Use Cases

Dispatcher Phoenix can perform a variety of processes automatically, including:

Image Processes

• Scan TIFF files and add the following annotations to each page: a ‘Received’ stamp, the date, and a sequence number similar to a mechanical stamp.

• Scan images which are then despeckled, deskewed, annotated, and watermarked on each page. The images are then printed with all modifications.

• Prescription orders sent from twenty-five nurses stations to a hospital pharmacy are stamped with the date, doctor’s name, nurses station name, and priority number before being sent to the hospital pharmacy printer. These orders are also archived on a central server.

Print Processes

• PDF files generated by an application and saved to a folder during the week are printed automatically at twenty-five copies, duplex, stapled, on Saturday.

• Text files created by a mainframe application and saved to a folder are automatically printed at 2 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays only.

Desktop Router

• On Monday, all files from scanner mailbox 1 get moved to a folder called ‘Monday.’ On Tuesday, all files from mailbox 2 get moved to a folder called ‘Tuesday,’ and so on through the week. This happens each night after work hours. Five Router processes are scheduled nightly.

Parser Processes

• New insurance cards are needed for over 10,000 customers. Each customer file contains 3-15 pages, and the insurance card page needs to be printed on special card stock. A parser process can be used to change the input paper tray on the printer for the special card stock.

Parser Processes Case Studies

The Parser processes in Dispatcher Phoenix are powerful time-saving tools. Print jobs that involve multiple manual steps can be automated and streamlined, freeing up your staff to perform other tasks.

Parser rules can be written that will modify the behavior of a Konica Minolta MFP based on a trigger inserted in the print stream. For example, a parser rule could insert a command to change the input tray when printing a special page in a document being processed. The case studies below are just a few examples of what the Parser processes can do.

Scenario 1 – Billing Files

Background - Each day an insurance company creates thousands of billing statements by inserting mainframe data, based on a client’s coverage, into Microsoft Word documents which are then submitted to an in-house print shop. Depending on the policy data included, the file is 3-15 pages long. The last page for each client’s bill needs to be printed on blue, perforated paper so clients can tear off a return “stub” and send it in with their payment. All other pages are to be printed on standard, white paper and the packets need to be merged, collated and mailed out as one packet per customer.

Problem - Each Microsoft Word file would need to be opened individually. The print driver would then need to be manually configured to print the “return payment stub” page on the special perforated paper contained in Tray 3. The remainder of the document would be printed on standard, white paper.

The print shop calculated that it would take a print operator approximately 40 seconds to open up each file in Microsoft Word, search for the “return payment stub” page, and then manually configure the print driver to print the return stub page on the perforated paper contained in Tray 3.

This print shop rejected this job as too time consuming and cost prohibitive as it would not only require dedicating two full time employees to the job, but it also meant that for the majority of time, the bizhub pro 1050 was idle (waiting for the print operator to finish configuring the next print job).

Solution - Dispatcher Phoenix automates the process! Microsoft Word document files are collected and converted to Postscript automatically. Parser processes search for triggers and adds appropriate tray calls for special paper. The new (parsed) file is sent to the bizhub pro 1050 with the new instructions. Packets are printed with the special page automatically inserted where it belongs.

Due to the speed at which the workflow executes, the collected Microsoft Word files are processed and inserted into the print queue at a substantially faster rate than the bizhub pro 1050 can print them. This results in the bizhub pro 1050 continuously printing until all of the files have been processed (no idle time). Where it used to take two full time people more than 8 hours to process a typical days worth of work, it now only takes a few hours, freeing up the print shop personnel to work on other projects.

Scenario 2 – Insurance Cards

Background - Client dental insurance policies are submitted to the print shop from a mainframe system as print ready postscript data. The first page of each customer packet needs to be printed on special card stock with two removable insurance cards. There are four, possible, distinct, card types based on the client policy and group number. All other pages are to be printed on standard, white paper and finally, all the packets need to be collated and stapled for distribution.

Problem - Print shop must accept each print job as formatted Postscript data. The first page of each policy needs to be printed on one of four possible card stock. The Policy/Group Number contained in the postscript data stream determines which card stock is used for the first page. All other pages need to be printed on standard paper. The entire packet (policy) needs to be stapled together as a single job.

Solution - Dispatcher Phoenix automates the process! Files are collected automatically. Parser processes search for unique triggers for each policy/group and adds tray calls to send to the bizhub pro 1050. Files are automatically sent to the bizhub pro 1050 to print where each type of insurance packet is stapled, ready for mailing.

Scenario 3 – Voter Registration

Background - City voter registration documents need to be printed on color-coded paper to visually inform the registrar what kind of personal ID to request from each voter at the polls. Specific voter data, for several hundred thousand voters, determines which type of identification they need to present. For clarity, it is requested that the print shop print the registration documents for each identification type on different colored paper (i.e., pink, white, and gray).

Problem - Each voter file must be opened individually to determine color-coding information. Files need to be manually grouped by color for printing. Groups of like-color documents are printed as separate jobs (possibly on separate printers).

Solution - Dispatcher Phoenix automates the process! Workflow is set to collect the files automatically. The collected files are converted to PostScript (.PRN file). A parser node is configured to add color coding information and tray calls. Parsed files are sent to a Printer distribution node print complete file (ready for mailing) to the bizhub pro 1050.

Conclusion

In each scenario, the customer saved time and money by using Dispatcher Phoenix to automate a complex document workflow. Each workflow could be configured by the customer, eliminating the need for an on-site request or special development.