Abstract: In a system and method for generating a printed document from a plurality of files that respectively comprise data for a predetermined number of pages, a print pre-processing system is provided. The files are stored as an input in a logical input storage region of the system. With the test program module, it is automatically determined which input files are to be joined into a cluster file. By a combination program module, the cluster file is created from the associated input files and stored in a logical cluster storage region. It is tested whether files belonging to a cluster file are already present, and as necessary the cluster is automatically forwarded to a printer for output as a signature.