1. Variable Data Printing Solution For Production Fiery Color Servers
Fiery FreeForm
Jane Smith, We’ve got what you want!
Welcome.
Objective here is to provide a basic understanding of variable data printing and what new technologies EFI brings to the table to enable your customer to take advantage of this powerful new concept in digital color printing.
Variable Data Printing Solution
For Production Fiery Color Servers 1

2. Variable Data Printing
Background
Variable Data Defined
Applications for Fiery FreeForm
FreeForm Workflow
We will begin by defining our terms,and understanding the technologies that en take a tour of the elements required to support a Variable Data workflow and finally present the EFI/XEROX variable data printing solutions as they apply to the Fiery ZX-40 and ZX-70 production color print servers.. 2

3. Variable Data Printing
Variable Data, or Variable Data Printing, refers to the ability to alter the content of a document within a print run to effectively create unique instances of that document.
This description is the most comprehensive and concise that I have seen to explain variable data.
This diagram introduces the basic process behind digital variable data. The master document “fixed structure”is the information that stays constant from document to document. The Variable logic defines what criteria will be used to produce the variable data. For example - a mailer to a person with an income of over $100K will include a photo of a Mercedes, which a person in a lower income bracket might receive a Ford Escort.
The variable data is the information that changes from document to document. It might include simple things - like names and mailing addresses - to much more complex information like pictures and product positioning.
This info is merged and printed, providing the right information, to the right person. Of course your mailings will be more successful. 3

4. The evolution of Color VDP
Printing
Very high quality
High volume for cost efficiency
Pennies per page
High set-up costs
Digital Printing
Near offset quality
Ideal for short runs
Apprx. $.60 per page
Very low set up costs
FLEXIBILITY
Traditional (Offset) print models mandate fixed document content that never changes throughout the print run.
For the past 100 plus years, people who wanted to print in color printed with an offset press. It has many strengths - beautiful print quality, the ability to print of many substrates, and if you are printing high volumes, a very low cost per page. But, this method is cost effective only for large runs. It is not possible to easily change the information printed on each page.
Let’s compare this to digital color printing, which has only emerged in the past 8 years. With the new technologies available, print speeds are upwards of 70 pages per minute. Quality has improved to near photographic levels, and there are no plates to be created so users have much greater flexibility to change documents. Perhaps more importantly, Digital print models allow for flexibility and easy changes -even at the last minute Users also can achieve a 100% dynamic document for every individual page.
However- the price per page is substantially higher. Variable Data Printing can provide the value-add to justify this cost per page. Let’s look at some statistics. 4

5. Background Variable Data Today Statements (gas/phone/credit card)
Charity mailers - “Dear Mr. First Lastname”
Mailing labels
Forms printing
Black & white
Limited personalization
No images 5

6. Why Variable Data Printing?
Results from VDP in black and white
Response rate increased 36%
Average orders increased 24%
Repeat orders / Retention increased 47%
Response time improved 34%
Overall revenue/Profit increased 31%
Source: CAP Ventures 1998 6

7. Why Print Variable Data in Color?
Greater impact
increases recognition rates 80%
Better communication
speeds learning and recall 55% - 78%
More persuasive
improves understanding 73%
Gets action
invoices in color paid up to 30% faster 7

8. Historical Challenges of Color VDP
Heavy processing requirements
Need powerful processor and document control
Design restrictions
Many solutions limit designers by application, platform or variable information placement
Inefficient workflow
Available solutions don’t take advantage of the power of the color server
Creates heavy network traffic 8

9. Fiery Freeform Strengths
Master page - common elements
Variable data - unique elements
Print from any application
Unlimited platforms
Unlimited elements
Driver-based client, server-based processing 9

10. Applications for Fiery FreeForm
Marketing materials
Push vs. Pull Models
Financial Services
Corporate Standards
PowerPoint Productivity
When we talk about marketing - there are two models we can use to think about it. Push, VS. Pull. Typical examples of push marketing are:
Grocery store flyers
Newspaper/TV and Radio Ads
Billboards
In general, push marketing can be very expensive, and you have little control over how your message is received.
Pull marketing, on the other hand, is much more intriguing for direct mail applications.
Now - grocery stores are getting smarter…Safeway/lucky club cards not only give you discounts, they track every item you buy. Now- they know your buying habits and can target their mailings. - use Michele’s bagel story….
In general pull marketing should cost you less and you are targeting an audience more likely to buy.
Let’s talk more about which types of organizations could benefit from this type of marketing. 10

11. Basic Requirements for FreeForm
Application to create Master Data
QuarkXPress, PageMaker, Microsoft Word, Claris
Application to create Variable Data
FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access, Dbase, Excel, Word
Fiery with FreeForm
A key benefit of Fiery FreeForm is that is it open and supports a customer’s existing applications - there are no new “variable data” programs to learn. This also creates one of the biggest challenges your customers will face. “I understand the basics of Fiery FreeForm - it’s very easy - but how do I create my master and variable data in the proper format?”
First of all, let’s clarify the components you need. Master data is the “background” - the information that will remain constant on each page. It can be created in virtually any application that prints PostScript.
Variable information is a bit more challenging. If they already use a database, it’s pretty easy to explain what they need to do. If they don’t, we’ll go through some questions that can help you define your customer’s needs and opportunity.
Finally, you need a Fiery with FreeForm to merge the two data streams together. 11

12. Where do I Start Creating Master Documents
Where is design done within the company?
Use any application for Master Data creation!
Quark
PageMaker
Word
Claris
Excel
Master Documents are easy. The power of FreeForm is that it lets your customers design in the applications they use already.
We’ll talk a bit more about FreeForm workflow in a minute - but the basic concept to understand is that the Fiery is capable of differentiating between Master and Variable pages. It knows when it receives a Master page, it should only RIP that page once, hold it in RAM and wait for the proper variable information to invoke it. 12

13. Where Do I Start? Variable Information - what format is your data in?
Have you chosen a database?
Do you have a database expert in-house?
Basic Applications
Spreadsheet Applications
Microsoft Excel
MS Word Tables
Desktop Solutions
FileMaker Pro
Microsoft Access
DBase
FoxPro
PrintShop Mail
High-End Databases
Relational Databases
Oracle
Sybase
Informix
Proprietary DBs
As we discussed, a key component of customized printing is some type of structure for storing variable data. Begin to understand how sophisticated the customer is with their data storage. You don’t have to be a database expert, but it might be helpful to understand a few of the apps that are out there.
FreeForm will function in any of these environments. Basic applications will most likely be used by customer who are just getting into customization.
Desktop solutions like FileMaker Pro have varying support for graphics. If your customer has not decided on a database yet, it is helpful to choose one that does have graphics and layout support. FileMaker’s the best we’ve found so far.
It is also interesting to note that PrintShop Mail works seamlessly with the Fiery. It can be used with any Fiery - including those with FreeForm.
Finally - you have high end databases. In any customer site with a database like this - there will be an internal expert or administrator, who can help get information into the proper format. If the database does not support layouts, simply export the data you want into tab delineated format (very common) and import into FileMaker or other database. 13

14. Fiery FreeForm Workflow
Create Master from any application
QuarkXPress
PageMaker
Illustrator
Photoshop
PowerPoint 14

15. Fiery FreeForm Workflow
Create Variable from any application
Database
MS Word
QuarkXPress
PageMaker
PowerPoint 15

16. Technology Strengths Fast and efficient Only RIPS master data once
Prints at rated speed of the copier
Flexible
Print from any application and platform
Supports Designers’ creativity
No limits on number of variable elements
Rotate and layer variable elements
Design in any application 16