Today’s print businesses are under pressure to deliver faster turnaround times, greater efficiency, and a smoother customer experience – all while managing increasingly complex production environments.
The challenge is that many workflows still rely on disconnected systems, manual processes, duplicated tasks, and limited visibility between departments. From online ordering and prepress through production, finishing, shipping, and reporting, critical information is often trapped between systems.
The Open Software Initiative by Durst Software & Solutions is designed to change that.
By connecting web-to-print, ERP/MIS, workflow automation, production, fulfilment, and business intelligence into one integrated ecosystem, print providers can create a smarter, more connected end-to-end workflow built for scalability and efficiency.
The process begins with the customer.
Through an online storefront or web-to-print platform, customers can personalise products, upload artwork, approve proofs, and place orders digitally. This creates a faster, more convenient ordering experience while reducing manual administration and repetitive order entry tasks.
At the same time, customer expectations around speed, transparency, and flexibility can be met more effectively through automated workflows and connected systems.
Once an order is placed, information flows directly into connected ERP and MIS systems.
Pricing, inventory, production planning, accounting, customer data, and scheduling are all synchronised automatically, removing the need to manually re-enter job information across multiple platforms.
This creates a more accurate operational foundation while improving communication between departments.
Artwork files can then move automatically into prepress workflows where they are checked, prepared, corrected, routed, and approved.
This stage may include:
By automating repetitive prepress tasks, print providers can reduce bottlenecks, minimise production errors, and accelerate job turnaround times.
Once approved, jobs move directly into production workflows using predefined automation rules and scheduling logic.
Jobs can be routed automatically based on:
This creates a more intelligent and connected production environment where information moves seamlessly between software, equipment, and departments.
One of the biggest advantages of a connected Smart Factory workflow is operational visibility.
Production teams can monitor:
Real-time transparency enables faster decision making, better resource allocation, and improved overall productivity across the business.
The workflow does not stop at the pressroom.
Once production is complete, jobs continue seamlessly into finishing, packing, shipping, and fulfilment workflows. Automation can support:
This creates a smoother transition from production to delivery while improving consistency and reducing delays.
Throughout the process, automated notifications keep customers informed with:
Because the workflow is fully connected, customer data, artwork, and order histories remain accessible for fast and efficient reordering.
Over time, this creates a continuous operational loop where efficiency, customer experience, and business intelligence all improve together.
Importantly, the Open Software Initiative by Durst Group AG is not about replacing every existing system within a print business.
Instead, it is designed to connect technologies together into one scalable Smart Factory environment using open integrations and connected workflows.
This enables print providers to:
The end result is a fully connected print workflow that links web-to-print, ERP/MIS, prepress, production, fulfilment, and reporting into one streamlined ecosystem.
As print businesses continue to evolve, connected workflow automation is becoming less of a competitive advantage and more of an operational necessity.
Rather than replacing existing investments, the Open Software Initiative by Durst is designed to connect technologies together into a scalable Smart Factory environment that grows with your business.
