Digital Printing Software
Easy to use Software for Production Printers:
Digimaster, imageRUNNER, Katana, bizhub 1050

Front-End for Print on Demand

There is a growing demand from owners and managers of centralized printing environment for a standard, common, highly-functional 'front-end' which can manage the workflow across all of the digital devices within their print room, no matter hardware vendors or manufacturers.
  
Moreover, ease and speed of use are crucial in today’s print rooms, as document management needs are changing and becoming more complex every day.
While users have more powerful tools to create and share documents (feature-rich word-processors, publishing applications, portable formats, high capacity media, LANs, Internet, etc.), printing staffs are often faced with a range of equipment and systems, confusing control panels or interfaces, and inconsistent capabilities.
     
  

What to Do with Docs

All the above means that there is an unsatisfied need of an easy-to-use system encompassing all the main functions required to manage document worklows in a digital way.

Customer value of Docs is just derived from the following benefits it provides:
• Single 'front-end' to multiple, different, devices
• World-class ease of use
• Totally modular - 'buy only what you need'
• Device independent
• Completely non-proprietary - utilises only industry standards
• Utilising its core functionalities, Docs can help increase efficiency and reduce costs across a wide range of applications and job-streams.

When fully configured in combination with several different products (such as Kodak Digimaster 9110/9150, Canon iR 110-125-150, Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 1050, Ricoh Aficio 105/90 ppm, Canon iR105/8500), the system provides workflow functionality such as the Xerox DocuTech 135 and Xerox 6180 with Digipath.
  
At the same time, Docs is easy to learn and use, it can utilise any PC-Windows compatible scanners and copier feeder, it can pick up documents sourced through network scanning, and it has the flexibility to output to virtually any connectable devices, black and white and colour.
 
In today's Print Rooms, jobs can arrive from anywhere, at any time, in any format. There is minimum or no control at all on job arrival from the Customers.

Born upon the direct experience in Print Rooms, Docs is the easiest-to-use workflow software for production printers, optimizing all tasks of today's production and offering to Print Room Managers the tools to organize and streamline the document workflow.
Leveraging the best in class graphical user interface, Docs can integrate multiple input and output devices, providing unbeatable workflow consistency and easy of use.

That means optimizing time, reducing costs, facilitating the control of production, shortening the learning curve of operators.
Companies that choose Docs for document production can get to market faster, with lower costs, and improve their competitive advantage.

What to Do with Docs

PDF-based Workflow - Example
A designer creates a document in a page layout program, then saves it directly to PDF. The designer specifies postpress options in a job ticket and then transfers the PDF file and job ticket to the print shop. When the job arrives at the print shop, the print workflow manager reads the job ticket and redirects it for processing based on output requirements, priority, and so on. The file is routed to the Docs station, the prepress operator views the PDF file, apply annotations, or page numbers, and/or merge multiple files into a new one. Next, the PDF file is imposed for final output, and a signature is previewed before submitting it to the printer through the Custom Printer interface. Finally, finishing options are specified for the job before final output.

Paper-based Workflow - Example
A hard copy master arrives at the print room, to be reproduced. Attached is also the job ticket, with the requests by the sender. The print workflow manager routes the task to the capture Docs station, where the operator scans the paper originals, views the pages, reorders them. The digital file can now be edited to make it ready for printing: border removal, page shifts, dot removal, deskew, despeckle, crop, etc. Next, the fully enhanced file is imposed (either in native TIFF format, or in PDF after TIFF2PDF conversion) for final output, and a signature is previewed before submitting it to the printer through the Custom Printer interface.
Optionally, the output document can me also parsed through OCR, to make it full-text searchable. The output digital file is finally available as a PDF over the network, via web, or on a media.

Mixed (PDF and Paper) Workflow - Example
Print room receives documents from multiple sources, some documents on paper, some as digital files. The material is harmonized with Docs: digital files are converted to PDF, and paper documents are scanned.
After this preliminary tasks, the operator merges all the files (PDF, TIFF, JPEG) into a new one, applies annotations, page numbers, optimize the file for fast web view, attach files, etc. Next, the PDF file is imposed for final output, and a signature is previewed before submitting it to the printer through the Custom Printer interface. Finally, finishing options are specified for the job before final output. The newly built digital file can be made available as a PDF over the network or via web.

Download Trial Version 

You can download here a trial version of the software.
  
This trial version is fully functional, so you can see all functionalities avalable, and test all of your possible applications and workflows with Docs.
Only limitation versus the official sales version is that the trial one applies a "Demo" watermark on processed pages.

We will never sell, rent, or transfer your e-mail address to anybody,
and you can of course always request not to receive any further information from us.

   
Business benefits

TIME SAVINGS
• Amazingly easy to use, minimizes training needs and shortens learning curve of operators
• Print room managers can easily create custom settings for repetitive tasks, and re-purpose existing jobs.
This allows them to amortize fixed labor costs over more jobs

MONEY SAVINGS
• Fully modular, scalable, non proprietary architecture that protects investments
• Reduces waste: thanks to preflight capabilities and to icon-driven job ticketing, wrong sets are destined to disappear

FASTER TIME-TO-MARKET
• Docs accelerates time-to-market for new jobs and reprints by rapidly producing prepublication review and sample copies, and incorporating last minute changes as required

OPPORTUNITY FOR REVENUE GROWTH
• Professional printers can capture new revenue from existing and new
Customers, offering additional print-related services: e.g. Paper-to-Digital conversions with full-text searchable documents, document assembly, web delivery, archiving.

