Web-to-print
Web-to-print refers to production processes for the internet-based transmission or creation of printed matter.
The print products that are created, processed or commissioned using web-to-print are usually standardized - u. a. with regard to the paper format, the number of colors, the number of pages or the layout. In addition to standardization , operation via a web browser by users and the automation of work processes are other important features of web-to-print.
In recent years, other terms have emerged that are used synonymously, including e-business print and online print.
history
The first web-to-print applications and standard solutions were developed in connection with the spread of the Internet and the development of the World Wide Web (WWW) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Applications have been programmed to provide print templates (e.g. business cards) on web servers and have customers fill them with their individual data (e.g. addresses) using web browsers.
Licensee of web-to-print systems
Licensees of web-to-print systems, also called operators, are printing companies, agencies, media service providers or companies from industry, trade, commerce or public institutions. Printing companies, agencies and media service providers can also set up their own closed web portals for their business customers and thus operate several portals in parallel within a web-to-print system. These company areas are also referred to as clients; the systems used must be characterized by multi-client capability .
Areas of application and target groups
The use of web-to-print solutions can be divided into two main areas: closed web portals for companies (closed shops) and open web portals (open shops).
Closed web portals
Closed web portals (closed shops) are set up for certain companies with a closed user group. These portals are implemented in intranet environments, which are characterized by the fact that they are not publicly accessible. The target groups for these web-to-print solutions are in the business area (B2B, business-to-business ).
Open web portals
Open web portals (open shops) are publicly accessible on the Internet. Printed matter can be calculated, ordered, uploaded or customized. The offer is not limited to printed matter in paper form - other printable goods are also offered. The target groups for these web-to-print offers can be found in the business sector (B2B, business-to-business) as well as in the end consumer or private customer sector (B2C, business-to-consumer ).
Web-to-print in the context of media production
The positioning of web-to-print in the context of media production is to be seen in the distinction to individually created printed matter ("classic media production").
Products suitable for web-to-print can be standardized, the processes can be automated and are used or ordered repeatedly. Individually created printed matter, on the other hand, is produced once or rarely over time or is characterized by unique creations and special features. The production processes can e.g. B. due to a high number of participants or complex processes can not be standardized or only with great effort.
Product types in web-to-print portals
- Magazines, newspapers
- Books (especially: photo books)
- Catalogs, price lists
- Technical documentation
- Advertising material (e.g. advertisements, flyers, posters, especially: large format printed matter)
- Business prints (e.g. business cards, letterhead)
- packagings
- Labels
- Promotional items, giveaways (e.g. textiles, ballpoint pens)
- Industrial products (e.g. housewares, furniture, interior design)
Production routes
Submit finished print files
Print documents are created using graphics or design programs (e.g. Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, Adobe Illustrator) and saved in the form of PDF files. These PDF files must contain settings that meet the qualitative requirements of the subsequent printing process (e.g. sufficiently high image resolution, font size). The PDF file is uploaded to the web server in a web-to-print portal and processed from there in further production steps up to the printing process.
Individualization of print templates
Templates are files that are saved on the central web server of a web-to-print system. The templates contain unchangeable (static) and changeable (customizable) elements and must be prepared beforehand in a separate work step in accordance with the system. The users of a web-to-print system call up the templates in the web application in order to individualize or personalize them (for serial documents). The results can be checked by the user during processing and before the final order is placed in a preview that is generated on the web server. The final document version is then converted into a PDF print file on the web server and processed in further production steps until the printing process.
Retrieval of printed matter
When retrieving printed matter via a web portal, a distinction is made between “printing on demand” (POD), in which printed matter is only printed on request (order). On the other hand, printed matter can be ordered from a web portal that has already been pre-produced and retrieved from stock.
Cooperative creation of print documents
Print documents are created cooperatively if they are made available centrally on a web server and, using the functionality of a web-to-print system, are cooperatively created, edited or commented on for the purpose of correction by several users.
Automatic creation of print documents
For the automated creation of a print document (e.g. product catalog), a print template with layout objects (text, image) is first created. In a next step, the individual layout objects (e.g. product headings) of the print template are linked with the structural elements of a data source (e.g. product information database). A data structure element (e.g. product description) is assigned to each layout object of the template (e.g. product heading). Finally, the print document is created by automatically merging the print template with the content of the data source. A common term used synonymously for this production method is " Database Publishing ".
Examples
- Open print shops for standard print products, such as B. business cards or flyers, with calculation, ordering and uploading of finished print files.
- Advertising material portals of industrial companies whose branches or branches can access, individualize and order central corporate design-compliant advertising material templates (e.g. advertisements or posters) via log-in.
- Creation of editorial products, such as newspapers or magazines, in which several text and image editors and layouters work together on a document.
- Translating a product brochure into several languages, with the language documents being provided centrally and translated by the translators in the respective countries. The translators have direct control of the layout in an updatable preview.
- Creation of an extensive product catalog with several hundred pages based on product data that is managed by means of product information management.
Functions of a web-to-print system
The following functions can be integrated within a web-to-print system, available as a module or external system:
- Planning, management and control of orders, projects and budgets
- Image or media database
- Product information database
- Web content management system
- Customer database (CRM, Customer Relationship Management)
- Template customization
- Personalization of serial documents (e.g. mailings)
- Print file upload, if necessary with data check
- Automated document creation (database publishing)
- Translation management
- Comment and note functions (for cooperative correction processes)
- E-shop as an order platform with print calculations, payment and shipping methods, creation of business documents
- Compilation of print documents as a collective form for printing
- Media booking for advertising material (advertisements, posters, online banners)
- Evaluations, statistics and reports on users and activities
Advantages and disadvantages
advantages
- It is operated using a web browser, which means that there are no costs for software installations.
- Corporate design elements cannot be changed in the templates, which supports the branding of companies.
- Reducing costs through repeated use of templates and saving agency, prepress and creative services.
- Time savings result from automated processes when creating PDF files, preparing documents and sending e-mail notifications.
- Faster production and provision of marketing materials with up-to-date information, thereby increasing competitiveness.
- Version security and saving of search times through central access to data and documents.
- 24-hour access to the service of the web-to-print portal and thus independence from time zones and people.
- Reduction of storage costs through production on demand (English on-demand production).
- Development of new customer groups for print and media service providers through innovative web-to-print offers.
- Favorable framework agreements for customers of printing companies through web-to-print portals and customer loyalty effects for printing companies.
disadvantage
- Investment and personnel costs for setting up and operating a web-to-print system.
- Investment risk if the system provider becomes insolvent.
- Dependence on the technological infrastructure of the system provider for external hosting solutions.
- Insufficient user acceptance and utilization of the web-to-print portal, e.g. B. because of cumbersome operation or unattractive product range.
- The effort required to standardize the products offered in the web-to-print portal is underestimated, or a generally accepted consensus cannot be established within the company.
literature
- Joachim Böhringer, Peter Bühler, Patrick Schlaich: Kompendium der Mediengestaltung, 5th edition, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2011, ISBN 978-3-642-20581-1
- Gerhard Kirchner: Practical application of product information management in single source publishing, 1st edition, expert Verlag, Renningen, 2010, ISBN 978-3-8169-2897-3
- Bernd Zipper: Strategy: Web-to-Print, Midas Verlag, Zurich, 2009, ISBN 978-3-9070-2079-1
Web links
- Study drupa Global Insights - International study on behalf of Messe Düsseldorf on the subject of "The Effects of the Internet on Print - The Digital Flood", published in October 2014