Beginning VDP software

[PrePress Gal]

We are beginning to shop for a VDP software package. We are a smaller print shop and have Mac OSX 10.4, Mac G-4s, Adobe CS4, Quark 8, Konica Minolta BizHub PRO 6500, IC-304 Creo Server, oh yes, and presses too.

I as going to play around with InDesign's Data Merge today, but was also looking at Design Merge Pro as I understand it works with BOTH Quark and InDesign. I gather Quark 8 did not come with an extension like InDesign did?

I think most of our VDP will be in the forms of shorter run postcards and letters, nothing too complicated (but you never know). We are also going to be getting into the mailing end of this also. I was wanting to get some input on a cross media VDP that would not be too expensive for a smaller print shop looking to stay competitive without breaking the bank.

Thanks all.

PS. I just went through a rough of InDesign's Data Merge. You mean for every graphic you have to enter the entire path to the picture in an excel spreadsheet? Well, it was easy enough and I got it to work. I thought I saw one program where you just navigate to your picture and click on it. Maybe this was one of the more specialized applications.

 

[Digital Press Guy]

Vdp

Vdp

I'm sure everyone has their preferences but I've always liked PrintShop Mail for most VDP applications. Its easy to learn, powerful and scalable. Runs on Mac or PC and can print to any Postscript printer.

If you're going to be doing postcards you can set it up to print in cut stack order. It will work great with your Creo RIP as the Creo runs VPS natively.

You can get a demo version off their website that is fully functional. It just limits your ability to print.

Good Luck.

 

[PrePress Gal]

Thanks Digital Press Guy. I will check into that one. Also I don't know what kind of files I will be receiving. Some will be created in-house, some customer supplied.

Anyone have any thoughts on Fusion Pro or Design Merge?

 

[PrePress Gal]

I was just told we are getting Fusion Pro, so now I have a direction.

 

[Steve_S]

We looked at Printable's solution (Fusion series) before we upgraded PrintShopMail the last time, but were just a bit leary of the plugin based solution. I feel the Stand alone product is more versatile. You have to weigh the price point with how much you want to use the product.

 

[PrePress Gal]

Thanks Steve. I will bring that up.

 

[L2Fuse]

Consider using L2

Consider using L2

Hi,

I'm confident our Fuse platform will be able to exceed your VDP needs. We have email, direct mail, personalized urls and data collection websites all integrated into the same platform so you can create an all-round campaign.

We're priced to help printers transform their business in this economic climate.

You can use our silverlight based document editor to include variable fields in your print document with just a click. (We can show you).

If you like, I'll be glad to have an experienced account exec take you through the product.

Ryan Lou
[email protected]
1:1 cross media campaigns - Direct mail, PURLs, Email.

 

[pcmodem]

Just an FYI for using InDesign's Data Merge. If you have the data file (.csv) stored in the same folder as the links, you only need the file name of the graphic. If the data file does NOT reside in the same folder as the links, you do need the full path.

 

[Craig]

Fusion Pro is da bomb!

 

[Mark]

We have KM6500 IC-304 also using FusionPro. We have trouble with imposition on variable jobs using the Creo imposition, so use the FPimposer and you will get better results.

 

[Ritter]

Looks like people are biting on that discounted offer on Printable FusionPro. Please give us some feedback on it.

 

[postnetnc133]

What is the discount $200 off the desktop version?

 

[Ritter]

It's over now. But this showed up in my e-mail a week or so back.

Own the Latest Version of the Most Powerful Print Personalization Tool in the Industry

Get your variable data publishing campaigns moving with Printable'sâ„¢ limited time offer. FusionPro Desktop allows you to publish the personalized pieces through digital printing. We've made it our business to make the best VDP technology affordable yet uncompromised. It's easy to see why the adoption of VDP technology has never been stronger. Version 6.1 is now available for PC. The Mac version will be available within the next 2 weeks. You can purchase the 6.0 Mac version today and download 6.1 when it is released at no charge. Promotional offer ends September 30th, 2009. New licenses are available for $399 ($200 off) and upgraded licences are available for $249 ($50 off).

 

[UberTech]

Using VDP properly would require your customer to be as commited as you to produce VDP documents wouldn't it? I mean they would have to produce consistant reliable data which would surely be in the too hard basket for something that may or may not produce a result.

Then you would have to customize a template to suite the data, store variable images, create rules this seems like alot of work, not mention that you would probably have to hire a marketing person and technical wiz to drive the stuff.

For the basic one off's now and again may be profitable but building a business around this model for your average print shop seems pretty extreme. Then how do you charge? Per sheet? Setup? How would you tell a customer, 'yeah this will cost 2 grand to setup and you might get a response, oh yeah your gonna pay about 2 bucks a sheet + mailing'

Has this worked for anyone?

 

[Keith]

Fusion Pro is da bomb!

I'll second that opinion! With the exception that I don't think FP will gang up. If I have to print 3 lots of business cards, 250 each; I'd like to be able to print them 4up each on the same sheet. Right now, it can only give you 12up each on three different sheets. I did not do any of the tutorials (like a typical guy I didn't get directions) so I may not know how to do it.

 

[Steve_S]

For the basic one off's now and again may be profitable but building a business around this model for your average print shop seems pretty extreme. Then how do you charge? Per sheet? Setup? How would you tell a customer, 'yeah this will cost 2 grand to setup and you might get a response, oh yeah your gonna pay about 2 bucks a sheet + mailing'

Has this worked for anyone?

We certainly don't build our business around it but we do it frequently. We charge variable data and/or variable imaging at a per record cost additional to the print, plus a layout fee to build the template. People who use it and get it, don't bat an eyelash at paying for it.

 

[UberTech]

THIS is VDP YouTube - Igen3

 

[Steve_S]

Here are two simple examples - does not have to be the huge flashy stuff Xerox always wants to show you:

Home addition/remodel company - monthly mailer that has a background, photos, and offer driven by what the customer has already had done to house, i.e. if they had windows done, there are no window ads or offers on piece. They love it and they pay for it.

Vet - both sides of card have background images and variable messages based on pet's appt schedules. They never blink on the cost either.

THIS is also VDP and it makes money.

 

[UberTech]

How does the renovation company supply you the data to generate the print? Surely you would need to be tightly integrated into there database to produce this? A place like that must have thousands of products to push!

 

[Steve_S]

How does the renovation company supply you the data to generate the print? Surely you would need to be tightly integrated into there database to produce this? A place like that must have thousands of products to push!

1 They narrowed down what they wanted to market to a short, specific list
2 They set up their point of sale to "mark" accounts in a certain field - the "offer" driver
3 They are diligent about maintaining their data because they know it makes them $$
4 The markers stay uniform, so the initial template design time has more than paid itself