Advantages of industry software for printers compared to standard ERP software

Printers need ERP software that relieves staff and accelerates processes across the board. Especially in large format printing (lfp), many work steps and trades are involved in the print product. That is why industry software is important for print shops. It maps specialist processes that reduce costs and effort and optimise margins.

All companies are essentially the same

Of course, standard ERP software or industry-specific software can also be used for printing plants. Standard systems cover everything that companies need for their core processes. The focus is on order processing, bookkeeping, contact management etc. There are countless ERP systems on the market that cover such standard tasks really well. The advantage of these systems is that they are cheap and easy to use.

What is really needed?

Ultimately, ERP software that maps the business model of a company or an industry. That maps and supports the processes beyond the core processes in which the company generates its sales and margins. A trading company needs ERP software that is “item-oriented”. It is about having the product portfolio with all variants, options, colours, etc. under control and selling goods faster, better and more efficiently. For service companies, it is centrally important to optimise the use of employee hours.

This is what ERP industry software for printers does

Large-format printers, digital printers and signmakers have their own requirements for ERP software. They have to route their print projects efficiently under high time and deadline pressure in order to secure margins. The task of industry software for printers is to design the print workflow in a consistently secure, transparent and profit-optimised manner.

• When a print enquiry comes in, the customer-specific quotation based on production costs and press utilisation must be created with just a few clicks. Industry software makes handling the many parameters in digital large-format printing easy and brings certainty to the calculation.
• The quotation PDF should be sent via an integrated e-mail client.
• The industry-specific ERP software simply converts the approved quotation into a print job.
• In production, the ERP system enables optimal machine utilisation by combining identical productions and reducing set-up times. The use of personnel and materials is also optimised.

The central advantage of industry software for printing plants lies in the consistent mapping and coordination of all parameters of the print workflow (print formats, print materials, presses etc.). This is where standard software reaches its limits because it knows neither print formats nor print workflows. It must first be “reprogrammed” at great expense and made suitable for the industry. This costs a lot of money and the client is always in debt. The client must specify the structures and processes so that the software service provider from outside the industry can implement the requirements.

More efficient processes, more satisfied employees

Industry software for printers has the additional advantage that it is continuously developed further. The industry know-how of larger providers flows into the software via feedback from users. Smaller companies also benefit from this. Employees work with state-of-the-art technology and printers exploit all the potential for margin optimisation.