Experience Built in Print.Engineered Into Software.
More than two decades of print software development, over 400 installations and an engineering team working across estimating, workflow, procurement, inventory, integrations and AI.
20+
Years of print software development
400+
Software installations
Multiple
Markets, countries and operating models
3
Eras: desktop, browser, AI
Our experience comes from two disciplines.
- 01
Understanding how print businesses operate.
- 02
Knowing how to turn those operating requirements into structured, maintainable technology.
Neither One Is Enough on Its Own.
Experience in the print industry is essential, but industry knowledge alone does not create reliable software.
Software engineering is essential, but engineering without print knowledge can produce systems that fail to reflect how work is actually estimated, produced, purchased, stored, delivered and invoiced.
Print Industry Experience
Our products have evolved through direct exposure to commercial printers, digital and lithographic operations, print brokers, print management companies, in-plants and organisations managing print across multiple locations.
This experience informs how we approach:
- 01Print specifications
- 02Estimating and pricing
- 03Production routes
- 04Materials and finishing
- 05Customer approvals
- 06Job management
- 07Outsourced production
- 08Purchasing
- 09Warehouse inventory
- 10Multi-location fulfilment
- 11Delivery
- 12Invoicing and reporting
Software Engineering Experience
Our engineering team turns those operating requirements into software that can be configured, tested, maintained and extended.
The engineering work behind PrintMIS covers:
- 01Browser-based business applications
- 02Workflow and business logic
- 03Data structures and relationships
- 04User permissions
- 05Estimating calculations
- 06Job and production processes
- 07Warehouse transactions
- 08Purchasing and supplier workflows
- 09APIs and external integrations
- 10Testing and controlled releases
- 11AI integration within established workflows
Print knowledge identifies the problem.
Engineering turns that knowledge into repeatable product capability.
Not Built Around One Idealised Printer.
Our software has not been developed around one type of print company or one idealised production process.
It has evolved through implementations across organisations with different:
- Company Sizes
- Production Capabilities
- Customer Types
- Pricing Structures
- Approval Processes
- Equipment Configurations
- Supplier Relationships
- Warehouse Requirements
- Delivery Models
- Accounting Workflows
Some customers manufacture most work internally. Others outsource complete jobs or specialist processes. Some produce in bulk and hold finished products for later release. Others operate as brokers, print managers, in-plants or multi-location procurement departments.
This variety has shaped the flexibility required within ePRO Web-to-Print MIS.
Across more than 400 installations, we have encountered different ways of:
- Receiving customer requirements
- Building print estimates
- Applying pricing and markup rules
- Protecting gross margin
- Creating jobs
- Planning production
- Purchasing materials
- Outsourcing work
- Receiving goods into stock
- Releasing customer-owned inventory
- Managing multiple delivery locations
- Producing invoices
- Transferring information to other systems
We have learned which parts of a workflow are common, which require configuration and which exceptions need to remain under human control.
One Change Can Reach Several Stages of the Business.
Building a demonstration is different from maintaining and extending software used to run print operations.
Our engineering team works with a platform in which one change can affect several connected stages of the business.
For example:
- 01An estimating change may affect job creation and production instructions
- 02A material change may affect costing, purchasing and warehouse activity
- 03A stock release may affect delivery, billing and inventory history
- 04A supplier workflow may affect job cost, fulfilment and customer delivery
- 05An integration may affect the source of truth for customers, invoices or shipments
A feature cannot be judged only by what appears on one screen. It must also be assessed by what happens before and after that point in the workflow.
Long-Term Product Engineering.
A long-lived software platform presents different engineering challenges from a newly created application. The work is not limited to adding new features — the team must also consider:
- Existing customer workflows
- Data continuity
- Dependencies between modules
- Configuration differences
- User permissions
- Exception handling
- Integration behaviour
- Release testing
- Backward compatibility
- Long-term maintainability
A change that helps one workflow must not unintentionally damage another. That requires controlled development, testing and release management — and the judgement to distinguish a customer-specific request from a recurring industry requirement.
