DocBridge Mill Plus
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Universal and graphically supported documentation processes for all formats (GUI) The most flexible solution for conversion, modification, optimization and deployment
DocBridge Mill Plus is platform-independent and scalable software for the transformation of an extensive variety of document formats. It analyses, modifies, separates, distributes, classifies and indexes the input data then converts into the desired formats. The documents can be displayed, edited, and delivered to web, email, print and archival channels.
DocBridge Mill Plus enables users without programming or scripting skills to define individual functions as well as complete processing workflows. However, it does not limit users.
Complex processing can be divided into individual processing steps then linked together into a workflow of drag & drop modules. Testing of the defined workflows right in the user interface is included, increasing reliability and reducing misprints.
- Enables better customer communication and faster time to market through repurposing of existing documents
- Reduces cost by allowing to re-use existing documents without the need to change upstream processes
- Allows both business and technical users to configure applications
- Interactive application testing directly while setting up new processes
- Shows any issue with input jobs via a visual analysis feature without the need to know the technical format, e.g. AFP, LCDS, or PDF
- Provides complex, single pass operations at high speed with efficient output
A DocBridge Mill Plus application is built from individual modules that can be combined in a myriad of ways. By graphically supporting configuration interface, it is fast to set up new applications and easy to modify existing applications (for example: adding new input and output formats). All modules are programmed in OS-independent code and function exactly the same way in all the supported platforms.
All core functions are consolidated in a base module. The objects of the input documents and their properties are processed through format-dependent input filters. All the desired process functions can be configured in a format-neutral way, applied and converted into the required target formats using format-dependent output filters. In this way different formats are merged and modified in a single pass.
DocBridge Mill Plus can process the input file by:
- Optimize output in various ways, e.g. highest fidelity or smallest file size
- Separate input jobs into individual PDF documents
- Commingle several files of different format into one output
- Generate copies of documents into additional files, all in a single pass
- Re-order and filter what pages and documents are written into the output file
- Add additional pages like cover sheets, banner sheets and separator sheets
Change Page Contents
DocBridge Mill Plus provides a series of parameters that can be configured to change the structure or content of a page:
- Add text, OMR markings, barcodes, overlays and images
- Change page size and move page content
- Hide or redact text or areas of pages
- Recognize the text direction and auto rotate pages
- Mix and merge formats on input
Classify and Index
DocBridge Mill Plus can easily recognize each document's metadata and categorize it accordingly.
- Easily capture NOPs and TLEs in AFP
- Utilize general attributes such as page numbers (e.g. page groups in AFP) or overlay names
- Extract and interpret text on the page
- Interpret and extract content from barcodes
Resource Management
DocBridge Mill Plus resource management provides support for mapping and substitution of raster and vector fonts.The following font types can be integrated:
- TrueType
- Postscript Type 1
- Postscript Type 3
- AFP Screen
- AFP Vector
Fonts and text can be merged, cached and optimized for more efficient downstream processing and small file sizes. Additionally, many of the font resources provided can be produced "on the fly" when generating the outgoing documents. This simplifies the configuration of such applications. In the case of AFP incoming documents, the following resource variants are supported:
- Inline resources (self-contained)
- External resources (files)
- External resource library
These resources can also be created using an http protocol on a resource server network. All of DocBridge Mill Plus's core functions are fully implemented in Unicode. All character sets and codes, such as Double Byte Character Sets (DBCS), are supported. DocBridge Mill Plus supports the following color ranges:
- RGB
- CMYK
- CieLab
- Runtime OS: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008
- Configuration application: Windows 7, Windows XP,Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008
DocBridge Pilot
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Control and Optimize All Your Output
Multi-Channel Enterprise Output Management
Without impacting any upstream applications or business units, DocBridge Pilot accepts documents, formatted output and traditional print files, then efficiently outputs each according to the required schedule, rules and channel - quickly and optimally.
DocBridge Pilot does this by leveraging a centralized document pool, database, conversion engine and a document repository for seamless processing. Easily accessed through a web services interface, DocBridge Pilot allows you to efficiently sort and deliver transactional and batch documents - with the control of piece-level tracking.
With DocBridge Pilot, you can cut costs while providing output according to the requirements of your customer and your post-processing systems.