Target Printing Documents

To the date, Docs is able to address printing needs for virtually any kinds of “static” documents, which still represent the large majority of print volumes in most environments:

• User Guides • Service Guides • Training Manuals • Course Packs (for Trainers and Consultants) • University Exercise Books • Technical Specification Manuals • Product Documentation • Thesis • Catalogs • Price Lists • Sales and Marketing collateral (Presentations, Overheads,…) • Newsletters • Reports • Letters, Memos • Short run, on-demand book publishing • Forms and statements • …

 Target Printers

• Production printers (110+ ppm)
• High Volume Copier-Printers (90-105 ppm)
• Low High Volume Copier-Printers (65-85 ppm)
• MFPs (Multi Function Products) Mid Volume Copier-Printers (45-65 ppm)
• Black&White only devices
• Color only devices
• UCPs (Universal Copier-Printers): Black&White plus Color

Custom Printers

What is a "Custom Printer"?
Custom Printers are special interface, exclusive from Ad Hoc, that allow printing to high-volume printers even more easily than printing to desktop ones.
Users can:

• set paper types, covers, drawers, inserts
• set printing mode (duplex, pamphlet, …)
• set finishing options
• select one or multiple print-ready-file to print (TIFF, PS, PDF, JPEG)
• save job ticket
• The graphical user interface, fully iconic, intuitive and ergonomic, let users avoid wrong settings and minimize number of clicks.

Available Custom Printers(*):

• Heidelberg Digimaster serie
• Canon iR110/125/150 VP
• Danka IS2105/IS2090
• Gestetner10512/9002
• Lanier LD090/LD0105
• Nashuatec 10515
• RexRotary 10518
• Ricoh Aficio 2105/2090
• Savin 40105/4090

(*) Xerox® and all their brand names listed here and throughout our web site are registered trademarks of Xerox Corporation; Canon® and all their brand names listed here and throughout our web site are registered trademarks of Canon Corporation; Kodak® and all their brand names listed here and throughout our web site are registered trademarks of Eastman Kodak Corporation; Heidelberg® and all their brand names listed here and throughout our web site are registered trademarks of Heidelberg Corporation; KonicaMinolta® and all their brand names listed here and throughout our web site are registered trademarks of KonicaMinolta Corporation.

Target Users

• Professional Printers
• In House CRD’s
• Graphic Arts 
• Print for Pay
• Quick Print
• Print Shops
• Copy Shops
• Service Bureaus
• Facilities Management Agencies
  

Target Industries

• Manufacturing
• Education and Training
• Public Administrations
• Digital Print/Graphic Arts
• HealthCare
• Finance
• Telecom/Utilities
• Business Services
  

Capabilities

• Hard Copy Scanning
• Acquisition of Print Ready Files from any media, network devices, LAN, Intranet, Internet
• Document Preview
• Format conversions
• Image and Document Editing and Enhancement
• Imposition of PDF, TIFF, JPEG files
• Book Building
• Electronic Archive and Retrieval
• OCR
• Mail Merge
• Job Assembly
• Job Ticketing
• Job Ticket Automation
• Save and retrieve Jobs
• Multiple Engine Load Balancing
• Tab Creation
• Print submission through standard print driver
• Print submission through Custom Printers

Compatibility

• Supports any printers with Microsoft Windows drivers
• Supports any Twain scanner with Microsoft Windows driver
• Supports any copier-printer with scanning capabilities available
  - through Twain scanner
  - through network scanner ("hot folders")

Languages
Docs is available in the following languages (*):
- English
- Italian
- French
- German
- Spanish
(*) User interface. Manual is in English only.

System Requirements
Windows 2000 SP3, XP Professional SP2
PC Pentium IV - 3 GHz or higher
512 MB RAM min (1 GB recommended)
SuperVGA card, min 1024x768 - 24 bit
USB or PARALLEL port available
Min 400 MB free disk space
Acrobat Reader

Download Trial Version 

We will never sell, rent, or transfer your e-mail address to anybody,
and you can of course always request not to receive any further information from us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between DocsExpress and Docs?
A: Docs is the high-end platform for production and high-volume printing. It includes all available modules and at least one Custom Printer interface.
DocsExpress is the standard configuration that includes the most common prepress capabilities, but no Custom Printers.

Q: When can I use DocsExpress, and when is Docs recommended?
A: DocsExpress fits when:

- you do not have repetitive jobs, whose print tickets need to be saved;
- complexity of print options (finishing, covers, inserts, paper exceptions, etc.) can be easily managed with the standard driver provided by the printer manufacturer.

Docs is your best choice if:
- you have repetitive jobs that need to be saved for later reprints
- you have repetitive print tickets that you would like to save and reuse
- you have to produce jobs with complex print options (finishing, covers, inserts, paper exceptions, etc.). See list of printers for which a Custom Printer is already available.

Q: Can I upgrade later from DocsExpress to Docs?
A: Yes. Thanks to its modular architecture, you can start now with DocsExpress configuration, and add further modules (including Custom Printers) later, according to your needs.

Need more information?
E-mail any questions.