Magazine product structure and workflow control between a publisher and a printing house

This paper describes the work done in a project which focused on the product structure and production data communication between a magazine publisher and a printing house and the possibilities offered by JDF in it. Besides long-term printing contracts, the information needed for an issue of a magazine are communicated using email, phone, fax and even mail. Furthermore, many practices are company- or person-specific and the information is divided to many separate systems in different departments. Data communication using JDF vocabulary was examined, and was found to be suitable for most of the magazine structure information. This was also tested with a web-based demonstration system. The project included a cost-benefit analysis model including the key factors. Gathering of all the information needed to produce the print job at a printing house and sending it in electronic form would greatly benefit both publishers and printing houses. It would reduce dramatically the inquiries between the parties and also streamline the process, as all relevant data could be found in one place at each company.