The Value Is in What Carries Between Stages.
ePRO is not a collection of unrelated modules. Its value comes from carrying information between the commercial and operational stages of print.
- 01
Estimate to Job
Carry the approved specification, quantity, price, materials and processes into the job workflow.
- 02
Job to Production
Use the booked requirement to support job tickets, production planning, job status and data capture.
- 03
Production to Purchasing
Identify materials, outsourced services and supplier requirements arising from the job.
- 04
Purchasing to Warehouse
Receive purchased or externally produced products into inventory where appropriate.
- 05
Warehouse to Delivery
Pick and release available stock against a customer requirement.
- 06
Delivery to Invoice
Connect fulfilled work with the appropriate billing process.
- 07
MIS to External Systems
Transfer selected information to accounting, payment, shipping, customer and other business applications.
Engineering these transitions requires an understanding of both the software and the business transaction being managed.
Continued Engineering, Not Serial Replacement.
The original software foundation began as a desktop application. It was progressively re-engineered for access through an internet browser, creating the basis for remote access, customer-facing services and a connected Web-to-Print MIS environment.
Over time, the platform expanded to support:
- Browser-Based Print Management
- Private Storefronts
- Customer and Supplier Management
- Print Estimating
- Quote Approval
- Job Management
- Production Planning
- Procurement
- Warehouse Inventory
- Delivery
- Invoicing
- Reporting
- External Integrations
The next stage introduces AI into defined workflows, beginning with estimating.
Desktop to browser to connected workflows to AI — one continued engineering line, not a series of disconnected product replacements.
Not Every Request Should Become a Feature.
Customer feedback remains an important source of product knowledge, but not every request should become an isolated feature.
Our development process is based on identifying the underlying operating requirement.
Observe the Workflow
Understand what the customer is trying to achieve, how the work is currently managed and where the problem occurs.
Identify the Recurring Requirement
Determine whether the issue is unique to one implementation or represents a broader print-industry need.
Define the Product Behaviour
Specify how the system should work, which users are involved and how the change affects connected modules.
Engineer and Test the Solution
Develop the capability, validate the workflow and test the relevant upstream and downstream effects.
Implement and Learn
Introduce the change into real operating environments and use the resulting experience to inform continued development.
The process creates a feedback loop:
Customer Workflow → Implementation and Support → Product Analysis → Engineering → Controlled Release → Customer Workflow
Eight Things We Now Take as Given.
- 01
No Two Print Businesses Are Identical
Different companies use different terminology, pricing methods, production routes, approval processes and fulfilment models. A print system needs structure, but it also requires controlled configuration.
- 02
Estimating Cannot Be Isolated From Production
A selling price is only commercially useful when it reflects how the work is expected to be produced, purchased or fulfilled.
- 03
Exceptions Matter as Much as Standard Workflows
Repeat work may follow established rules. Unusual specifications, low-margin jobs, unavailable materials and supplier changes require review.
- 04
Information Should Carry Forward
A customer specification should not need to be repeatedly reconstructed as the work moves from estimate to job, production, delivery and invoice.
- 05
Outsourcing Is Part of the Print Workflow
Externally produced work still needs to remain connected to the customer job, supplier requirement, purchase cost, delivery and margin.
- 06
Inventory Requires Print-Specific Controls
Printed products may be customer-owned, company-owned, numbered, billed in advance or invoiced as quantities are released.
- 07
Integrations Need Clear Ownership
Connecting two applications is not enough. The business must define which system owns each record, when information moves and what happens when a transfer fails.
- 08
Automation Must Preserve Commercial Control
Technology should remove unnecessary administration without allowing pricing, margin or customer commitments to proceed without the appropriate authority.
Software Becomes Operational During Implementation.
That is where the product meets the company's actual customers, pricing rules, materials, equipment, suppliers, inventory, delivery requirements and accounting processes.
Our implementation experience includes working through:
- Workflow Discovery
- System Configuration
- Customer and Supplier Setup
- Product and Estimating Structures
- Cost Rates and Pricing Rules
- Materials and Production Processes
- Data Preparation and Import
- User Permissions
- Warehouse Ownership and Stock
- Delivery Workflows
- Invoice Requirements
- Integration Scope
- User Training
- Testing and Operational Review
Implementation is not simply the technical act of making software available. It is the process of translating an operating model into a controlled system workflow.
