Lights Out Production

Background

The client’s user base has both print and stock items that they can order, preferring that they order directly from the multiple subsystems running within the organisation rather than directing them to a specific “storefront”. Some were browser-based, others homegrown systems windows/mac applications.

The problem

The core activity was key, the business did not want users to divert their time completing job tickets or online customisation activities. The items a user could order ranged from pens/pencils to business cards and other variable data products to support their core business activities. The items supplied on the approved list were all branded as per client requirements and pre-approved, some were even supplied by an external organisation.

How we fixed this

In conjunction with the client, we designed ‘order forms’ which resided in each subsystem and were designed as functional additions to existing pages containing simple check boxes and drop-down lists to be selected as appropriate. There were many different forms and user interfaces, but behind the various U.I.’s they all generated a call to Skyline. Skyline Automate received the basic order from these ‘forms’ and initiated the production workflows for the various items ordered.

The client database of users’ details is referenced by Skyline to create the variable print items and on-brand collateral so avoiding the need for manual entry. Items that are to be produced in-house are directed to the respective workflows; external product orders result in an XML order being sent directly to the approved supplier.

Results

• Items could be ordered quickly with a minimum of user time

• The ‘forms’ could be integrated within the system in use

• Any variable printed document (e.g., Business Card) could be created by extracting the valid correct data from the client’s DB

• The DB could also determine if a user could order a specific item, it also held the account information for the work to be billed against.

• All collaterals are correctly branded, and the contents are valid and correct (e.g., no missed typed mobile number)

• Employees could focus on core activities