In this article, you will learn
- the differences between Article and Order,
- how to create an Article or an Order,
- which parameters are required during creation.
1. Introduction
An essential part of file management is the correct storage of print data. The application provides several options for obtaining an overview of all print data. Articles or Orders allow users to quickly load print data into the application and optionally parameterize it with additional information.
2. Articles or Orders
Print data can be uploaded and stored either in any format or in a predefined format via Articles and Orders. Users need to consider in advance how they want to structure their data storage. The article explains the differences between working with Articles and Orders.
2.1. Articles
Articles make it possible to manage production with maximum flexibility and efficiency – conserving resources and minimizing administrative effort. In addition to freely definable structures for storing print data, Articles also allow for the predefined configuration of specific output parameters, such as the Substrate to be used.
An Article essentially corresponds to a print file, which can be systematically stored using the following parameters:
- Substrate – each Article must be assigned a Substrate. This is necessary to ensure that all color-relevant information can be calculated and displayed in the Workflow based on the Output Profile. If an Article is uploaded via the dropzone, the standard Substrate will be used.
- Customer – an Article can be assigned to only one customer. The assignment, however, is optional. Assigning a customer allows the print data for that customer to be quickly located and displayed.
- Collection – an Article can optionally be assigned to one or more Collections. Collections can be used to group multiple Articles together, manage projects, or bundle files for an Order.
- Tag – multiple tags can be assigned to an Article. Tags can also be used to categorize print data or to assign it to specific departments within the company.
- Post Printing Steps – several Post Printing Steps can be assigned to an Article. These are further processing steps such as laminating, coating, cutting, embossing, gluing, etc. for individual print files.
While Post Printing Steps and Tags are mainly used to quickly locate files within specific departments according to the required Process Steps, Substrate, Customer, and Collection are used to clearly structure print data. In addition, Articles are clearly described using Metadata such as Width, Height, Name, User-defined Field Descriptions, and more.
2.2. Orders
Orders make it possible – independently of an MIS or ERP system – to store and retrieve print data either in a predefined structure or in the same Order structure used by the ERP system. All relevant customer and production information, such as completion date, delivery address, and more, can be stored and accessed directly within the application in the same structure.
An Order stores print data in a predefined structure. The structure of an Order can be described as follows:
- Order – an order corresponds to a customer order that has been recorded in an MIS or ERP system. An order may consist of multiple Order Lines.
- Order Line – an Order Line represents a Substrate-related component of the Order. Therefore, a Substrate must be assigned to the Order Line. The printer on which the Substrate is processed does not matter. Each Order Line must be assigned at least one Print Item (print file). However, multiple Print Items – such as different color variations – can also be included in a single Order Line. What they all have in common is that they are produced on the same Substrate.
- Print Item – A Print Item represents the actual print file. This file can be single-page or multipage and may come in any size.
3. Create Articles
Print Data can be uploaded or created as an Article in the Workflow in the menu created specifically for this purpose. To upload or create print data as an Article, proceed as follows:
- Navigate to Articles > Articles [1]. The list of currently filtered Articles [4] will be displayed.
- To quickly upload print data as Articles, you can drag the files into the dropzone [3]. This allows you to perform two tasks:
- Uploading individual files as Articles – the files are transferred to the application, checked, and finally created as individual Articles within the application. Only the Substrate selected in the Color Strategy under Administration > Settings > Color Management is assigned to this Article. Further structural information must then be assigned manually.
- Uploading a folder with multiple files as a Collection – The files are transferred to the application, checked, and created as individual Articles. The only difference to the previous description is that a Collection with the name of the folder is created and the collection is immediately assigned to these Articles. Please note that uploading a folder is only possible in the menu item Articles > Collections.
Figure 1: List of filtered Articles
- If you want to create a single Article with complete structural information, click + Add [2] (Figure 1) in the menu bar. This will open the dialog Add Article. Here, you will find a dropzone for uploading the file. Drag the desired file into the dropzone [5]. You can also upload multiple Articles into the dropzone.
- To configure the parameters, click on the respective Article [7] or on the star [6] to set the Settings globally for all print data.
- Once the files are uploaded, the dialog provides three tabs – General [8], Advanced [9] and User-defined Fields [10].
- In the tab General [8], enter all information regarding the Substrate, Color Strategy and the Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates.
Figure 2: The tab General of the dialog Add Article
- Switch to the tab Advanced [9] and enter all production-specific information.
- If you are working with User-defined Fields, switch to the tab User-defined Fields [10] and enter the information relating to the Article.
- To complete the creation of the new Article, click Save [11] in the footer of the dialog.
Create Articles via Production Configurations
Please note that by defining a production configuration, Articles can also be automatically created in a predefined structure via a hot folder or an API call.
4. Create Orders
Print data can be uploaded or created in the application as Print Items using the menu item created specifically for this purpose. To upload or create Print data as Print Items within the structure of an Order, proceed as follows:
- Navigate to the menu item Orders > Orders [12]. The list of currently filtered Orders [16] will be displayed.
- All Orders are displayed in the list. By clicking on the Preview Image [15] of an Order, the sidebar will open (Figure 4). Clicking on the Name of the Order [14] will take you to the Print Item Detail View. Here, you will find all Order Lines [17] along with their associated Print Items [18].
Figure 3: List of all Orders
Figure 4: The Sidebar with all Order Lines and Print Items of an Order
- To create a new Order, click + Add [13] (Figure 3) in the toolbar. This opens the dialog Add Order, which is divided into three tabs – Order [21], Order Line [22] and Print Item [23].
- The tab Order [21] is further divided into two tabs – General and User-defined Fields. In the tab General [19], enter all order-specific information such as Order Name, Order Number, Customer and optionally Tags and Order Information. If User-defined Fields are defined for creating an Order, switch to the tab User-defined Fields [20] and enter the required order-related information there.
Figure 5: The dialog Add Order in the selected tab Order
- Switch to the tab Order Line [22] (Figure 5) and enter all specific information for the Order Line.
- Name – the name for the Order Line must be entered.
- Contact Person, Delivery Address and Shipping Date – this information can be entered optionally. They can be used to search for Print Items as well as for displaying the delivery address on the Impose Sheet.
- Substrate Category [24] – the Substrate Category and the associated Substrate must be selected for the Order Line.
Figure 6: The dialog Add Order in the selected tab Order Line
- Switch to the tab Print Item [23] (Figure 5), drag the files into the dropzone [25] to add all Print Items, and enter the print-item-specific information. If no print data is available yet, the Order can still be created without adding Print Items. Print Items can be added to an Order Line at a later stage.
- Once all input fields have been completed as required, you can create the Order by clicking Save, which will initiate the actual Check-in for the Preflight and Fixup Template
Figure 7: The tab Print Item of the dialog Add Order
5. Create Articles and Orders from the ERP System
Articles and Orders can be created either manually (as described above) or automatically by the leading ERP system. For the ERP system to perform this function, the appropriate integration must be implemented. The integration can be achieved using the available REST API, the SDK or the CLI , as well as through JDF or other control files.
If you have any questions regarding the integration, please contact your sales partner, who will connect you with the appropriate representatives.
Article Update: Workflow 1.21.1 – 08/2025