Properties

The RICOH ProcessDirector user interface provides a complete description for each property. The description supplies information about the valid values and meaning of each property.

The properties are:

System properties

System properties define certain high-level characteristics of the RICOH ProcessDirector system and the RICOH ProcessDirector objects. For example, system properties control how often users must change their passwords.

Administrators typically set any system properties that the installation requires when they initially configure the system. Administrators can also access system properties through the Administration page of the RICOH ProcessDirector user interface, so they can later set or change a system property.

Application/secondary server properties

Application/secondary server properties define certain characteristics of application and secondary servers.

Administrators typically set server properties when they create a server. For example, they can determine how many steps a server is capable of running at the same time. Administrators can also access server properties through the Administration page of the RICOH ProcessDirector user interface, so they can later set or change a server property.

Input file properties

Input file properties define certain characteristics of the files that RICOH ProcessDirector receives through its input devices.

RICOH ProcessDirector supplies the values for input file properties and can display them in a table. Users can review the property values, but cannot edit them. For example, a user can verify that the correct workflow was applied to a specific input file. RICOH ProcessDirector uses an input device property to record the time when it received an input file. Operators might find this useful if they need to verify that a certain file arrived at a specified time, such as for an audit.

Input device properties

Input device properties define the characteristics of input devices.

Administrators typically set input device properties when they create an input device. For example, they can use an input device property to control the maximum number of communication errors that can occur before RICOH ProcessDirector shuts down the input device. They can also assign a workflow to an input device so that the device applies a specific set of steps and job property values to all the input files that it receives.

Step template properties

RICOH ProcessDirector provides step templates that administrators use to create the individual steps within the workflows for the RICOH ProcessDirector system.

Step template properties define the characteristics of a step, such as what default values to set for the job properties.

Step properties

Step properties define the characteristics of the processing steps within the phases. Administrators typically set the step properties when they initially configure the workflow. Steps reside within workflows.

Job properties

Job properties define the characteristics of jobs, which RICOH ProcessDirector input devices create from the input files that they receive.

Job properties are the largest group of properties in RICOH ProcessDirector. They control all aspects of job processing. For example, you can use job properties to:

• Specify the media required for the job.
• Specify whether header or trailer pages are printed with the job.
• Retain the job for a set period of time after all job processing completes.

Job properties are set through a variety of methods. The most common method is to create a workflow to set the job properties when the job enters the RICOH ProcessDirector system. Administrators can assign the workflow to an input device, and the input device can then apply the values for job properties to every job that it receives. RICOH ProcessDirector also lets users change or override values for job properties on a job-by-job basis.

If you install document processing features, you use document properties to define characteristics of documents inside each job. Document properties are particularly useful for variable data jobs, You can use document properties to track data that changes from document to document, such as:

• Account numbers
• Customer names and addresses
• Delivery preferences

Document properties

RICOH ProcessDirector provides a general set of document properties that you can use, or you can define your own. Document property values are usually extracted from jobs based on specifications you provide using RICOH ProcessDirector for Adobe Acrobat or RICOH Visual Workbench.

Workflow properties

Workflow properties include steps and the job properties that the steps set.

Printer properties

Printer properties define the network location and scheduling characteristics of the printer devices.

User properties

User properties define the characteristics of users who have been authorized to use the system.

RICOH ProcessDirector provides a predefined set of groups. You can also define your own groups. Administrators assign groups to users during initial configuration. Groups control the functions and areas of the RICOH ProcessDirector interface that users can access.

Custom properties

Custom properties are job and document properties that are unique to your installation. If none of the provided job and document properties meet your requirements, you can define your own. You can configure the characteristics of a custom property from a database name to levels of access for different user groups. Once activated, custom properties can be used as any other job or document property.