In this article, you will learn
- how to perform a Quick Print,
- which parameters are required for the process, and
- which additional information can be added.
1. Introduction
The Quick Print function allows you to quickly upload print data to the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application in order to create a Production Job, optionally perform an Impose, and optionally send the data directly to the printer. This function is particularly recommended for recurring print jobs or whenever fast processing is required without manually creating individual Production Jobs.
Depending on the selected options, Quick Print creates at least one Production Job containing the Print Items in order to process them appropriately before they are sent to the printer. Internally, Operations – which you may already be familiar with from a Production Configuration – are dynamically arranged in sequence and executed. You can monitor the progress of the individual Operations under Automation > Automation Jobs as well as in the tab Quick Prints History.
The Quick Print menu item provides the following three areas, which are configured in sequence:
- Upload Files – in this area, you can add the print data to be processed, define the desired order, and enter the required information, such as Name, Quantity, Scale Factor, Ext. ID, Width, Height, etc. You can also specify which Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template and which Template for extracting metadata should be used to process the print data during normalization.
- Production Job – in this area, you can specify the Job Name for the Production Job, select the Output Configuration to be used, and determine whether a single Production Job or multiple separate Production Jobs should be created for the selected files.
- Impose – in this area, you can optionally specify whether an Impose should be created and which Impose Mode and which Impose Template, Sheet Template, Plate Template, and Print Item Template should be used.
Unable to access all features?
Please note that the functionality described in this article covers all available options. If certain feature are not available to you, this is usually because they are not included in your license or because you have not yet upgraded to the version specified in the footer.
2. Performing a Quick Print
If you want to create a large number of print data files as one or more Production Jobs or send them directly to the printer, proceed as follows:
- Select the Automation > Quick Print menu item.
- In the Upload Files area [1], add the print data to be processed. First, define the desired processing order for the files, enter the metadata for each Print Item, and select the Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template and, optionally the Template for extracting metadata.
- In the Production Job and Impose areas [5], define the parameters for the intended processing method. The information field [4] provides an overview of the selected Printer, Destination, and Substrate, as well as whether an Impose will be created.
- Once you have configured everything, simply execute the Create Production Job command [2] or Send to [Printer Name] [3]. The remaining steps are performed automatically.
Figure 1: Main area of the Quick Print menu
The following area provides a detailed explanation of the various configuration option available in Quick Print:
2.1. Upload Files
In the Upload Files settings area, perform the following steps:
- Before uploading the files, select the desired Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template [10] to be used for normalizing the files.
- Add the files to be processed to the settings area. You can do this either by dragging the files into the dropzone [8] or by clicking the dropzone and selecting the files manually.
- Each uploaded file will appear as a row in the list below. You can change the order of the Print Items by moving the handle [6]. A preview image with the current file information [7] is displayed for each uploaded Print Item.
- For each Print Item, specify the Name [12], Quantity [13], Scale Factor [14], and External ID [15]. By clicking the button Global Changes [11], these parameters can be applied to all Print Items at once. The following special characters are available for naming and help simplify global naming:
$– the$character is used to insert the file name of the respective Print Item.#– the#character is used to insert automatic numbering for each Print Item. The number of # characters determines the number of digits in the numbering. With three characters (###), the first Print Item is assigned the number 001, the second 002, and so on.
- If information such as Name, Quantity, Width, Height, Bleed etc. should be extracted from the file name of the Print Item, select the desired Template for extracting metadata [9].
Figure 2: The settings area Upload Files with files that have already been added
Assign Order Numbers to Print Item Names
To enter an Order Number as the leading number for each Print Item, enter 202510100 $ in the field Global Changes, where 202510100 represents the Order Number.
2.2. Production Job
Select the Operation Production Job to configure it with the desired values. The following options are available in this area:
- Job Name [16] – enter the Job Name for the Production Job(s) here. This name can be freely defined or predefined using placeholders.
- Grouping Options [17] – select the desired grouping of the Print Items. The following options are available:
- Keep all Print Items together – a single Production Job is created from all print data. If an Imposition is generated as well, all Print Items are placed on one Impose.
- For every single-page and multi-page Print Item – a Production Job is created from each uploaded file, and an Imposition is optionally generated.
- For each Print Item – a Production Job is created from each page of the uploaded files, and an Impose is optionally generated.
- Output Settings [18] – define here, by selecting an Output Template, on which Substrate and with which Color Policy the print data will be processed, or to which Printer the finished files/Impositions will be sent. By clicking Edit [20], the Output Configuration can modified manually.
- More Functions [19] – optionally, you can add a Comment or an External ID to the Production Job in addition to the Job Name. To do this, display the desired input fields by activating the corresponding checkbox.
Figure 3: Left: The settings area of the Production Job Parameters; Right: The dialog Add Output Configuration
2.3. Create Impose
In addition to Create Production Job, the Operation Create Impose is available in the second settings area. Click on the Operation Impose to access the corresponding settings area and configure it with the desired values. The following parameters are available in this area:
- Impose Mode [21] – select the desired Impose Mode. You can choose from the licensed methods Nesting, Step & Repeat, Tiling, Die Cut, or Bound Product.
- Impose Template [22] – select the desired Impose Template.
- Plate Template [23] – select the desired Plate Template.
- Sheet Template [24] – select the desired Sheet Template.
- Print Item Template [25] – select the desired Print Item Template.
The Plate Template, Sheet Template, and Print Item Template can be shown or hidden in the menu More Functions [26].
Figure 4: The settings area Impose in the Operation Impose
3. Create Production Job and Send to Printer
Once all settings have been fully configured, you can either start sending the data to the printer or simply create a Production Job. To do this, proceed as follows:
- Click Create Production Job [2] (Figure 1) in the toolbar to start uploading and processing the Print Items and subsequently create a Production Job.
- If you want to send the print data directly to the printer, click Send to Printer [3] (Figure 1).
- Confirm your settings and click Start Quick Print in the dialog Quick Print to start the process.
Figure 5: The dialog Quick Print, where you can confirm your settings and start the Quick Print process
- To monitor progress, switch to the tab History Quick Prints [27]. Here you will find an overview of all current and completed Quick Prints.
- The Quick Filters [28] can help you locate the desired Quick Print more easily. The most recently started Quick Print is displayed as the first entry [29] in the list.
- Select the previously started Quick Print to see which Operations [30] have already been completed and which are still in progress. Any errors that occur are also shown in this list.
- Click the button Go to Detail View [31] to navigate directly to the associated Production Job.
Figure 6: Overview of the tab History Quick Prints
Article Update: Workflow 1.22.0 – 11/2025