- Lower the cost of document processing
- Dynamically and intelligently select documents with similar output criterion
- Automatically combine and convert different data streams and formats
- Control and optimize dynamic inserts for optimum finishing
- Add color or overlays interactively
- Mail piece consolidation - Bundling and postal-sort mail
- Accommodate last minute production routing
- Integrate with finishing for automatic reprint
- Piece-level tracking with genealogy
By keeping the changes and conversions to a minimum, the documents keep their integrity. DocBridge Pilot analyzes incoming documents and simply extracts content from the page, index information or metadata that is relevant for processing. DocBridge Pilot saves the documents in a central repository and stores the exact location of each document for fast extraction.
During a job run, the business rules and SLAs determine which documents get extracted, potentially converted and routed to the appropriate channel.
Processing does not end with delivery. During print production, documents periodically get damaged and must be reprinted. If a web delivery isn't accessed after a certain time period, it may get re-routed to print. To properly support the archive, index data and resources must additionally be supplied. And a customer support representative may get a request to resend the latest correspondence. With DocBridge Pilot, you can quickly and easily handle the full range of re-delivery requirements.
Accounting
DocBridge Pilot has an integrated database that allows for all costs and processing to be captured for use by accounting and invoicing systems.
To configure bundling in DocBridge Pilot first requires defining a criterion that will identify related documents, such as the customer number.
The principle: in the first step, called IMPORT, DocBridge Pilot reads all the print data streams from all the input channels. For each channel, criteria that indicate the start of a new document can be defined, such as when a specific character string, like "Dear…" appears at a certain point on a page.
The document boundaries (and in this case the customer number) must therefore be defined during the IMPORT step for the given input channel, for instance using the "Rectangle capturing" function under "Data acquisition."
The customer number for each document is then stored in the internal database of DocBridge Pilot. Then a "Bundle mailing" needs to be created in the desired output channel under "Create mailing." This is where a bundling column list can be defined. If the column name for the customer number in the internal database is entered. For example, under the name "CUSTOMER_NO," all the documents with the same customer number are bundled into the same mailing, regardless of where these documents appear in the input data streams. The system automatically looks for all the relevant pages.
Of course, the user is able to determine how the pages within the newly created mailing are sorted and also sort the mailings within the output job. Post-processing steps such as applying OMR marks and the like can also be defined.
Overview of procedure for DocBridge Pilot Version Process Unit ("PU") 2.11:
- Create the data fields for the data to be determined in the following, including CUSTOMER_NO.
- Define the document boundaries for the IMPORT step so Pilot knows where the documents begin and end in the input data streams (e.g. using Data acquisition -> Rectangle capturing)
- Define the location of the customer number in the documents (e.g., using Data acquisition -> Rectangle capturing) This information allows the documents to be identified during the IMPORT and copied into the internal pool of DocBridge Pilot.)
- Create an output channel, e.g. for printing.
- Define a mailing bundle; enter DOCATTR.CUSTOMER_NO in the bundling column list.
- In the newer versions of Pilot, the bundling step is done using a handler.
The import process is the same – see above.
- Instead of a fixed point in the output channel where bundling takes place, a "Bundle job" type of handler is inserted into the process handler sequence. Naturally the point needs to fit the remaining process logic.
- Inside the handler is a mailing configuration. As with older versions, this is where the corresponding mailing bundle is located and where the bundling column list can be created. In our example, you would enter only CUSTOMER_NO as the column name.
- If the input data streams are imported in Pilot and the mailings then produced for the output channel, all documents with the same customer number will be output sequentially and can be combined in the same envelope.
DocBridge FileCab
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Managing and Optimizing Your Ad Hoc Documents Central processing of documents with Quality Check
Everyday correspondence is produced at desktop workstations, printed, put into an envelope by hand, stamped and added to the company mail. This small batch printing still takes place in Human Resources, Marketing and Customer Service departments without regard to cost, time or efficiency. Ideally, a seamless workflow would accumulate all kinds of decentralized documents into a central output pool, where they can be digitally comingled and delivered through the desired output channel.
DocBridge FileCab solves the problem of collecting, checking and transferring remotely generated office documents to a company's centralized production. As part of the print process, documents can be automatically checked against various criteria and rules for brand and quality standards, address accuracy and completeness. DocBridge FileCab even offers an optional review process.
