In this article, you will learn
- which functions are available in the Operation,
- for which processing steps this Operation can be used, and
- a description of a use case.
1. Introduction
As described in the article Creating a Production Configuration, you can add various Operations to a Production Configuration. This article provides a detailed description of the requirements and the available options offered in the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report.
When preparing an order based on available print data, it is often desirable to estimate both Ink and Substrate costs for the order in advance. For this quotation step, the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report can be used to provide information that helps determine whether the print file should be produced more cost-efficiently using conventional or digital printing methods. In automated processing, the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report is used to generate and store an Ink Consumption Report for the Print Item. This report can later be referenced for post-calculation purposes.
The Operation Export Ink Consumption Report can be used both in Production Configurations that represent an entire process – from uploading the print data to output – and in Production Configurations that are applied to selected Articles or Print Items.
The Operation Export Ink Consumption Report can be added flexibly and multiple times within a Production Configuration, with the exceptions listed below. The following Operations cannot be used before the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report:
- Create Impose – this Operation can only be used to generate a Production Job from the Imposition.
- Create Impose with Auto Nesting – this Operation can only be used to generate a Production Job from the Imposition.
- Create Production Job – this Operation can only be used to transfer data to the printer.
- Create Production Job for Tracks – this Operation can only be used to transfer data to the printer.
- Create Production Job from Imposition – this Operation can only be used to transfer data to the printer.
- Send to Printer – after using this Operation, no further Operations can be applied to rendered data.
- Export Imposition Report – this Operation can only be used to create and export an Imposition Report after a Production Job has been created.
- Check Print Item and forward to – this Operation can only be used as the final Operation in a Production Configuration.
2. Function and Aim of the Operation
The primary function of the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report is to generate a summary of Ink Consumption for print data, allowing for a quick estimation of actual printing costs.
The aim of this step is to automatically export the Ink Consumption Reports to a local folder, from which they can be retrieved or automatically printed on photocopiers.
Before exporting the data, you must create a Share with the type Other Servers under Administration > File Management. For more information, refer to the section Setting Up Shares of the article Setting Up External Systems.
Application of the Operation only to existing and newly created Print Items or Articles
Please note that the Operation "Export Ink Consumption Report" can only be applied to existing or newly uploaded Print Items or Articles!
2.1. Add Operation
To add the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report, proceed as follows:
- Open the corresponding Production Configuration via Automation > Production Configurations, and switch to the tab Operations.
- Add the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report to the list of Operations. By default, the Operation is added at the end of the existing list.
- Move the Operation to the desired position within the Configuration. Please keep in mind the replacement restrictions mentioned earlier – particularly which Operations must not precede this step.
2.2. Setting Up the Operation
After adding the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report, the required parameters for the Production Configuration must be defined.
The Operation can be configured using thee three tabs: General [1] (Figure 1), Report Settings [7] (Figure 2), and Color Setting [17] (Figure 3). Each tab is described in detail below.
Tab "General"
In the tab General [1], you define where and under which name the Ink Consumption Report should be saved. The following options are available:
- Destination [2] – select the Destination Directory where the Report should be stored. Please note that a corresponding directory must first be created as a Share under Administration > File Management.
- Hierarchical Archiving [3] – by entering a "/", you can define the directory hierarchy for the folders to be created in the file system. Example:
manual/${global.current_date}creates a directory named "manual" in the selected Destination Directory, with a subdirectory containing the current date. Add a placeholder for the directory name by clicking Insert Placeholder [4]. - Filename after Export [5] – enter the desired file name for the Ink Consumption Report after export. You can add a placeholder for the file name by clicking on Insert Placeholder [6].
Figure 1: The tab General of the dialog Add Production Configuration with the selected Operation Export Ink Consumption Report
Tab “Report Settings”
In the tab Report Settings [7], you define the content and units of measurement for the Ink Consumption Report. The following options are available:
- Layout [8] – the default layout for an Ink Consumption Report is Ink Consumption Landscape; alternatively, you can select Ink Consumption Portrait.
- Customer [9] – select a customer from the available list.
- Contact Person [10] – after selecting a customer, choose the corresponding contact person from the available list.
- E-mail [15] – enter the relevant e-mail address. This address will also be used automatically for the Approval Portal.
- Length Unit [11] – specify the length unit to be used in the Ink Consumption Report. By default, the unit defined in the system settings is applied.
- Area Unit [12] – specify the area unit to be used in the Ink Consumption Report. By default, the unit defined in the system settings is applied.
- Currency [16] – specify the currency to be used in the Ink Consumption Report. By default, the unit defined in the system settings is applied.
- Base Quantity [13] – specify the base quantity for which the Ink Consumption Report is calculated. By default, the unit defined in the system settings is applied.
- Volume Unit [14] – specify the volume unit used for calculating the Ink Consumption. By default, the unit defined in the system settings is applied.
Figure 2: The tab Report Settings of the dialog Add Production Configuration with the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report selected
Tab "Color Setting"
In the tab Color Setting [17], you specify which Color Policy and Save Ink method should be used to calculate Ink Consumption. The following options are available:
- Color Policy [18] – select the desired Color Policy. If no Color Policy is selected, the Policy assigned to the Print Item will be used.
- Save Ink [19] – optionally, specify whether the Save Ink Mode should be Low, Medium, or Extreme.
- Calculation Method [20] – choose whether the calculation should be performed using the Accurate or Fast method.
Figure 3: The tab Color Setting of the dialog Add Production Configuration with the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report selected
2.3. Placeholders for Hierarchical Archiving and Filename after Export
By clicking the button Insert Placeholder [4] [6] (Figure 1), the dialog Select Placeholder opens, displaying the available placeholders for the options Hierarchical Archiving and Filename after Export. The same placeholders can be used for both options.
