Speaking of "Web-2-Print", have you checked out PLP's new PLOTWORKS REMOTE CLIENT?

When I visited PLP’s web-site today, it was the first time that I noticed that PLP, finally, on April 3, 2011, introduced its new Plotworks “Remote Client”. And, I used the word “finally” because I’m very familiar with this PLP product, inasmuch as I watched it rolled-out / implemented in several countries in Europe and worked with sales teams on how to promote and sell it to customers and prospects.

The other day, I posted a brief article on Reprographics 101 about “web-2-print”, indicating that the concept is a no-brainer – reprographers and printers MUST offer web-2-print services. It is not an option, going forward, for customers are more and more demanding that you offer “easy/simple” ways for them to order over the Internet, and, if you don’t do it, one of your competitors will, and you WILL lose business.

And, I just mentioned “web-2-print” because, ta, ta, ta, tum, (drum roll), PLP’s PlotWorks “Remote Client” is an amazing web-2-print service. I know this because I saw it implemented and in action over a period of more than a year! PLP’s dedication to support is, well, nothing short of fantastic. At NGI, we were not PLP customers. But, when I was working in Europe, the company I was with was a PLP customer, and that gave me the opportunity to observe, first hand, the level of dedication and support PLP’s team members bring to the table. I’ve been in and around the reprographics industry for a long, long time, and I don’t think I’ve ever come across an equipment or software vendor whose dedication and support is better than PLP’s.

Here’s what I found on PLP’s web-site about this new release:

Introducing the (Plotworks) Remote Client

While a client version of PlotWorks has been available for many years, it has been geared primarily towards in-house usage where advanced capabilities are required. With the introduction of PlotWorks 7.0, a remote client is now available that is designed specifically for remote submissions by casual users. It is easy to use and fills several gaps exposed by competing offerings.

Customer Installable

Have you ever made trips to customer sites just to install client software, or to train them to use the application? By simplifying both usage and installation the PlotWorks Remote Client is truly customer installable. A single installer combined with a simple one-line, cut-and-paste configuration greatly reduces overhead for both you and your customer.

Color and Monochrome Images

You no longer have to be concerned about how customers send you work. Instead of asking them to use one method for monochrome jobs, and another method for color jobs, they can use the PlotWorks Remote Client to send both, even as a mixed job. This is obviously easier on the customer, and makes tracking and management easier for you.

Large and Small Format

With the PlotWorks Remote Client, customers can now send you plans and specifications in a single upload. Plans are detected as large format documents, and specifications are detected as small format documents. All of the data is contained in a single job, and the automatic size detection prevents small format documents from reaching a large format printer, unless you choose otherwise.

Submissions via HTTP or HTTPS

Historically, client applications of this nature have relied on the FTP protocol, either active or passive, to upload images and instructions to a server. FTP submissions will often require IT administrators to do something they loathe – poke holes in their firewall. With HTTP or HTTPS submissions this is not an issue.

Automatic Updates

With hundreds of remote client installations in the field, do you really want to be in the business of visiting each one when an update is required? File formats such as PDF tend to constantly evolve. An application that you installed at a customer site six months ago may be rendered useless over time. The PlotWorks Remote Client updates itself, but these updates are under your control, not ours. You can decide what you want to push out, to whom, and when. The next time the customer launches their client application, it will check your server to see if an update is available, then download and apply the update.

Configurable Job Ticket

All too often we have experienced the "one size fits all" approach to job tickets. The PlotWorks Remote Client includes a highly-configurable job ticket, allowing you to require as little or as much information as you would like. But it gets better. The job ticket automatically updates itself too. Let's say that on day one you only offer three media choices. Two months later you realize that there's a huge market for printing either monochrome or color jobs on Tyvek with your solid ink printer. Simply update the job ticket on your server. The next time a customer submits a job, they will be presented with the new option. You don't have to send them loose files that they install in the wrong places, and you don't need to go on-site.

Submission ID Tracking

Each incoming submission from a PlotWorks Remote Client is assigned a Submission ID -- a way for both you and your customer to refer to the same job. Again, instead of a "one size fits all" approach, the format of the Submission ID is determined by you, not by us.

Automatic Email Notifications

Upon receipt of the job the customer will receive an email message, including the Submission ID, notifying them that their job has been successfully received. The content of the email notification is also configurable. Outbound messaging options for the SMTP protocol include authentication, port number and SSL, allowing you to specify virtually any SMTP service available.

Flexible Authentication

Several authentication methods are available. At one end of the spectrum you may choose to allow anonymous submissions to your server. Or you may decide to assign a unique User ID to every person at every customer site. And there are plenty of options in the middle. For example, you may choose to assign a unique User ID that is to be used for submissions to a particular production location.

Supports Multiple Production Locations

Instead of one centralized server to receive all jobs for all locations, you can easily install one receiving server at each production location in order to reduce "time to data." Alternatively, you can configure a centralized server to automatically route jobs to the appropriate location based on the submission User ID.

Direct to Queue

Every job submitted from the PlotWorks Remote Client will be transferred to a centralized print queue in each production location. The jobs will have a "hold" status pending operator review. The operator can instantly see the Submission ID and related instructions provided by the customer.