Engineering, Implementation and Support.
Product engineering should not operate in isolation from the people implementing and supporting the system. Customer questions and operational problems often reveal where:
- 01A process has not been configured correctly
- 02Training or documentation needs improvement
- 03An exception has not been considered
- 04An integration requires clearer ownership
- 05A workflow could be simplified
- 06A recurring requirement deserves product development
Implementation and support show how the software is used. Product analysis identifies the broader requirement. Engineering turns the agreed requirement into controlled software behaviour.
Eight Ways a Print Business Is Run.
Commercial Printers
Manage estimating, production, materials, finishing, purchasing, delivery and invoicing.
Digital Printers
Control short-run, repeat and online work through a connected workflow.
Lithographic Printers
Coordinate estimating, presses, materials, finishing and outsourced processes.
Trade Printers
Receive and manage work from brokers, resellers and other print businesses.
Print Brokers
Control customers, suppliers, quotations, purchase orders, delivery and margin without producing every job internally.
Print Management Companies
Manage customer requirements, outsourced production, inventory and multi-location fulfilment.
In-Plant Operations
Control internal ordering, approvals, production, distribution and reporting.
Multi-Location Organisations
Manage products, users, approvals, inventory and deliveries across different branches or departments.
The operational model may differ, but the need for connected information remains consistent.
A Job Does Not Always Go Straight to Delivery.
The software has evolved around several fulfilment routes.
Internal Production
Estimate → Approval → Job → Production → Delivery → Invoice
Outsourced Production
Estimate → Approval → Supplier RFQ → Purchase Order → Supplier Production → Delivery
Produce for Inventory
Job → Production → Warehouse Receipt → Inventory → Release
Purchase for Inventory
Purchase Order → Supplier → Warehouse Receipt → Inventory → Release
Release Existing Stock
Customer Requirement → Warehouse Pick → Release → Delivery
Direct Supplier Delivery
Customer Job → Purchase Order → Supplier → Customer Delivery
Understanding these routes is essential when engineering software for the print industry.
The Workflow Frequently Extends Beyond the MIS.
ePRO supports selected connections with systems used for accounting, payments, shipping and external business processes.
- 01
QuickBooks Online
Connect relevant invoice activity with the accounting workflow.
- 02
Stripe
Support approved online payment requirements.
- 03
GoShippo
Connect shipping and fulfilment activity.
- 04
APIs and Custom Integration
Consider connections with customer intranets, corporate portals and other external applications according to the required workflow and technical scope.
Our integration approach begins with the business requirement. Before connecting systems, we establish:
- 01Which records need to move
- 02Which direction they move
- 03Which system owns the data
- 04What triggers the transfer
- 05When the transfer occurs
- 06How duplicates are prevented
- 07What happens when a transfer fails
- 08How the connection will be tested and supported
A technically successful connection is not enough. It must also produce the correct operational result.
Explore Integrations & AIIt Does Not Begin From a Blank Screen.
AI is the next stage of our engineering development, but it starts inside established print workflows that already hold structured information.
Those workflows already carry structure for:
- Customers
- Products
- Print Specifications
- Materials
- Presses
- Production Processes
- Finishing
- Costs
- Pricing
- Markups
- Gross Margins
- Jobs
- Purchasing
- Inventory
- Delivery
Estimating is the first ePRO workflow being extended with AI.
01
Phase 1
Reference relevant past jobs and established product templates when preparing an estimate.
02
Phase 2
Create custom estimates and compare the requirement across multiple presses.
03
Phase 3
Undisclosed.
The phased approach allows the engineering team to introduce intelligence within a defined operational and commercial structure.
AI assists the estimator. The business remains responsible for reviewing the specification, production route, selling price and margin.
Seven Rules We Build To.
- 01
Understand the Transaction First
Development begins with the business result the user needs to achieve.
- 02
Protect Connected Data
Changes must be assessed across the full workflow rather than only within one module.
