Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for regenerating workflows for print jobs at a print shop in response to changed conditions. The system identifies a first workflow of print shop activities for a print job, and directs resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the first workflow. The system also stores rules that describe activities at the print shop. Further, the system detects a triggering event and halts processing of the first workflow. The system identifies rules defined for the customer, identifies activities available at the print shop, and generates a second workflow for the print job based on the changed condition, the rules defined for the customer, the available activities, and a job ticket of the print job. The system further directs the resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the second workflow.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for user interfaces that aid a user in rule-based workflow generation. The system accesses activities available at a print shop, displays the available activities to a user at a sequence bar that sorts the activities by their priority, receives input from the user defining a rule that relates to a print shop activity, and stores the rule in a memory. Further, the system determines that a workflow of activities to perform has been generated for a print job of the print shop based upon the rule, wherein the workflow comprises an ordered subset of the activities available at the print shop, accesses the workflow, and displays the workflow of activities to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating workflows for incoming print data. The system generates a workflow for a print job based upon rules defined for the print shop. The system receives a print job for a customer. The system also stores rules, defined for customers, that describe logical relationships of activities at a print shop. Different combinations of the rules may be used to generate different workflows of print shop activities. The system identifies rules defined for the customer, identifies activities available at the print shop, and generates a workflow for the print job based on the rules defined for the customer, the available activities, and a job ticket of the print job, wherein the workflow comprises an ordered set of activities. The system also directs the resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the workflow.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed to provide conversions from job tickets submitted by clients to normalized tickets in a ticket standard used by the print shop. In one embodiment, a system receives a plurality of print jobs submitted by clients to a print shop. For each of the print jobs, the system identifies extension elements that describe services requested from the print shop. The extension elements are extensions to a job ticket standard used by the print shop. The system maps the extension elements to corresponding standard elements defined in the job ticket standard to generate normalized job tickets for the print shop. The system then transmits the normalized job tickets to a system of the print shop for generating workflows for the print jobs based on the normalized job tickets.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for installing workflow servers for a print shop. One embodiment is a system that installs a workflow server for a print shop. The system accesses installation templates, configured for different categories of print shop, that describe a set of print shop resources expected to exist at the category of print shop. The system also installs workflow server software on a computer system of a print shop. During the installation, the system determines a category for the print shop, selects an installation template that matches the category of the print shop, and performs a dialogue of queries with a user to determine which resources of the set of print shop resources identified by the installation template are available to the print shop, wherein the dialogue excludes queries for print shop resources that are not in the set of print shop resources described by the installation template.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for installing workflow servers for a print shop. One embodiment is a system that installs a workflow server for a print shop. The system accesses installation templates, configured for different categories of print shop, that describe a set of print shop resources expected to exist at the category of print shop. The system also installs workflow server software on a computer system of a print shop. During the installation, the system determines a category for the print shop, selects an installation template that matches the category of the print shop, and performs a dialogue of queries with a user to determine which resources of the set of print shop resources identified by the installation template are available to the print shop, wherein the dialogue excludes queries for print shop resources that are not in the set of print shop resources described by the installation template.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for user interfaces that aid a user in rule-based workflow generation. The system accesses activities available at a print shop, displays the available activities to a user at a sequence bar that sorts the activities by their priority, receives input from the user defining a rule that relates to a print shop activity, and stores the rule in a memory. Further, the system determines that a workflow of activities to perform has been generated for a print job of the print shop based upon the rule, wherein the workflow comprises an ordered subset of the activities available at the print shop, accesses the workflow, and displays the workflow of activities to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for regenerating workflows for print jobs at a print shop in response to changed conditions. The system identifies a first workflow of print shop activities for a print job, and directs resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the first workflow. The system also stores rules that describe activities at the print shop. Further, the system detects a triggering event and halts processing of the first workflow. The system identifies rules defined for the customer, identifies activities available at the print shop, and generates a second workflow for the print job based on the changed condition, the rules defined for the customer, the available activities, and a job ticket of the print job. The system further directs the resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the second workflow.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating workflows for incoming print data. The system generates a workflow for a print job based upon rules defined for the print shop. The system receives a print job for a customer. The system also stores rules, defined for customers, that describe logical relationships of activities at a print shop. Different combinations of the rules may be used to generate different workflows of print shop activities. The system identifies rules defined for the customer, identifies activities available at the print shop, and generates a workflow for the print job based on the rules defined for the customer, the available activities, and a job ticket of the print job, wherein the workflow comprises an ordered set of activities. The system also directs the resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the workflow.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed to provide conversions from job tickets submitted by clients to normalized tickets in a ticket standard used by the print shop. In one embodiment, a system receives a plurality of print jobs submitted by clients to a print shop. For each of the print jobs, the system identifies extension elements that describe services requested from the print shop. The extension elements are extensions to a job ticket standard used by the print shop. The system maps the extension elements to corresponding standard elements defined in the job ticket standard to generate normalized job tickets for the print shop. The system then transmits the normalized job tickets to a system of the print shop for generating workflows for the print jobs based on the normalized job tickets.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed provide for filtering print shop services that are available to a customer based on rules for the customer. In one embodiment, a system identifies services that are available from a print shop, and filters the available services based on rules for a customer to identify a subset of available services. The system displays the subset of available services to the customer as options for the customer to select for a print job. The system receives a selection from the customer of one or more of the options from the subset of available services. The system then generates a job ticket for a print job based on the selection from the customer, and transmits the job ticket to the print shop.

Abstract: There are disclosed print job workflow methods and systems. A method may comprise providing a user interface to allow a user to select one or more workflow elements and to create a current workflow. A workflow element may include processing elements. A user selection of one or more workflow elements may be received as selected workflow elements. User placement of the selected workflow elements to create the current workflow may be recognized. Information about the selected workflow elements included in the current workflow may be received. Verification of the current workflow may be performed. A system may be implemented on a computing device and may cause a print job to be printed on a printing device.

Abstract: There are disclosed print job workflow methods and systems. A method may comprise providing a user interface to allow a user to select one or more workflow elements and to create a current workflow. A user selection of one or more workflow elements may be received as selected workflow elements. User placement of the selected workflow elements to create the current workflow may be recognized. Information about the selected workflow elements included in the current workflow may be received. Verification of the current workflow may be performed. A system may be implemented on a computing device and may cause a print job to be printed on a printing device.

Abstract: A broadcast printing system includes a first data communication network including a client device and one or more local imaging devices. A remote imaging device is coupled to the first data communication network through a second data communication network. In response to a single print request generated by an application process hosted on the client device, a print job is transmitted to the local imaging device according to a local print protocol and a print job is transmitted to the remote imaging device according to a protocol suitable for transmitting print jobs in a public data communication network such as the Internet Printing Protocol.