The following placeholders are available:
Figure 4: The dialog Select Placeholder for dynamically naming the Print Item Name
Meaningful Placeholder Configurations for Hierarchical Archiving
The wide variety of available placeholders can make configuration challenging. The following examples demonstrate several meaningful placeholder configurations:
${global.year_4digit}/KW ${global.week_2digit}/${print_order.order_number}– stores the Ink Consumption Report by year and calendar week, creating a subdirectory for each Order Number within it.${contact.display_name}/${global.year_4digit}/${print_order.order_number}– stores the Ink Consumption Report by customer and year, creating a subdirectory for each Order Number within it.${print_order.external_id}/${production_job.production_date}– stores the Ink Consumption Report by External Job ID with a subdirectory for the Production Date.
Meaningful Placeholder Configurations for File Names
The wide variety of available placeholders can make configuration challenging. The following examples demonstrate several meaningful placeholder configurations:
${global.random_guid}– the file name of the Ink Consumption Report is generated using a unique identifier – e.g., a3328987-ac65-4a48-a29d-82c89ee1d471.${factory_job.file_ref.plain_name}– the file name of the Ink Consumption Report is generated identical to the Print Item Name, but without the file extension – e.g., Inaccurate_TrimBox_End.${global.random_guid}_${factory_job.file_ref.name}– the file name of the Ink Consumption Report combines a unique identifier with the current file name, including its file extension – e.g., a3328987-ac65-4a48-a29d-82c89ee1d471_Banner.pdf.${factory_job.file_ref.plain_name} #${factory_job.quantity}– the file name of the Ink Consumption Report is generated identical to the Print Item Name, without the file extension, followed by the number of copies – e.g., Inaccurate_TrimBox_End #30.
3. Use Case
In the following example, print data is processed via Automation > Batch Processing within the Workflow. An Ink Consumption Report should be generated for each page of the Print Item and saved in a specified directory.
To accomplish this process, a Production Configuration must be created with three Operations – Check-in Artwork and Normalize, followed by Split Print Item, and Export Ink Consumption Report – executed in the specified sequence.
To do this, proceed as follows:
- Select the menu item Automation > Batch Processing.
- Create a new Production Configuration using the icon Add [21].
Figure 5: The section Batch Processing at startup
- The Operations Check-in Artwork and Normalize, followed by Create Production Job, are already selected. Assign a descriptive Name [22] to the Production Configuration and, optionally, enter a Comment [23].
- Select the Operation Check-in Artwork and Normalize and choose a Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template [25].
- Enable the option Create Article [26] to generate an Article from the uploaded print file for visual verification of the design, and then specify the following:
- Substrate Category [27] – select the desired Substrate Category for which the Ink Consumption Report should be calculated.
- Substrate [28] – select the desired Substrate for which the Ink Consumption Report should be calculated.
- Color Policy [29] – select the desired Color Policy to be assigned to the Article. If you already know which Color Policy you want to use for the Ink Calculation Method, you can quickly select it here. The corresponding Substrate Category and Substrate will then be filled in automatically.
- Customer [30] – optionally, select a customer if the Articles should be assigned to a specific customer. Customer assignment can also be entered temporarily later when uploading the print data.
- Collections [32] – optionally, select a Collection from the list of available Collections in the Workflow. Alternatively, you can dynamically create a Collection [31] based on the selected metadata information by adding placeholders.
- Remove the Operation Create Production Job using the icon Remove [24], as it is not required in this case. The Print Items should only be stored as Articles to be available within the Workflow.
Figure 6: The dialog Batch Processing Production Configuration with the two Operations inserted by default
- Use the icon Add Operation [33] to add the Operation Split Print Item, and configure the desired settings. For this example, select the option Single Pages.
- If, under the section Distribute/Use Number of Copies [34], the option Use the defined Number of Copies for all Pages is selected and no value is entered in the field Copy [35], the default number of copies from the Print Item will be retained.
Figure 7: The dialog Batch Processing Production Configuration with the Operation Split Print Item required for this example
- Using the icon Add Operation [33] (Figure 7), add the Operation Export Ink Consumption Report.
- Select at least the Destination [36] where the Ink Consumption Report should be stored.
- If you want to store the Ink Consumption Reports in subdirectories within the selected Destination, define the desired storage structure under Hierarchical Archiving [37] by adding static text and placeholders. Use
/to indicate whether a subdirectory should be created for the subsequent placeholder. - Next, define the Name of the Report by adding placeholders under Filename after Export [38].
- Then, configure the desired settings in the tabs Report Settings and Color Setting.
- After completing the final step, save these Production Configuration settings by clicking Save.
Figure 8: The dialog Batch Processing Production Configuration with the three Operations required for this example
- In the tab Execute Batch Production [39], add the desired files from your local computer using Choose Files [40]. Enter the required number of copies for each Print Item in the field Quantity [42].
- Ensure that the previously created Production Configuration is selected in the Production Configuration [41] dropdown list.
- Click Start [43] to begin the Operation Batch Processing.
Figure 9: The settings area of the menu item Batch Processing
- In the dialog Batch Processing that opens, review the settings once more.
- Click Start Batch Production [44] to start the Operation.
- You can track the progress of each Automation Job either in the tab Batch Processing History of the menu item Automation > Batch Processing or under Automation > Automation Jobs.
- Once the Order has been completed, navigate on your local computer to the defined Destination Directory.
- There you will find the saved Ink Consumption Reports [45]; in this example, three files are available, i.e., one Ink Consumption Report for each split page.
Figure 10: The Destination Directory containing the Ink Consumption Reports for three split pages
Practice Files
To reproduce the example described above, you can download the corresponding Print Items.
Article update: Workflow 1.21.1 –10/2025