Features

The Advanced Transform feature lets you transform print jobs to or from these file formats:

• AFP
• PCL
• PDF
• PostScript
• BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF (only as input data streams)

You can purchase and install any combination of these transform options.

AFP Editor lets you create barcodes and hide areas in indexed AFP files. You can create barcodes that contain index values, job properties, and static text. For example, if the ZIP codes in an AFP file are index values, you can create barcodes that contain the ZIP codes. You can hide areas in AFP files. No one can see the data in the hidden areas, and the data does not print. For example, you can hide areas that contain existing barcodes that you want to replace. In addition, AFP Editor can automatically replace POSTNET barcodes with Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMBs) that have the same routing code. You can also add text strings, such as Page x of y, to formatted AFP files.

You must have the AFP Support feature installed to use the AFP Editor feature.

The AFP Support feature lets you control and track jobs and individual documents in Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) format. AFP provides a transaction-oriented data stream that guarantees integrity between the RICOH ProcessDirector server and its printers. The printers can deliver the exact status of every page as it is received, printed, and stacked. The feature adds support for AFP and PCLOut printers.

The feature includes RICOH Visual Workbench with AFP Indexer, Document Property Designer, and AFP Enhancer modes. RICOH Visual Workbench lets you identify individual documents in AFP files and extract data from the documents. Step templates let you add steps to your workflows that use the extracted data to sort, split, and group the documents into new jobs.

The AFP Support feature is a prerequisite for many other features that work with AFP data. Without the feature, you can view but not print AFP data, and you can pass AFP jobs to other programs.

Archive lets you store jobs, documents, and job processing history in a repository and retrieve them by searching for job and document properties. For example, you search for documents by job name, customer name, and account number. After you retrieve a job or document, you can view it, review the properties that were stored with it, and check the production history. You can save the job or document to your workstation, or submit it to a workflow for reprinting or other processing.

You must have the AFP Support or PDF Document Support feature installed to use the Archive feature.

The Automated Verification feature lets you add barcodes to the documents in a print job. By reading barcodes, cameras or barcode scanners detect documents that failed to complete a step in their workflow. You can automatically reprint missing documents or manually pull them out of their workflow. A job log records the disposition of the documents in each job and the user ID of the operator who did the dispositions.

You must have the AFP Support or PDF Document Support feature installed to use the Automated Verification feature.

With the Avanti Slingshot Connect feature, you can receive jobs and JDF job tickets from the Avanti Slingshot MIS system and process them within RICOH ProcessDirector. RICOH ProcessDirector can then provide status of the job back to Avanti Slingshot as it moves through the system.

With this feature, you can define and drive Kodak cut sheet printers from RICOH ProcessDirector. RICOH ProcessDirector converts media and stapling requests into the KDK format used by these printers.

With this feature, you can define and drive Xerox cut sheet printers from RICOH ProcessDirector. RICOH ProcessDirector converts media and stapling requests into the XRX or XPIF format used by these printers.

Deadline Tracker lets you manage your progress toward meeting your delivery deadlines. If you have service level agreements with your customers, this feature helps you make sure that their jobs are on schedule to be completed on time. You can see when jobs are behind schedule or risk missing their deadlines. This information helps operators prioritize work and act to bring jobs back on track for on-time delivery. You can monitor expected work (jobs that you expect to receive at set intervals). If the jobs do not arrive in time, you can inform the sender.

The Electronic Presentment feature provides a sample workflow that receives jobs from a sample input device and uses a sample history record notification to capture the times when jobs are printed and mailed. The workflow stores jobs, documents, property values, and history information in a sample repository.

This no-charge feature is provided with the base product, but not installed by default.

You must have the Archive feature installed to use the Electronic Presentment feature.

Inserter automates the insertion of printed documents and inserts (such as marketing materials) into envelopes. The feature can communicate with inserter controllers by sending control files to them and receiving results files from them. Using information in the results file, the feature tracks the insert status of each document in the job. Jobs are reconciled automatically (or manually, with operator control). Reprints are automatically generated for damaged documents.

You must have the AFP Support or PDF Document Support feature installed to use the Inserter feature.

The Language pack includes translations for the user interface and help system. Install this feature to use the user interface in a supported language.

The MarcomCentral Connect feature lets you integrate the online-storefront and web-to-print functions of MarcomCentral into your production workflows. Sample web service input devices retrieve orders for print, digital, and other items from MarcomCentral. RICOH ProcessDirector creates a job for each order and notifies MarcomCentral when the items in the job complete specified steps in the sample workflow.

You must have the Web Services Enablement feature installed to use the MarcomCentral Connect feature.

The PDF Document Support feature adds functions and objects that let you control and track individual documents in PDF jobs. The feature includes RICOH ProcessDirector Plug-in for Adobe Acrobat. The plug-in lets you identify individual documents, extract data from the documents, and add enhancements such as barcodes, OMR marks, images, hidden areas, and text. Step templates let you add steps to your workflows that use the extracted data to sort, split, and group the documents into new jobs.

