Workflow/MIS Product Trail

28 April 2010

MIS is a key enabler for print businesses to operate effectively and help provide excellent service. In the current business climate good decision making is vital, a simple error may lose a job and lack of control may jeopardise the whole company. The Workflow/MIS Product Trail will help you identify the best opportunities for your company - pick up your copy at IPEX.

A print MIS is a computerised control system that holds a detailed record of the resources, performance data of these resources and an archive of the activities undertaken. It will analyse a great deal of data from across the company -- and suppliers and customers -- then provide information for company personnel and managers. These may be an estimate, an order confirmation, a schedule, an invoice or a raft of reports. There has been a great deal of work to make these systems useful and easy to use, with particular emphasis on helping to make the administration more efficient and provide management tools to improve production performance.

While perhaps not the sexiest function in print it is probably one of the most important. Without the right timely information companies make poor decisions, on pricing and the allocation of resources and these can be disastrous for a company if it gets them wrong. This is particularly true in the current economic situation where margins are tight and printers have to fight for each job. Most medium to large print suppliers depend on their MIS to handle their administration and production functions. Managing the detailed minutiae is one of the key roles for a successful job, with design and origination from an incredibly wide variety of sources. Printers have developed specialist tools to record and track all of the necessary information associated with the jobs, from an enquiry to delivery and this will be archived for potential future use.

All print suppliers have to juggle an ever-increasing workload of data and customer requirements in their daily operations. As run lengths drop and customers demand faster turnround more jobs have to be turned round in less time to obtain the same level of sales. If an estimate is not turned round quickly the job may go the competition. If account handlers cannot keep on top of the jobs schedules may slip as a file is not received, a proof turned round and approval delayed. The individual is forced to work for longer hours in fire-fighting mode, reacting rather than being proactive to stop situations developing that may become problematic. This means an efficient production schedule is impossible to maintain and the situation of having to run expensive overtime working to meet a deadline while a press stands in planned time may arise. Printers know that customers do not always provide the correct files in good time, but being unable to examine and preflight a job when it arrives makes it difficult to respond in a positive way when the file is found to be defective a couple of days later. Customers do not respond well to perceptions of poor service and unnecessary delays and will move jobs to proven suppliers who can handle their requirements.

Computerised management information systems are widely used to control the internal workings of print companies. They help boost administration productivity and hence the efficiency of the plant, as well as providing information to aid decision making. A good MIS will process vast amounts of data into information useful for decision making by the sales, planning and production staff. It should provide specific information and detailed instructions on a job and then be able to report on progress and performance, helping identify trends and aid management.

An MIS can use the raw data to run "What-if" scenarios to aid more informed decision making, eg the effect on sales that a price change would have or the introduction of new piece of equipment or method of working. In measuring performance a set of measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) can be monitored, allowing quantitative judgment of equipment, a department, a customer or a job. Continuous tracking of performance will yield trends and allow all participants to track the progress of the company. Improved reporting of business processes should lead to higher efficiencies, and will let a company improve the management of the supply chain from raw materials to manufacturing and distribution and servicing customers better.

Definitions and Acronyms

Source: Smithers Pira

The printing industry first adopted these systems in the late 1980s, using a variety of specialist software suppliers to provide management tools. Many of these suppliers developed from in-house developments that were spun off. The particular requirements of printing -- a batch manufacturing process involving many inputs and production stages -- can be quite complex. The early suppliers were specialists to the print industry, creating computerised estimating and costing systems to handle the requirements of individual print businesses. These provided benefits and many larger printers accepted the high cost and often drawn-out implementation plans that were necessary then. It was the larger printers that both needed and could afford systems, but their complexity lead to a raft of very different solutions being available.

The capabilities improved as computer networks became more powerful and software functionality and reliability improved. Printers could buy specialist modules to help the various facets of their businesses: raw material purchasing; stock control; production planning and scheduling; finance functions; tracking customers and leads. Shop floor data collection systems allowed automatic real-time monitoring of machinery activity, from prepress to the bindery. Tools to allow management control became easier to use and easy to justify financially.

Each of the available modules was developing, becoming useful tools for the business to control itself. Then the Internet arrived and that is still playing out with the requirement for real-time information exchange not only within the confines of a printing plant but to share this information with customers, suppliers and partners. This suddenly becomes an order of magnitude more difficult to accomplish. Each module has to be able to communicate not only with sister modules, but with a myriad of other systems. Early integrators provided links into specific systems, often at great cost and time, to allow suppliers to link in to their larger customers. These integrations are fraught with difficulty as there is far more to consider than a simple mapping of like-for-like fields across two databases. Early pioneers had degrees of success but quickly faced the prospect of very high-cost duplicate activity to link with another system. When the customer is large and security-conscious, such as a financial institution, the costs of compliance can outweigh the benefit of the business. The solution to the problem of developing compatible systems lay in the adoption of a standard method for all systems to comply with, so making integration a more straightforward process through use of JDF compatible equipment.

The Job Description Format, JDF, is becoming the de-facto standard that can define the job specification and then link and refer files to an MIS and multiple production devices. JDF describes the intent of a printed item, as well as each process step required in production. It can be used as a self-directed electronic job jacket that holds not only the job content, but also the process instructions. These can interact with JDF-enabled devices, routing the job through each workflow step from creation to final print production for greater automation, speed, cost efficiency, and ease of use. More equipment is designed to be JDF compatible and can be integrated into a system to streamline print production. JDF-enabled MIS can facilitate estimating and materials ordering and interface with other databases such as CRM software and supply chain information.

