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Print Workflow and Processes – Primer on Software and Functions

Primer on Software and Functions

Software & Functions 101 – Episode Summary

In this high-level episode of The Print University, Pat McGrew and Ryan McAbee demystify the complex but essential software systems used in modern print environments. Whether you’re setting up MIS software training for print production, evaluating prepress automation training (Kodak Prinergy, Esko), or onboarding new team members into printing industry training programs for new employees, this course provides a foundational framework for understanding print-centric software ecosystems.

The discussion organizes software into five key categories:

  1. Business Management – Print MIS and ERP systems manage estimates, inventory, job tickets, and costing.

  2. Data Management – ETL tools, analytics dashboards, client portals, VDP engines, and optimization software help manage, transform, and secure incoming data.

  3. Content Management – Solutions like DAM, CCM, and digital rights management tools organize and deliver brand assets, layouts, and regulatory documents.

  4. Workflow Management – Air traffic control for print, encompassing preflighting, imposition, makeready, batching, and job routing.

  5. Production Optimization – Tools that automate batching, ganging, and makeready to maximize equipment efficiency and reduce waste.

The hosts emphasize how software systems vary across print segments—commercial, packaging, in-plant, signage—and how some may reside within customer organizations or agencies. They explain how to identify what tools exist, which are underutilized, and how each contributes to lean, scalable operations.

You Will Learn:

  • The five major software categories and their roles in print production

  • Common acronyms: MIS, ERP, MES, DAM, CCM, PLM, ETL, VDP

  • Tools and functions: batching, makeready, document re-engineering, client portals

  • Where these systems live (inside vs. outside the print shop) and how they interconnect

  • Strategic questions to ask about existing software and optimization potential

Who This Course Is For:

Prepress and operations managers, IT leaders, onboarding trainers, MIS coordinators, and PSP executives investing in lean manufacturing training printing industry or building smart automation strategies

Time to Watch:

Approx. 27 minutes