- 03
Configure Before Customising
Where possible, the core product should support the requirement through controlled configuration rather than isolated customer-specific code.
- 04
Keep Exceptions Visible
Automation should not silently hide unusual specifications, failed transfers or commercial risks.
- 05
Retain Human Approval
Pricing, margin, supplier selection and customer commitments should remain subject to the appropriate controls.
- 06
Introduce Change in Phases
Complex capabilities and integrations should be developed, tested and released in controlled stages.
- 07
Build for Continued Ownership
Engineering decisions should support the long-term operation, maintenance and development of the platform.
Where It Actually Shows Up.
- 01
Better Discovery
We understand the questions required to identify how a print workflow actually operates.
- 02
More Realistic Scoping
Print, software and integration experience helps distinguish standard configuration from development or custom integration.
- 03
Awareness of Dependencies
We consider how changes affect estimating, jobs, production, purchasing, inventory, delivery and invoicing.
- 04
Practical Implementation
The system is configured around operating requirements rather than a generic software demonstration.
- 05
Continued Product Development
Customer experience contributes to a platform that continues to evolve.
- 06
Engineering Continuity
The same product is developed, implemented and supported as a long-term print technology platform.
Experience does not remove every implementation challenge.
It improves the quality of the questions, decisions and engineering used to address them.
One Body of Experience, Four Products.
Our print and engineering experience now supports four distinct product areas.
- Beta
AI Print Estimator
A standalone starting point for businesses requiring structured, AI-assisted print estimating.
- Scale
ePRO Web-to-Print MIS
The established operational platform connecting web-to-print, estimating, production, procurement, inventory, delivery and invoicing.
- Connected
Print Supplier Network
A network connecting print requirements with relevant supplier capability.
- Concept
Print Intelligence
The future intelligence layer connecting structured requirements, software and supplier sourcing.
Each product addresses a different requirement, but all four are informed by the same print-industry and engineering experience.
Frequently asked questions
How long has PrintMIS worked in print software?
The PrintMIS development journey began in 2004, providing more than two decades of experience in print software.
How many installations has PrintMIS completed?
PrintMIS systems have been used across more than 400 installations.
What types of print businesses has PrintMIS worked with?
Our experience includes commercial printers, digital and lithographic printers, trade printers, brokers, print management companies, in-plants and multi-location organisations.
Does PrintMIS have its own engineering team?
Yes. Our engineering team develops and extends the PrintMIS product environment, including browser applications, workflow logic, data structures, integrations, testing and AI-assisted functionality.
Does the engineering team understand print workflows?
Engineering works within a print-specific product environment and is informed by product analysis, implementation, support and direct customer operating requirements. This allows technical decisions to be evaluated against the wider print transaction rather than as isolated software features.
Is ePRO custom-built for every customer?
ePRO is a configurable product rather than a new bespoke application for every implementation. Custom development and integrations can be considered where a requirement falls outside the standard product and has a clearly defined operational purpose.
How does customer feedback influence development?
Feedback is reviewed to identify the underlying workflow requirement. Recurring needs may inform product development, while implementation-specific requirements may be addressed through configuration, training or separately scoped work.
Was ePRO originally desktop software?
The original software foundation began as a desktop application and was progressively re-engineered for access through an internet browser.
What integration experience does PrintMIS have?
ePRO supports integrations including QuickBooks Online, Stripe and GoShippo. APIs and custom integrations can also be considered for external applications and customer systems.
How is AI being introduced?
AI is being introduced in controlled phases, beginning with estimating inside ePRO. The first phase references past jobs and product templates. The second creates custom estimates and compares production across multiple presses. The third phase remains undisclosed.
Does AI replace the engineering or estimating team?
No. AI is being integrated as an assisting capability within established software and print workflows. Estimators and authorised users retain control of the final commercial decision.
Experience That Continues to Shape What We Build Next.
More than two decades of print software development. More than 400 installations across different operating environments. An engineering team working across workflow, data, integrations and AI.
Experience does not remove every challenge. It improves the quality of the questions we ask about it.