In this article, you will learn
- where to select and apply Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates within the Workflow, and
- how to manage and control Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates in the Automation environment.
1. Introduction
Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates can be utilized across multiple areas of the Workflow. They ensure that print files are consistenly validated against predefined requirements and automatically corrected where necessary. These templates can also be triggered externally via a REST API call.
There are four primary areas within the Workflow where Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates can be applied:
- File Upload via Drop Zones: Templates can be automatically applied when files are uploaded through designated drop zones.
- Creation of Articles/Print Items: Templates can be selected and applied during the creation process to ensure immediate compliance with predefined standards.
- Execution within Automation Jobs: Templates are available when executing Automation Jobs, including in environments such as Hotfolders and Quick Print.
- External Access via API: Templates can be triggered programmatically via a REST API, enabling seamless integration with third-party systems.
The following sections provide a detailed explanation of each use case.
Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates
For detailed instructions on how to create Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates, refer to the article Create a Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template.
2. Drop Zones
In various areas of the Workflow – such as Article, Collection, Order, and Production Job – drop zones are available to facilitate the upload of print data. These drop zones enable users to select predefined Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates, which are then automatically applied during the upload process to validate and normalize the incoming print files.
Figure 1: The menu Articles with the drop zone in the header
To upload and normalize print files using the drop zone in the Article section of the Workflow, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Article > Article.
- Click on Configuration [1] and select the desired Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template from the selection menu [2].
- If needed, activate additional upload options. The following options are available:
- Preflight the first page only [3] – enable this option to check only the first page of a Multipage document. This can significantly speed up processing while still normalizing the entire file.
- Preflight only (no correction) [4] – select this option to analyze the file for potential errors without applying any automatic corrections.
- Split Multipage Files [5] – enable this option to automatically split a Multipage document into individual pages during upload.
- Upload the desired print data to the Workflow by either dragging and dropping the files into the drop zone, or by clicking on the drop zone and selecting the desired files manually.
3. Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates when Creating an Article/Print Item
In Workflow, Print Items can be uploaded as either Articles or Print Items. During the upload process, Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates can be applied to analyze and automatically correct the data, ensuring that it conforms to a normalized state. The desired template can be selected directly during the upload.
3.1. Creating an Article
To create an article in Workflow and normalize it using a Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Article > Article.
- Open the dialog Add Article by clicking Add in the action bar.
- Use the drop zone [6] to select and upload the desired print file, or drag and drop the file into this area.
- To apply a specific Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template to each article, select the appropriate Article [7] from the list. If you want to apply the same template to all articles, select the first entry [8] in the Article line.
- Fill in the required parameters in the dialog and choose the desired template under the option Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates [9].
- Click Save [10] to upload the file and initiate the normalization process using the selected template.
Figure 2: The dialog Add Article
3.2. Creating a Print Item
To create a Print Item within an Order or Production Job and apply a specific Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Orders > Orders or Production Jobs > Production Jobs.
- Open the dialog Add Order or Add Production Job by clicking Add in the action bar.
- Switch to the tab Print Item [10].
- Upload the desired file as a print item using the drop zone [11].
- If you want to apply a different Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template for each Print Item, select the corresponding Print Item [12]. If you want to use the same template for all Print Items, select the first entry [13] in the Print Item line.
- Complete the form with all required information, then select the appropriate template from the Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates drop-down menu [14].
- Click Save [15] to upload the file and automatically execute the normalization step using the selected templates.
Figure 3: The dialog Add Production Job
4. Use «Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates» as Operation
By using Production Configurations – created under the menu Automation > Production Configuration – you can define standardized processing steps for Print Items within the Workflow. Production Configurations are particularly useful in Quick Print, Hotfolders and for setting up Automation Jobs, allowing users to streamline production and minimize repetitive manual actions.
To describe the process of a Print Item within a Production Configuration, you can add Operations, which represent individual sub-steps of the process. For example, the Apply Fixup Chain operation is used to prepare already normalized print data with specific add-ons for production.
To create a Production Configuration with the Apply Fixup Chain operation, proceed as follows:
- Navigate to Automation > Production Configuration.
- Click Add to create a new production configuration.
- In the tab General [17], enter the Name and a Description of the Production Configuration.
- Switch to the tab Operations [16], then click the Add Operation symbol [18] to include the necessary process steps in the desired sequence.
- Add the Operation Check-in Artwork and Normalize [19], and in the Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates field [20], select the appropriate template.
- Use placeholders to define how the Print Item name [21] should appear within the Workflow.
- Click Save [22] to finalize the Production Configuration. Once saved, the Production Configuration becomes available for use in Quick Print, Hotfolders, and Automation Jobs.
Figure 4: The dialog Add Production Configuration
Creating Production Configurations
Note that Production Configurations can also be created directly during the setup of Quick Print or a Hotfolder. During this process, the Check-in Artwork and Normalize operation can be configured in the same way as described earlier – by selecting the appropriate Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template and defining the desired parameters.
Detailed description of Automation
For a detailed explanation of how to work with Production Configurations and a comprehensive overview of all available operations, refer to the chapter titled «Automate print data processes».
5. Activating Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template via API
Another method for applying Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates in the Workflow is through a call to the {REST:API}. When uploading an Article or Print Item via an external system – such as ERP or MIS – the corresponding REST API call must include the GUID of the desired template. This enables the automatic application of the selected Preflight and Fixup Template during the upload process. For a comprehensive guide on how to perform these calls and structure the data, please refer to the REST-API documentation.
Artikel update: Workflow 1.20.1 – 05/2025