QuickEasy Blog
Production Planning Software for Printing Companies
How to manage custom print jobs from estimate to delivery. Printing companies do not need general manufacturing production planning software. You need production planning software tailored to your business, that can manage custom, make-to-order print jobs. That is why print production is difficult to manage with spreadsheets, whiteboards, paper job cards and disconnected accounting systems.
QuickEasy BOS ERP helps printing and packaging businesses with the unique estimating, stock, job tracking, production, WIP, invoicing, accounting, reports and MIS requirements, in one connected system. It gives you better control from the first enquiry to the final invoice.
Jump ahead: Show me QuickEasy BOS.
Key takeaways
- Printing companies need production planning software that can handle custom, make-to-order jobs.
- Print estimating must account for wastage, ink consumption, machine speed and shop-floor overheads.
- QuickEasy BOS is built to solve print-specific production needs, including work orders, job cards, routing forms, multiple routings, and JDF and Switch integration for printing businesses.
- Track job progress across pre-press, print, finishing, dispatch and invoicing with QuickEasy BOS.
- Compare estimated costs with actual costs to see whether each job is profitable.
- This single system connects production planning with stock, purchasing, timekeeping, operator tracking, cost tracking, dashboards and reports.
Why print production planning is different
Print production software is not the same as standard manufacturing ERP. In many manufacturing businesses, production is based on fixed bills of materials. The same product is made repeatedly using the same parts, process and production sequence.
Printing companies work differently. A single job may need a specific paper stock, trim size, ink coverage, plate usage, make-ready time, print method, finishing process and delivery date. The next job may need a completely different setup.
A typical print production flow may look like this:
That flow needs real-time control. If one step is missed, the whole job can be delayed or under-costed. And that touches on your bottom line.
Why QuickEasy BOS is the best ERP for printing companies
QuickEasy BOS is built to support the way printing companies operate. We’ve done this for more than 20 years – QuickEasy supports the way print work actually moves through a business. Print companies need to estimate quickly and accurately, manage custom jobs, check material availability, route work through different production steps, track WIP, monitor machine and operator activity, control costs and invoice correctly.
Accurate print estimating before production starts
In printing, production control starts at the estimate. If your estimate is wrong, your margin is already under pressure before the job reaches the floor.
QuickEasy BOS generates estimates that take wastage, ink consumption, machine speed and shop-floor overheads into account. It can also show you how to lay out a job to reduce wastage and calculate the cost of unavoidable wastage.
That matters because print jobs are often custom. You may estimate a brochure, carton, label, booklet, flyer, sign, POS item or packaging job. Each job may use different materials, quantities, machines, finishing steps and delivery expectations. Accurate estimating helps you price the job properly before production starts.
Related: How QuickEasy’s Production Planning Capabilities Support Better Manufacturing
From quote to job card
Once a quote becomes an order, your team needs clear production instructions. QuickEasy BOS supports customisable production documents and workflows, including:
- Work orders
- Job cards
- Routing forms
- Multiple routings
- JDF and Switch integration for printing businesses
This is important for printing companies because not every job follows the same route. One job may move through pre-press, digital print, trimming and dispatch. Another may need litho print, lamination, die cutting, folding and binding. Another may need signage production, vinyl, mounting, finishing and delivery. Multiple routings help you manage different production paths without forcing every print job into the same process.
Better control across pre-press, print and finishing
Print production has many moving parts. A job may be waiting for artwork approval. Another may be ready for plates. Another may be on the press. Another may be waiting for lamination, guillotine cutting, folding, binding, die cutting or dispatch. When these steps are managed manually, updates are easy to miss.
QuickEasy BOS helps your team plan and track production using different planning views, including Kanban boards, jobs view, materials view, timekeeping view, board view and Gantt charts. This means different people can see production in the way that helps them do their job. Your production manager can look at workload and bottlenecks. Your stock controller can check material requirements. Your operators can see assigned work. Your customer-facing team can check job progress.
WIP tracking from start to finish
Work in progress is one of the biggest pressure points in a printing company. If WIP is only visible on a whiteboard, paper job card or production manager’s desk, your business becomes dependent on people chasing updates.
QuickEasy BOS helps track WIP from start to finish. Your team can see what is moving, what is stuck, what is late, what has changed status and what needs attention. That makes a practical difference. If a customer asks for an update, your team should not need to walk through the factory or phone three people. They should be able to see the latest job status in the system.
