To manually add a Production Job to the list of Production Jobs, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate to Production Jobs > Production Jobs.
2. Click + Add [1] to create a new Production Job.

Figure 1: The List of all Production Jobs

3. This opens the dialog "Add Production Job". The dialog is divided into two main tabs – Production Job and Print Item. Within the tab Production Job, there are three additional subtabs – General [4], Advanced [3] and User-defined Fields [5].
4. In the tab Production Job > General [4], enter the information for the Production Job – Job Name, Ext. ID, Comment, Production Date, Time and Shipping Date – and select an Output Template [6] in the lower section, which covers all Production Parameters.

Figure 2: The tab Production Job > General of the dialog Add Production Job

5. Optionally, in the tab Advanced [3], specify values for Lead In/Out, the Start value and End value, and the Number of Print Jobs to be generated for Variable Data Jobs.
6. Optionally, in the tab User-defined Fields [5], enter the desired values for the available input fields. These fields are only available if user-defined fields for the Production Job area have been created in the system.
7. Next, select the tab Print Item [2] and add the print data on one hand, and enter the necessary information on the other hand – expected Width, Height and Number of Pages, as well as Copies and Print Item Information. For roll printers, you can additionally specify the Winding Type. User-defined fields can aso be populated for Print Items.
8. Once all information has been entered and the desired files have been added, click Save. The upload and creation process will start. When it is complete, you will be notified that the Production Job is available for further use.

To create a Production Job from already uploaded Print Items or Articles, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate either to the menu item Articles > Articles or Orders > Print Items. In both cases, the list of Print Items/Articles is displayed.
2. Select the desired Articles/Print Items from the list.
3. In the menu bar, click the button Additional Functions [7] and select the option Create Production Job [8].

Figure 3: The Additional Functions of the menu item Articles

4. The dialog "Create Production Job" opens. In the tab Production Job > General [10], enter the information for the Production Job – Job Name, Ext. ID, Comment, Production Date, Time und Shipping Date – and select an Output Template [12] in the lower section, which covers all Production Parameters.
5. If you want to create a separate Production Job for each Print Item, enable the option Create separate Production Jobs [11].
6. Next, specify the number of copies for the Articles/Print Items  in the tab Articles/Print Items [9], if this information has not already been correctly transferred from the Job or Article.
7. Create the Production Job(s) by clicking Save.

Figure 4: The dialog Create Production Job

To create a Production Job from already created Orders, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate to menu item Orders > Orders. The list of all Orders will be displayed.
2. Select the desired Order and open the detail view by clicking on the title.
3. To create a Production Job for the entire Order, click the button Additional Functions [13] and select the option Create Production Job [14].
4. If you only want to create a Production Job for the selected Order Item, click  Additional Functions [15] at the corresponding level and select the option Create Production Job.

Figure 5: Excerpt from the detail view of an Order

5. The dialog "Create Production Job" opens. In the tab Produktion Job > General [17], enter the information – Job Name, Ext. ID, Comment, Production Date, Time and Shipping Date – for the Production Job and select an Output Template [18] in the lower section to define all Production Parameteres.
6. Then specify the number of copies for the Print Items in the tab Print Item [16], if this information was not already transferred correctly from the Job.
7. Create the Production Job(s) by clicking Save.

Figure 6: The dialog Add Create Production for Orders

Production Configurations, which can be created under Automation > Production Configurations, represent procedural descriptions within the Workflow that define the process a Print Item must go through. Production Configurations are used in the context of Batch Processing, Hotfolder, or for creating Automation Jobs to largely automate production and eliminate repetitive tasks for users.

To describe the processs in a Production Configuration, Operations are used, which execute individual steps of the process. The Operations Create Production Job, Create Production Job for Tracks, and Create Production Job from Imposition represent the process steps that can be used to generate a Production Job.

To create a Production Configuration with the Operation Create Production Job, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate to Automation > Production Configurations.
2. Click Add to create a new Production Configuration.
3. In the tab General [20], enter a Name and optionally a Comment for the Production Configuration.
4. Switch to the tab Operations [19] and add the desired Operations in the required order by clicking the icon [21].
5. Add the Operation Create Production Job [22].
5. In the Operation, enter the Production Job information – Job Name, Ext. ID, Comment, Production Date, Time and Shipping Date – and select an Output Template [23] in the lower section, which covers all Production Parameters.
6. If an Imposition is also to be created, enter the desired Impose Parameters [24].
7. Complete the process of creating a Production Configuration by clicking Save [25]. The Production Configuration is now available for use in Batch Processing, Hotfolder, and when creating Automation Jobs.

Figure 7: The tab Operations in the dialog Add Production Configuration

To create a Production Job using Quick Print, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate to the menu Automation > Quick Print.
2. In the section Upload Files, select the desired Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template [26] which will be used for uploading the files and normalizing the print data.
3. In the section Upload Files [27], add the desired print data and select the number of Copies, the File Name and the Scale Factor to apply. Using Global Changes [28], these settings can be applied collectively to all Print Items.
4. Click the Operation Production Job [31]. This displays the settings area Production Job Parameters.
5. In the section Production Job Parameters [32], enter the available parameters for the Production Job. The following parameters can be set:
   • Job Name – enter the desired name for the Production Job.
   • Comment – enter additional notes for the Production Job.
   • Grouping Options – specify how Print Items should be processed in groups.
   • Output Settings – select a Template here or manually enter the output settings.
6. To create the Production Job, click Create Production Job [29]. If you also click Send to Printer [30], a Production Job is first created and the RIP process is started automatically.
7. The upload and creation process starts immediately. Once the process is complete, you will be notified that the Production Job is available for further use.

Figure 8: The menu item Quick Print

In addition to the Processing Modes Process Files and Process ZIP Files, users can also select the Mode Process Job Ticket when setting up a Hotfolder. With the correct configuration, a Production Job can also be created via a Job Ticket.

A detailed description of creating a Production Job using an XML Job Ticket can be found in the Article Hotfolder XML-Jobticket.

Please note that using the Processing Mode Process Job Ticket requires a purchased license. The relevant parameters for this Mode are documented in the user manual under Hotfolder – Processing Job Tickets.

Production Jobs can also be created directly from the leading system – ERP or MIS. Using REST calls, a Production Job can be generated either directly with all Print Items, Output Parameters, and Impose Mode with an Impose Template, or by passing Articles/Print Items from an existing Job.

Please note that the use of the REST API requires a purchased license. The available commands are documented in the user manual under REST API Documentation – Workflow.

Production Jobs can also be created using the free Switch Connector Smart Factory – Produce Submit. The connector is available in the Enfocus Switch Connector Store.

Please note that the use of the Switch Connector Smart Factory – Produce Submit is subject to certain conditions within the application license.