The majority of MIS installations are of products specific to the printing/graphic arts industry. These come from dedicated software houses, now with much experience in printing, and a list of leading suppliers exhibiting at IPEX is presented at the end of the article. These companies have developed specialist software to help management run printing companies effectively. Most offer a range of scalable modules for specific parts of a print business. Users select the modules they require (often after a major consultation process) and implement them with plant-specific production statistics and cost information.

The range of modules that are available in a print MIS broadly encompass the following functions:

Administration / Customer Services

Features that support the administration function, specifying and defining a job and ensuring that all the elements and production resources are available when needed to meet the delivery date.

• job specification and job planning
• request for quotation
• estimating
• works instructions/job bags
• job costing and invoicing
• order processing

Financial reporting

Used to quantify all aspects of print production, to provide the data in financial terms. Ideally there will be forecasts and comparisons with actual results to monitor the organisation performance, to get the maximum benefit the results should be widely shared across the organisations. Useful functions are:

• costing and budgeted hourly rates
• multi-divisional accounting
• accounts or accounting link
• accounts receivable
• accounts payable
• general ledger
• nominal ledger
• inventory management
• payroll/personnel

Purchasing

Handling the buying function for materials, and increasingly services, that are required in an individual printing project and the whole operation. Purchase functions include:

• vendor qualification
• purchase orders
• purchase ledger
• links to supplier systems
• materials
• outwork
• services

Sales and Marketing

Increasingly the MIS and workflow systems are being used to support the sales and marketing functions, aiding revenue generation as well as helping internal efficiencies. Functions include:

• request for quotation
• contact management, CRM (customer relationship management) capability
• order entry
• pricing targets
• links to customer system
• sales analysis
• sales ledger
• sales management and marketing
• Web-to-Print, dynamic and stock items
• "Social Networking" Capability

Production

Still the basis of much MIS function is controlling the internal efficiencies of print production, including:

• production control
• stock control
• planning and scheduling
• job tickets
• time and cost
• file receipt and preflight checking
• automation of press-ready file preparation
• PDF workflow tools
• machine and activity loading
• direct machine interface and shop floor data collection
• external outwork control
• finished goods
• inventory control
• warehousing
• dispatch
• shipping

MIS functions

As well as specific functions the MIS will provide generic capabilities, including:

• security and access control
• performance reporting, comparison of estimate and actual
• management reports
• KPIs (key performance indicators) by machine, by department
• executive information system (overall performance)

The best system for any business is the one that accomplishes the required tasks for that business. When considering an MIS and reasonably high-tech installations project planning really is key to a successful installation. The business process may have to change during the implementation, changing people's jobs and tasks, typically the most difficult change to manage. When deciding on a system, do not underestimate the costs and time for the implementation.

In addition to helping maximise production efficiencies internally, the role of systems has developed. The way these have changed, particularly over the last couple of years, is that an MIS is no longer a standalone tool used within a print company. Increasingly the MIS will be part of a wider system allowing fast access for remote sales staff, customers and suppliers, with e-commerce providing interactivity.

Generally there is a specialist relational database containing customer data, the production capability, outworking and materials for a company. There are many types available, from very low-priced estimating aids through to very complex systems with bespoke hardware and software for large multi-site organisations that involve long implementation periods and significant cost. For printers, utilising a successful MIS involves operating the system across all facets of their organisation. It is necessary for users to manage their systems to improve performance (of both system and company) and keep the information current. Most systems will integrate well into Microsoft Office, allowing users to link with task lists and contacts on their PC or mobile device, producing tailored Word documents that can be emailed from specific sales or account managers. The other trend that is occurring is a move toward specialist hosted services. These will boost the take-up of systems by smaller companies who do not have to worry about the management of hardware and gain the benefit of guaranteed service provision and high levels of functionality. The early models offer sophisticated estimating but still need to be integrated with the internal equipment and systems.

All too often poor performance of MIS flows from poor management of the system. If a company wants to obtain the potential benefits of a system it is necessary to follow the discipline of ensuring the system is kept up-to-date. Experience shows that when customer service personnel keep separate personal Excel files as reminders the systems lack the up to the minute information that is useful to be shared across the organisation.

The range of MIS features in wide use has broadened from estimating and costing, to include production control, scheduling, sales and marketing aids. The trend is now firmly towards total end-to-end capability throughout the business with the latest offerings providing direct access to customers, suppliers and sister organisations. These can provide remote access across the web of the systems often interactively through real-time queries on all aspects of the print supply chain. Companies use MIS to collect and analyse internal data in order to manage the business better. Leading exponents are broadening the functions, with an internet presence helping obtain and manage customers. As ever, print operations will work to provide their customers with best service and avoid competition. There will be more web-to-print capability to make it quick and simple to place orders. Most systems are providing JDF capabilities (although not all have widespread use at customers), with many offering dashboard capabilities to provide top-level analysis. The understanding that it is necessary to implement a true end-to-end capability for maximum benefit is growing and there are now systems available that provide the benefits.

For your complete guide to Workflow/MIS, look out for the special Workflow/MIS Product Trail at IPEX, published by Smithers Pira. This handy IPEX guide includes a complete floor plan for all Workflow/MIS exhibitors, and in-depth features on technology forecasts and innovations to watch. To advertise call Bill Allen on +44 (0) 1372 802 086, or contact us online