance of Security and Risk Management and productivity.
• Finale, which coalesces the integration work to Training.

Requirements: Consider the functional and nonfunctional

Defining and documenting functional and nonfunctional requirements ensures system architectures are created properly. A complete overhead view of the integration pattern emerges when these are properly defined.

• Functional requirements in prepress are file format compatibilities, preflight checks, color management, proofing, and position. These are like the instruments in the orchestra.
• Nonfunctional requirements are equally crucial for success—much like the score and the conductor. They are the quality attributes of a system and play a critical role in shaping the overall system behavior.

To help understand the difference, consider something as simple as record count. Displaying a record count in a chart or on a screen is a functional requirement. But when defining how often this count needs refreshed is a non-functional requirement.

Data Consistency: Ensuring perfect harmony in your system

Real-time automated workflows can help reduce errors and save cost. Some industry experts estimate operating costs can be reduced by 90% per year with automation.

Workflow integration ensures data from multiple sources is harmonized, creating a single version of truth. Integration also ensures the quality and consistency of the data to be usable across various systems, devices and applications. It is crucial, particularly if you choose real-time automation, to ensure data remains the same and aligns with the rules and standard of your organization.

Security and Risk Management: Safeguard the data and your reputation

As prepress workflows become more interconnected in your environment, security is non-negotiable. Investing in robust security measures to protect sensitive data is paramount to protecting your data, your customers’ data and your reputation as a trusted partner. As you Consider using secure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), encryption and access controls – balancing the need to mitigate risk with the necessity of getting work done.

• Secure APIs will serve as a link between different systems. Ensuring their security is crucial because they expose endpoints for data exchange.
• Encryption safeguards data by converting it into an unreadable format. It’s essential for protecting sensitive information like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
• Access controls define who accesses the resources within your systems. Keep in mind, when integrating workflows, ensure system accounts have minimum access to help prevent unauthorized access and maintain data integrity.

Training: Guide your teams to a harmonious, streamlined delivery

In our experience, we have seen organizations plan and implement even the most complicated of workflow integrations, only to fail at effectively onboarding teams to the vision and workings of the new workflow. This is like asking your orchestra to perform a symphony flawlessly without sharing the score or rehearsing.

Bring your teams along in the process, make sure they understand the functionality of the system, data standards, security protocols and their role in delivering efficient, error-free work. Schedule a series of onboarding and training sessions to ensure they are in-tune with the system—and can perform as harmonious symphony orchestra.

Connect All System Components in Prepress Workflow

Form strategic partnerships with integration virtuosos

When performing any integration, it is best to collaborate with consultants, systems integrators and technology providers – your integration virtuosos. These partners will have integration expertise and domain knowledge to customize your system integration that will deliver efficient workflows, improved print production and better customer experiences.

Our team of experts—with a blend of IT, project management and printing and prepress experience—can help define your integration vision and orchestrate these partnerships for a symphony of technology, functionality and efficiency.

Need help conducting your prepress workflow integration? Start with a conversation with a Corbus Service Specialist at our solutions portal, Corbus Compass. They’ll put you in touch with the right team of experts.

A final note: Look to the future while planning your workflow integration

Don’t settle on today’s technology. Look ahead to emerging trends and technologies in prepress integrations. Two emerging technologies are AI and Cloud-Based Collaboration.

• AI driven preflight software can identify and rectify errors, adding more time saving and cost reduction to your automated processes.
• Cloud-Based Collaboration enables teams to seamlessly work together while continuing to enhance efficiencies. These tools can facilitate real time communication among designers, customers and prepress technicians.

We welcome a conversation to help you plan for future efficiencies while streamlining today’s workflows. Reach out to our experts via Corbus Compass. They’re ready to hear about your vision for a harmonious integration.