Bill Esler

EFI users get Kinko’s removal solution
July 23, 2007

EFI announced a new version of its PrintMessenger PDF-generating drivers that let print service providers choose to remove the shortcuts which route print jobs to other print service providers from the user interface of their Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat applications.

What it is
PrintMessenger is a standard feature of EFI’s Web-To-Print platform, Digital StoreFront. The new version creates a “File-Print” link to a printer’s own shop from within Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat as well as any other Macintosh or Windows application.

Why EFI built it
“Our print service provider clients came to us asking for our help, and we are pleased that we have been able to quickly provide a solution,” says Marc Olin, senior VP/GMmanager, EFI APPS div. “The new software puts print service providers back in control of their own customer relationships and provides the added benefit of being able to submit PDF documents from any Windows or Mac application directly to their print shop.”

Makes the button go away
The new software also lets the print service provider (or their customers) decide whether or not to remove the embedded Kinko’s link from Acrobat. PrintMessenger is downloadable from the print service provider’s own EFI Digital StoreFront web site, or can be deployed in an enterprise environment through the use of standard MSI installers.

Bennett Graphics using it
“EFI is a trustworthy partner for many of our mission-critical printing applications, so we’re thrilled that they’ve added this new PrintMessenger functionality,” says David Bennett, president of Bennett Graphics in Atlanta. “This will make sure our customers remain loyal to Bennett Graphics rather than accidentally or mistakenly sending a job to another printer.”

Commercial printers, in-plants, facilities management services who license Digital StoreFront, can benefit from this enhancement to PrintMessenger, whether the goal is to make sure customers stay loyal to their local print shop, says EFI, or to prevent leakage of corporate print volume away from in-house print operations.

Meets Adobe specs
The new option is implemented in a way specified by Adobe itself, and the solution is EFI tested - “not a hack” says EFI, and so is “safe to deploy on the customer’s network and workstations.” The solution is fully supported by EFI.

Some basic EFI boilerplate
“File Print” is a familiar workflow to all computer users. EFI PrintMessenger is a print driver initiated e-commerce workflow. With it, customers “print” to Digital StoreFront via an installed virtual printer. The print driver then provides a PDF conversion workflow, and the print shop receives print-ready PDF files that are converted at the “source” where file assets (e.g., fonts and graphics) reside. Since it is installed at the operating system level, customers can “print” to the print shop from virtually any software application. PrintMessenger also comes standard with all DSF platforms, so distribution throughout the print service provider’s customer base is unlimited.

The latest version
EFI Digital StoreFront 3.0 is the latest release of the Digital StoreFront system. DSF enables print service providers of all shapes and sizes to create a unique shopping experience for their customers, allowing them to easily navigate through a full suite of print products and services all in one place, including personalized print items and managed catalogs. Print buyers can shop, specify, proof and buy print products using e-commerce tools they are familiar with. Inside the print operation, DSF acts as an on-ramp to the digital production workflow and print management systems, reducing data entry, decreasing the likelihood of print errors, and reducing labor costs.

Availability
The new PrintMessenger drivers will be available in the next 30 days to all existing Digital StoreFront 3.0 licensees at no additional cost. Subsequent releases of Digital StoreFront will come standard with the new version.

A forum to discuss FedEx Kinko’s solutions welcomes reader responses.

Posted by Bill Esler on July 23, 2007 | Comments (0)