New in this release

New functions and updates in Version 3.13

• Order Management feature

  At long last, order support comes to RICOH ProcessDirector! The Order Management feature adds the ability to create and track orders submitted from your MIS or order processing system, or to build orders manually in the Submit Jobs portlet. Submit your order file in XML format and RICOH ProcessDirector interprets the file, creating orders and jobs to your specifications.

  The Order Management feature is included with the base product as a no-charge feature, but is not installed by default.

  For more information, see Order Management

• MarcomCentral Connect improvements

  With the addition of the Order Management feature, integration with MarcomCentral is easier than ever. Sample workflows provided in the MacomCentral Connect feature have been updated to use the objects introduced by Order Management for faster integration with your Marcom storefront.

  For more information, see MarcomCentral Connect

• Improved license key installation

  We have redesigned the license installation process to improve the experience. The process is now faster and has better messaging and feedback, so you know which feature licenses are activated.

• Support for RICOH Pro 8400 series printers

  RICOH ProcessDirector now supports sending jobs to these printers with the Fiery EB-36 digital front end:

  • Pro 8400S
  • Pro 8410
  • Pro 8410S
  • Pro 8420
  • Pro 8420S
  • Pro 8420Y (Japan only)

• Usability improvements
  • On the Workflow Editor, step templates and step chains have been moved to a stationary side panel, instead of displaying in a floating window. In the panel, both step templates and step chains have also been grouped into categories, to make finding the item you need easier.
  • In the Migration Assistant, you can now cancel and revert a migration in progress. Objects and files that were migrated are reverted to their pre-migration versions.
• Operating system support changes
  • With this release, we are adding support for two Linux operating system levels: Red Hat 9.2 through latest 9.X and Rocky Linux 9.0 through latest 9.X
  • In addition, we now support installing the PostgreSQL database provided by RICOH ProcessDirector in a Podman container on all supported versions of Linux. You must install Podman 5.2.3 or higher before you install RICOH ProcessDirector.
  • We are removing support for Red Hat 7 and CentOS 7. With this change, CentOS is no longer a supported operating system.

New functions and updates in Version 3.12.2

• Integrate document composition using FusionPro into your workflows

  With this release, we introduce the FusionPro Connect feature, which lets you send jobs from RICOH ProcessDirector to FusionPro Server for composition and/or impositioning.

• Run RICOH ProcessDirector with your own PostgreSQL database

  You can now configure RICOH ProcessDirector to use a PostgreSQL database that you install, instead of using the version installed with the product or using IBM DB2. Your database can be installed on the primary computer or anywhere in your network that the primary server can access.

• Migration Assistant enhancements

  The Migration Assistant makes moving from one system to another easier with two major improvements:

  • Configuration file migration

    You can now migrate configuration files stored in the /aiw/aiw1 directory to the target system without manual intervention.

  • Reports database configuration and migration

    The Migration Assistant can help you set up your Reports database on the target system. Whether you want to set up the target system to connect to the same Reports database that the source system currently uses, or you want to create a new database and move your existing data into it, the Migration Assistant makes the process easier.

  In addition, you can now pause/resume and cancel a migration that is in progress.

• Improved security with fapolicyd support

  If your company uses the File Access Policy Daemon (fapolicyd) to secure your computing environment, RICOH ProcessDirector now provides scripts to generate the list of the standard directories that it uses and a list of rules that permit RICOH ProcessDirector to run.

• Support for requesting a printer preset with a job

  If you print AFP jobs, you can now send a printer preset request along with the job. If the printer supports the function, it changes its settings to use that preset automatically before printing the job.

• Embedded Tomcat version updated

  To address security and functionality issues, the version of Tomcat included in RICOH ProcessDirector has been updated to version 9.

New functions and updates in Version 3.12.1

• Updated translations

  The content of the Version 3.12 product interface and the help system has been translated into these languages:

  • Brazilian Portuguese
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Spanish

  To see the translated user interface and help content, download and install the Language Pack for your language.

• Upgrade and migrate to PostgreSQL on the same system

  In RICOH ProcessDirector version 3.12, we introduced support for PostgreSQL as the main database underlying RICOH ProcessDirector. To move to PostgreSQL, you were required to install version 3.12 on a different server and use the Migration Assistant to migrate your data. With version 3.12.1, you can upgrade and migrate your data on the same system. Install RICOH ProcessDirector, making sure to choose the PostgreSQL database configuration. After the installation completes, follow the instructions to migrate your data, then remove IBM DB2 from your primary computer.

• Manual failover now supported for PostgreSQL configurations

  Manual failover configurations for system redundancy are now supported on RICOH ProcessDirector with PostgreSQL as well as DB2.

• XML-RPC calls no longer supported

  The Connect extension, which let you connect to RICOH ProcessDirector remotely and use XML-RPC calls in scripts, is deprecated and no longer supported. We recommend using RICOH ProcessDirector web service API instead. For information about using web services, see Web services in RICOH ProcessDirector.

• Additional updates include:
  • Ability to save the View job in workflow image
  • Added the StepChainDemo workflow to illustrate the use of step chains
  • Updated prerequisites for the Preprinted Forms Replacement feature, so customers with the AFP Support Feature can install Preprinted Forms Replacement without also installing PDF Document Support.
  • Usability updates for the Migration Assistant

New functions and updates in Version 3.12

• Primary database options now available

  After many years of supporting only one database, RICOH ProcessDirector can now run with PostgreSQL as its primary database. While IBM DB2 is still supported in the same configuration as it has been, PostgreSQL is now the default database configuration. Existing customers can upgrade to version 3.12 and continue to use DB2 with no interruptions, or can choose to migrate their data to a PostgreSQL database.

