web2print applications are often associated with simple variable data documents. Stationary supplies, simple POS materials, and so on. But as you probably know by now, our customers use the DMP FLO Suite for a lot more complex stuff. Web2print solutions with online generation of catalogs, flyers, brochures, and so on. One of the variations that is often used is to create a personalized brochure for the user, and then personalize it a second time for end users or customers...
Step 1: create your brochure
The logic of this step varies per customer. Banks or real estate agents have different demands here than for example a supermarket. But our customers don't hold back when using all of the tools available to them. One variation that is often used is to allow the user to write some texts for the brochure, and to upload some images. Depending on the production methods used, these pictures may be converted to grayscale automatically.
Another often used variation is to give the user a choice between pre-defined content. Articles, for example, on car financing on one side, or car insurance for younger people on the other. Depending on the specific target audience, the user will can choose the content of his newsletter.
Step 2: create a lot of brochures
On top of this create brochure (for which the user always sees a preview, of course), he will then add new content. The customer databases he uses for this could come from a variety of sources. In simple cases, it's just an upload of a text or excel file with a bunch of addresses. But in other cases, the contacts may be maintained in the FLO Suite itself. Or maybe a direct link is created between FLO and the legacy CRM systems.
Depending on the available data, a second round of personalization takes place. If the data is limited, this could be just an address. But if more information exists, it might go a lot further. The variable content (e.g. articles) mentionned in step 1 ight actually be applied per customer. It could contain image material, logos, and so on. The content may even be made conditional based on information in the CRM. If the user has a balance account over 10.000 and he has less than 3 insurances at our firm, we will send different content.
Step 3: produce and deliver
Finally, PDF files will be exported to the production environment of the printing company. These are in most cases accompanied by JDF or XML files to automate the entire production process. If applicable, exports are created for reporting or financial purposes as well. A nice trick here is that the templates used for the brochures can easily be set up to show different things to the user than will be extracted. The user gets a preview of the entire brochure, but the PDF that goes to production can contain only the black/white parts for digital printing.