Machine loading and work centre control
In printing, machine time matters. You need to know what is booked on each press, cutter, laminator, binding line or finishing station. You also need to know where pressure is building before it becomes a missed deadline.
QuickEasy BOS helps you plan around production constraints, including:
- Work centre loading
- Material requisition progress
- Estimated versus actual time
- Estimated versus actual quantities
- Required dates and key job dates
- Production bottlenecks
- Operator availability
- Job dependencies
Operator tracking and timekeeping
QuickEasy BOS connects production planning with timekeeping and operator tracking. It helps you track progress by quantity and hours, operator assignments, routing statuses, late jobs, busy work centres, time to start and job status changes. This gives you a better view of what is happening on the shop floor while work is in progress. It also helps you build a stronger record of actual production time, which can support better costing and future estimating.
Stock control for print materials
Printing companies need accurate stock control. If paper, board, vinyl, ink, plates, packaging materials or finishing consumables are not available, production can stop. If stock is over-ordered, cash is tied up. If stock has been used but not recorded, your production plan becomes unreliable.
QuickEasy BOS connects production planning with inventory management and material requisitions.
This helps your team check stock availability, plan purchasing requirements, issue materials to production, track stock usage and keep production moving with fewer surprises. For printing companies, that link between stock and production is essential. A job cannot run smoothly if the materials are missing, allocated elsewhere or incorrectly recorded.
Estimated costs versus actual costs
Printing margins can disappear quietly. A job may look profitable when quoted, but the actual result can change because of extra waste, longer machine time, rework, overtime, material changes or delays.
Production planning connected to the rest of your printing business
A print job affects more than production. It affects sales, estimating, stock, purchasing, customer service, finance, invoicing and management reporting.
QuickEasy BOS connects production planning with:
- Timekeeping
- Operator tracking
- Inventory management
- Material requisitions
- Non-conformance reporting
- Cost tracking
- Dashboards
- Interactive reports
- Sales
- Accounting
- CRM
This gives your team one system to work from. Instead of sales, production, stock and finance each relying on separate information, everyone can see the same operational record.
Upgrade to QuickEasy BOS. Bring more control to your print production
If your printing business is still running production with spreadsheets, whiteboards, paper job cards and manual updates, your team is probably spending too much time chasing information. QuickEasy BOS ERP helps you manage print estimating, stock, job tracking, production planning, WIP, machine loading, operator activity, accounting and reporting in one connected system.
Book a demo to see how QuickEasy BOS can help you bring more control to your printing business.
FAQs
What is production planning software for printing companies?
Production planning software for printing companies helps you plan, schedule, track and cost print jobs. QuickEasy ERP’s production planning helps manage estimates, stock, job cards, work orders, routing, WIP, machine loading, operator activity and job profitability.
Why do printing companies need production planning software?
Printing companies need production planning software because most print jobs are custom. QuickEasy BOS ensures each job can have different materials, quantities, ink usage, wastage, machine time, finishing steps and delivery deadlines.
What makes print production different from standard manufacturing?
Print production is more variable. A printing company often works with make-to-order jobs, changing stock types, different print methods, different finishing routes and job-specific wastage. That makes print production harder to manage with fixed, generic processes. QuickEasy BOS is the ERP of choice for printing companies.
Can QuickEasy BOS help with print estimating?
Yes. QuickEasy BOS generates fast and accurate estimates that take wastage, ink consumption, machine speed and shop-floor overheads into account. It can also help calculate unavoidable wastage and show how to lay out a job to reduce waste.
Can QuickEasy BOS manage job cards for printing companies?
Yes. QuickEasy BOS supports work orders, job cards, routing forms, multiple routings, and JDF and Switch integration for printing businesses.
Can QuickEasy BOS track print jobs through production?
Yes. QuickEasy BOS helps track production progress, task progress by quantity and hours, operator assignments, routing statuses, late jobs, busy work centres and job status changes.
Can QuickEasy BOS help printing companies manage WIP?
Yes. QuickEasy BOS helps you track work in progress from start to finish, giving your team better visibility over job status, production delays, costs and customer updates.
Is QuickEasy BOS suitable for printing, signage and packaging businesses?
Yes. QuickEasy BOS has supported printing, packaging and signage businesses in South Africa for over 20 years, with fixed modules built for the print, packaging and signage industry.