best VDP solution?

wonderings

wonderings

Well-known member
We used to outsource our variable data, but we have been starting to do it in house. Not huge runs or anything, but its a start. Currently I am using Indesign to prepare it, then impose and it and print digital. Its by no means a fast and efficient process, sometimes taking hours to get ready to print.

What is the best way to do this? Something built into a xerox that can do it, or a stand alone program to run (Mac based).

Its pretty simple stuff we are doing right now, so don't need all the bells and whistles. Basic data merge for mailers, so addresses.

Thanks
 
FusionPro gets my vote - you get a lot of features and capabilities for the money. THe basic stuff you're looking to do is fairly simple, but as your needs grow FP will be able to handle it.
 
I did look at that before in my google searching. I really dont like that there is no demo to try first. I do not like getting into software I cannot try before buying. Sometimes it all looks good on paper, but when it comes to actually using it, it can be a different story. Thats a lot of coin to drop for a program that you cannot try first.
 
I have dealt with problems with Fusion Pro. Frames jumping from the original position to type flow not matching what was in the InDesign document (before adding variable).
 
Contact Fusion Pro customer support. They do not have an evaluation copy on the website but they will give you a demo version that is fully functional but limited in output. I explained to the customer service tech that I wanted to try the software first and he provided me with a temporary license. BTW...this is about the best software you can use for the money.
 
My only warning about FusionPro is it has a pretty steep learning curve once you get beyond the very basic stuff. It helps a lot if you happen to know Javascript, or at least know enough to be dangerous!
 
Xerox doesn't have something built in? We used to use Free Flow / Background forms for the non-variable and Indesign just for the variable. Worked well, but then Xerox priced themselves out of a contract.
 
I do quite a lot of mailers and never needed anything more than what Indesign as to offer. So i've not had to go into getting Fusion Pro or any of the higher end VDP software but sometimes I wish my company would just do it and save so much time and money for themselves.

I have noticed Indesign takes a very long time if you merge the data to a new document. I always used to do this method as I would impose from this end and normally stick the PDF or images or whatever is needed on the master page or print the master to freeform first. Then just merge the data seperately and combine them on the machine. Now I just merge data into the one document. IE. If it's an A4 document with 2000 names. I will have a 2000 page A4 document finished. When i'm ready to merge - on the data merge drop down menu in the data merge window. There is an option to export to PDF. This works so much quicker and somehow I never noticed it. Give it a try if you have not tried this way. It's surprisingly useful and speedy, and even at high res pdf the file size is shockingly low :)

You can still set multi-items to a page if needed as the same dialog box comes up. I tend to use the impose software on our digital machine after the results have been processed to the final pdf. Get a bit more flexability. Like turning items heads in etc. Hope that helps if you are not looking for an upgrade - although upgrading is definitely the best route. ID is very limited :(
 
Ok I was able to download the Fiery FreeForm Kit today. Gave it a brief look over, find it kinda confusing. Is there a good "how to" book or website out there that anyone can recommend for this? I have only done simple data merging in indesign, which makes sense to me. When I need to start using word and all that, well it just lost me.

**update**

Got it sorted now. There was a pdf that explained it enough that I figured out how to use it. Definitely a much faster way of doing VDP then using indesign to create a massive document.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
 
Last edited:
This thread sounds like a broken record- Fusion Pro, Fusion Pro, Fusion Pro. So I might as well add to it- Fusion Pro. I am on a Mac and have been using FP for several years. All I do is basic addressing once or twice a week and sometimes a personalized letter. I use it every day for just imposing. I love the program but if you want to get fancy with it, you need to know some JavaScript but I haven't run into the need. And it's very affordable for a tiny shop like mine (two employees).

With Fusion Pro, I generate two PDFs- one with the imposed static info and the second one with just the imposed variable info. Then in my Fiery, I use Freeform to put them back together and run at rated speed on my Xerox. Please contact me if you'd like a little help with it.
 
Is there anyone who uses FusionPro deal with exporting from InDesign using the FusionPro plugin? If so, do you have your text frames shift position when opened in Acrobat?
 
Keith said:
This thread sounds like a broken record- Fusion Pro, Fusion Pro, Fusion Pro. So I might as well add to it- Fusion Pro. I am on a Mac and have been using FP for several years. All I do is basic addressing once or twice a week and sometimes a personalized letter. I use it every day for just imposing. I love the program but if you want to get fancy with it, you need to know some JavaScript but I haven't run into the need. And it's very affordable for a tiny shop like mine (two employees).

With Fusion Pro, I generate two PDFs- one with the imposed static info and the second one with just the imposed variable info. Then in my Fiery, I use Freeform to put them back together and run at rated speed on my Xerox. Please contact me if you'd like a little help with it.
Click to expand...

Fusion Pro sounds like over kill for what we want at the current time. Plus we can do it presently without spending a dime as the Fiery RIP is capable of doing this fast and efficiently. Maybe in the future if the VDP we do changes or gets more complex will I look at Fusion Pro or something else, but right now it makes no sense to buy software for something that can be done easily with no cost to us.
 
I use something called SmartStream the software come with the purchase of our HP machine. Works well for basic and advanced stuff easy to use plugin to Indesign not sure what its costs though. bring CSV into your indesigh doc and export imposed to PDF and other formats. has gone funny once or twice but we keep a eye on it. We've done update 550000 records. Maybe it can help you.
 
SmartStream is pretty nice - it's come a long way since its days as Yours Truly. I used it for about 3 years at my last job. While I don't recall the price, I do remember thinking it was pretty pricey for what it is, and they nickel-and-dimed you if you wanted the plug-in for different apps like InDesign and Quark. It was also only good for sending to our HP Indigo. I did find it easier to use than FusionPro once I received some training on it.

What I like about FusionPro by comparison is that you get a lot more output formats to choose from to suit your workflow and machines, and it works with any PDF, no matter how it was created.
 
Fusion Pro. I don't even build anything in InDesign. I build the background in Illustrator and the variables in acrobat using fusion pro. I love it!
 
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