  Note: To migrate data from DB2 to PostgreSQL, you must install RICOH ProcessDirector version 3.12 on a different computer. You cannot install the PostgreSQL configuration on the same system as an existing DB2 configuration.

  The PostgreSQL database is installed in a Docker container, so Docker Engine must be installed on the primary computer.

• Migration simplified

  One of the most challenging aspects of moving to a new version of an application is ensuring that everything still works. Especially when the upgrade requires moving to a new system, it is challenging to know that you have copied everything that needs to be there. The RICOH ProcessDirector Migration Assistant now makes the process much easier.

  Install the base product on a new system, then log in and start the Migration Assistant. Use the Assistant to connect to your existing installation, choose the objects and settings to migrate to the new one, and let the Assistant do the work. The Migration Assistant can handle moving data from an existing DB2 database to PostgreSQL, and can even work across operating systems.

• RICOH ProcessDirector for AIX replacement

  In version 3.12, RICOH ProcessDirector for AIX has been discontinued. Customers running on AIX can continue to use the application until the end of support date. Alternately, they can migrate to version 3.12 on Linux or Windows and use the Migration Assistant to port their data to a new system.

• New Supported Printers

  RICOH ProcessDirector now supports printer models with the new Fiery® N-series Controller Digital Front Ends, based on Fiery and Ricoh technology. You can define these new printer models as Ricoh PDF printers:

  • RICOH Pro C7500
  • RICOH Pro C9500

• Updated operating system support

  You can now install RICOH ProcessDirector on these operating system versions:

  • Rocky Linux 8.4 through latest 8.X
  • Rocky Linux 9.0 through latest 9.X
  Note: You can only install the PostgreSQL configuration on these operating systems. IBM DB2 is not supported on Rocky Linux.

New functions and updates in Version 3.11.2

• New support for custom job properties

  With this release, you can create custom properties for jobs. In the past, RICOH ProcessDirector provided 20 job properties that you could use to store custom information. However, you could not rename the fields or change anything about them. With this new function, you can create your own job properties-- assigning unique field and database property names as you want to see them.

  To define custom job properties, use the Custom properties page on the Administration tab. Fill in the property notebook, activate the property, and you can start using it in your workflows!

• An easier way to define custom document properties

  The same Custom properties page used to define custom job properties can also be used to define document properties! This new function significantly reduces the overhead associated with creating custom document properties. You no longer need to update the docCustomProperties.xml file, run the DocCustom utility, or install the new property. Simply fill in the fields in the custom property notebook and activate. Your document properties are ready to use!

• Updated Adobe Acrobat Plug-in

  The RICOH ProcessDirector Plug-in for Adobe Acrobat has been updated to support the OpenJDK™Java® JRE Version 1.8 in addition to Oracle® Java. An appropriate JRE must be installed on your system before you install the Plug-in. With this update, we strongly recommend installing the 64-bit version of the JRE.

  In addition, you can now install the Plug-in with the 64-bit version of Adobe Acrobat Pro.

• Updates to translated publications

  Books and help systems containing translated information for function released in Version 3.11.1 are now available. To see the translated help content and updated books from the help menu, download and install the Language Pack for your language. PDF versions of the books are also available in the RICOH Software Information Center (https://help.ricohsoftware.com/swinfocenter/)

New functions and updates in Version 3.11.1

• Updated translations

  The content of the Version 3.11 product interface and the help system has been translated into these languages:

  • Brazilian Portuguese
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Spanish

  To see the translated user interface and help content, download and install the Language Pack for your language.

• Choose paper for banner pages using media settings

  If you're printing PDF jobs, you can now specify which paper to print banner pages on by media, instead of by specifying a paper tray. Your banner pages print on the correct paper, regardless of where that paper is loaded. This function is available for Ricoh PDF, Kodak PDF, and Xerox PDF printers.

• User interface updates

  The user interface has been enhanced to adjust the size of your portlets to fit inside your browser window. When you change the size of the window (by changing the dimensions of the browser or by moving it to a different screen), the portlets shrink or expand to fill the space available.

• Data capture improvements

  With this update, you can download a data capture file to your system directly from the data capture page, so you don't have to access the primary server to retrieve the file. You can also stop a capture that is already in progress.

• Operating system support changes

  In this release, we increased the minimum level of CentOS required to install RICOH ProcessDirector to version 7.9.

New functions and updates in Version 3.11

• Ability to restore to a previous installation of RICOH ProcessDirector

  With this version of RICOH ProcessDirector, you can restore a previous installation using Feature Manager. With this new function, you install a new feature and then effectively back it out if you decide that it does not meet your needs. Or, if you apply an update but something goes wrong during the install process, you can restore the installation from before the update to get back to a stable state before you try to update again.

• New data collector to collect information about processing durations

  Now, you can use the Job Step Duration data collector to collect information about how long each step was in the queued and processing states, as well as the total length of time it takes for each step in a workflow to complete processing. You can also select job properties to capture at the end of each step.

• Operating system support changes

  In this release, we have removed support for installing RICOH ProcessDirector application servers on Windows Server 2016.

• Include the Preset name in AFP print jobs

  If you send AFP print jobs to a printer that uses TotalFlow Print Server, you can now include the name of the printer preset to use for the job as a job property.

• Security vulnerabilities addressed

  Ricoh is committed to responding to results of vulnerability scans and will continue to include those fixes in each release that we deliver. In this release, various components were updated to address these vulnerabilities, including:

  • AFP Support
  • Avanti Slingshot Connect
  • Reports
  • Printer Connector
  • Ricoh PDF Printer
  • DB2
  • Product Update

Release notes for prior versions of RICOH ProcessDirector are available on the RICOH Software Information Center here: Release notes: RICOH ProcessDirector