DocBridge FileCab supports all physical and digital channels – e-mail, web portal, electronic mail, mobile devices as well as print, fax, and archive. Using an intuitive graphical user interface for processing and configuration, the user determines how the office document should be output.
- Efficient processing of decentralized documents
- Quality assurance during document processing
- Improved and accountable production processes
- Better adherence to corporate design
- Higher document consistency and quality
- Greater productivity in document processing and delivery
- Multi-channel delivery options to email, web, print and archive
- Cost-minimization for printing and mailing
- Increased productivity due to the omission of manual printing, enveloping and stamping
- Easy integration with business office programs
- An application locally loaded for collection of documents. This application can be run independently or in combination with a Compart printer driver to output native production file types directly to the production processing systems.
- A web based interface enabling the review and release of individual documents.
DocBridge Queue Processor
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Workflow for Output Management A generalized solution to manage and optimize output management processes
A wide range of applications generate business critical output management processes and use them for different purposes. It requires a lot of effort to optimize and manage the processes. The result is inconsistent management and optimization, lack of simplicity, difficult error recovery and resource utilization.
That can affect the quality of service and increase high operating costs. DocBridge Queue Processor is a system designed to manage the processes centrally for printing or for processing in different ways. It has the capability to receive the jobs from different input channels or from manual submission.
A configurable queue management extends the functionality of DocBridge Queue Processor to manage processes and reroute or distribute to different output channels. The architecture is designed in such a way that it can easily be used in a context other than printing.
- Reduce manual work and make processes more reliable
- Get real time view of processes on any system and react immediately whenever appropriate or needed
- Easily interface with existing and new systems
- Save time and increase productivity
For example, multiple PDF jobs are received via LPR channel to a specific queue, and are transferred to an available AFP Printer via IPDS protocol. If printer is not available, then queue keeps that job on hold until the device is available for printing. Based on configuration, the processed jobs are moved into another queue for archiving or those jobs are retained for a specific period of time.
Multiple devices having same properties can be grouped together in a single queue and multiple queues can also be defined for different purposes. Depending on the configuration, the jobs can be converted from one format to another format because of tightly coupled integration with DocBridge Mill.
The application is flexible enough to provide post processing functionality, so external application can also be integrated for further processing.
- Various input channels to receive output management requests
- Invoke processes to deal with documents
- Distribution, workload balancing and re-routing of jobs to different output channels
- Automate output management processes to avoid manual intervention
DocBridge Delta
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Document Comparison that Gets Right to the Point
Production quality assurance for document and output management that isn't just for the developer
Your production output changes, sometimes unintentionally with software or system upgrades and sometimes it changes as part of the document lifecycle. The trick is allowing anyone on your staff to quickly get meaningful feedback that is equally useful for development, copywriters, analysts and even your customers. DocBridge Delta does it exponentially faster and more accurately than a time-consuming, error-prone manual review.
DocBridge Delta is a Quality Assurance productivity solution that compares two digital documents or files to each other and then reports back meaningful results. It is designed to have a high degree of utility, supporting the requirements of both the development team and the business users. And it will provide highly accurate, thorough results very quickly.
DocBridge Delta is able to test for both intended and unintended changes, even exposing issues not clearly visible but potentially problematic. It is able to compare the same file type or even compare different file types against each other.
The software supports two modes of testing. An interactive interface for adhoc testing is
available in addition to a command line call for automated workflows.
DocBridge Delta respects the different tasks and roles involved in quality process. Different output results can be distributed to the different functional areas, so the programmers and the proof readers receive different output targeted to their specific requirements.
- Obsoletes the most of the tedious, high manual effort of document QA
- Ensures that all documents from any source meet the same high quality standards of your organization
- Near instantaneous productivity after installation
- Faster process captures lost time with better productivity and better resultsInterface is usable by all rolls and responsibilities in output/document management
- Web-based, behind the firewall installation makes it accessible and easy to maintain
Automated Quality Assurance must address the simultaneous requirements of usability, productivity and risk mitigation.
Usability
By utilizing a web server that sits behind the organization’s firewall, your administrator can activate users without limit. No proprietary or locally installed software is required either. DocBridge Delta is interactively used through a standard browser, and its output is provided in ubiquitous PDF and HTML formats thus making the results easy to share. Although the software’s default test configuration works “out of the box”, a very powerful, but easy graphical configuration is available to define custom and complex testing requirements.