This no-charge feature is provided with the base product but is not installed by default.

PitStop Connect lets you integrate preflight operations that use Enfocus PitStop Server 10 into your print workflows for PDF print jobs.

Enfocus PitStop Server is not included in this feature; it is a product that must be purchased separately.

Postal Enablement lets you extract mailing address data from the documents in a job and prepare the data for processing by external postal software. After the postal software verifies the addresses and improves their quality, Postal Enablement updates the documents in the job with the results from the postal software.

Postal software is not included in this feature. You can use your choice of external postal software.

You must have the AFP Support or PDF Document Support feature installed to use the Postal Enablement feature.

Preference Management lets you update document property values with values from an external preferences file. These values can be used to change the content of selected documents or to change the processing of those documents.

This no-charge feature is provided with the base product, but not installed by default.

You must have the AFP Support or PDF Document Support feature installed to use the Preference Management feature.

The Preprinted Forms Replacement feature lets you print jobs on plain paper that previously required preprinted forms. You update the definition of each media object for the media requested by these jobs to include the electronic equivalent of the preprinted form data. The application that submits the print files to RICOH ProcessDirector can continue to specify the media for the jobs in the same way.

The Preprinted Forms Replacement feature requires the PDF Document Support feature. If you install the AFP Support feature, the Preprinted Forms Replacement feature also lets you insert PDF forms into AFP jobs.

The Quadient Inserter Express feature is a simplified version of the Inserter feature, which includes support for only Quadient inserters. The feature provides sample objects that you can use as templates for configuring RICOH ProcessDirector to communicate with Quadient inserters.

You must have the AFP Support or PDF Document Support feature installed to use the Inserter feature.

Quadient Inspire Connect extends RICOH ProcessDirector to make it easier to interact with Quadient® Inspire V8 or above. The feature adds system objects tailored to work with files created by Quadient Inspire so they can be submitted to the processing engine to generate print jobs as part of a print workflow.

Quadient Inspire is not included in this feature; it is a product that must be purchased separately.

You must have the AFP Support feature installed to create AFP files with Quadient Inspire.

The Reports feature lets you capture selected job properties and printer status changes in a PostgreSQL database. To extract data and visualize it, you can use a business intelligence tool, such as Tableau.

The Reports feature is supported on RICOH ProcessDirector for Linux and RICOH ProcessDirector for Windows. To install the feature with RICOH ProcessDirector for AIX, contact Software Support.

This no-charge feature is provided with the base product, but not installed by default.

The RICOH Supervisor Connect feature lets you send data collected by the Reports feature in the PostgreSQL data base to the RICOH Supervisor application in the cloud.

RICOH Transform features provide a powerful and cost-effective system for transforming jobs to or from the format for Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) printing. The RICOH Transform features are:

• PostScript/PDF to AFP

  Converts PDF and PostScript into AFP

• RICOH PCL to AFP

  Converts PCL into AFP

• RICOH SAP to AFP

  Converts SAP OTF and ABAP into AFP

• RICOH AFP to PDF

  Converts AFP into PDF

• PostScript/PDF to AFP Transforms, LCD4-5671
• RICOH PCL to AFP Transform, LCD4-5672
• RICOH SAP to AFP Transform, LCD4-5673
• RICOH AFP to PDF Transform, LCD4-5674

You can set up RICOH ProcessDirector servers that run on different computers and that interact with the primary server. The additional servers are called secondary servers.

You can use secondary servers to run external programs that workflows send jobs to. To move some processing from the primary computer to the secondary computer, you can define printers that use the secondary server as their parent server.

You cannot install this feature using Feature Manager.

Security provides advanced functions, including password requirements, that increase the security of user accounts.

If you have a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) or Active Directory server, you can use LDAP user IDs and passwords to authenticate into RICOH ProcessDirector.

This no-charge feature is provided with the base product but is not installed by default. Installing it provides more control over the security of user accounts such as expiring unused accounts or enabling enforcement of complex password rules.

Ultimate Impostrip® Connect lets you integrate the imposition functions of Ultimate Impostrip® Automation or Scalable into your RICOH ProcessDirector workflows.

Ultimate Impostrip® is not included in this feature; it is a product that must be purchased separately.

The Web Services Enablement feature lets you call REST and SOAP web services from your production workflows to exchange data with third-party applications.

The feature adds support for input devices, step templates, and notification objects that can send web service requests.

Whitespace Manager lets you define available areas of white space in AFP files. You can fill the white space with content, such as images and text, during the print production process. You place content in a white-space area based on rules you define to target content for specific customers or for the best use of available space.

You must have the AFP Support feature installed to use the Whitespace Manager feature.

WPM Connect lets you integrate the WPM tool into RICOH ProcessDirector workflows for more processing.

This feature is only available in Japan.

You must have the AFP Support feature installed to use the WPM Connect feature.

WPM is not included in the WPM Connect feature; it is a product that must be purchased separately.