Productivity
Employees who spend a lot of time viewing, testing and comparing production output are not focusing on their other key responsibilities. If an automation tool is too complex, the effort and time saved is substantially diminished. DocBridge Delta is designed to be intuitive, allowing complex testing with easy configuration, enabling the user to recover waisted time in each business day.
Risk Mitigation
Mistakes cost more than just money. They lose loyal customers. Mistakes may also lead to unwelcome legal issues. By having Quality Assurance software in place, mistakes are not only avoided but an important forensic trail can be maintained. Furthermore, the customer can be incorporated amore easily into the proofing process, building trust and saving proofing cycles.
- Finds and analyzes differences between 2 output files
- Analyzes the visual and underlying object structures
- Returns meaningful feedback for all levels of users: developer, analyst and business user
- Thin-client solution provides both an interactive web interface and automated call functionality
- Automates regression testing, iteration testing and archive validation
- Reports production tests - including metadata, media calls, fonts, color, size and positioning
- Supports business workflow by providing outputs for designers, programmers and proof readers
- Different formats can be compared
Typical Use Scenarios
DocBridge Delta delivers extensive functionality through an easy-to-use, web-based user interface. In addition, it can be run from a command line to support automated processes. Both use cases are simultaneously supported.
Visual Document Comparison
DocBridge Delta makes it easy to compare documents by presenting both documents. A "digital light-table," where the two documents are overlaid, is shown in between the two documents. Bookmarks are used to explain the found issues and link to the particular page. Comments provide an encapsulated record of the compare settings. Additionally, a text output, which is frequently reviewed by a proof reader, is provided to quickly show any issues with the copy. Both outputs, routed to their counterparts, fit a typical production workflow and further increase the speed of the approval process.
DocBridge View
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Universal Document Viewer
Display Documents in any Format
DocBridge View allows you too quickly and easily display electronically saved or archived documents. It can display single documents, a series of documents or very large, gigabyte-sized files. DocBridge
View supports the legacy formats (AFP and metacode), contemporary formats (PDF, PCL, PostScript), “X” based formats (XSL-FO) and business formats like SAP’s output formats – all from the same viewer.
- Fast loading and viewing capabilities
- Comprehensive support of all common document formats
- Single standard user display
- Optimal support for resource references
- High representation faithfulness and display of the text with original fonts
- Comprehensive overview and annotation functions
- Can be used as Active-X control element in user applications
- Highly configurable and controllable
- Prints via a standard Windows function and has an optional PDF output
Viewer Window
The Viewer provides standard and intuitive functionality for the easy display of document pages, such as scrolls, search, turning and zoom functions. It provides the key information about the file, including resources and any included metadata. The software also supports display options such as scale-to-grey and font screening. Document Navigation Window The document navigation window provides an overview of the loaded documents as different views:
- Document tree: Displays the batches, documents and pages in hierarchical categories in Explorer style
- Miniature view: Displays all pages of the loaded documents sequentially as preview images
- Index view: Displays AFP document batch index structure, where the individual documents have been indexed using TLE tags
- Page group view: Displays AFP documents collected into their page groups
Other available functions include:
- Select individual pages or page areas, which can be printed or sent directly by email
- Search for text in the loaded documents, with highlighted search results
- Production and processing of annotations, e.g. marking areas, masked areas, lines, text, notes and stamps
Resource Management
For the display of documents, DocBridge View supports both self-contained and externally referenced resources. It does not matter whether a font is included in the display document itself or is a reference to an external font file. DocBridge View is able to display the file in highly accurate detail. The internal and external resources used for the mixed-object formats and AFP, such as overlays, page segments, medium maps and form definitions or fonts, are resolved accurately.
When displaying the font, an option exists to switch between the representation using similar system fonts and fonts rasterized by DocBridge View itself. Forms missing in the data stream can be integrated for display and printing. Pages can also be “stamped” with additional text, such as “Copy” or “Reprint,” before they are printed.
Configurability
DocBridge View can also be extensively configured externally:
- It can be accessed using a variety of control parameters
- Due to its DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) capabilities, DocBridge View can be used as a building block in another application, e.g. in an archiving environment.