AFP support for documents

In addition to functions and objects that let you process AFP jobs, the AFP Support feature adds functions and objects that let you process individual documents in AFP jobs. The feature includes RICOH Visual Workbench.

With AFP Indexer mode of RICOH Visual Workbench, you identify documents and create index tags in a sample AFP file that represents your production AFP files. With Document Property Designer mode, you customize document and job properties and link them to index tags that are defined in the sample AFP file. With AFP Enhancer mode, you create barcodes and text, and hide areas that contain unwanted content, such as obsolete barcodes.

You can purchase additional features that add plug-ins to RICOH Visual Workbench, such as AFP Editor and Whitespace Manager, that expand its capabilities. For example, AFP Editor lets you create barcodes and hide areas in indexed AFP files. Whitespace Manager lets you define areas of white space and then fill the white space with content, such as images and text.

Object

PDF Document Support and AFP Support add the barcode format object. Barcode formats are used to interpret the data collected by a barcode scanner. You can define a barcode format that includes a document property that identifies each document in a job. Then you can scan the barcode on a document to find the document in the system.

You can use a hand-held barcode scanner attached to the computer to reconcile documents. We recommend that you configure your barcode scanner to send a New Line signal after each scan.

Workflow phase

PDF Document Support and AFP Support add the Assemble phase to the RICOH ProcessDirector workflow. The figure Document processing phase in the RICOH ProcessDirector workflow, shows how the Assemble phase fits into the workflow.

Note: If you have customized phase names in your system, those phase names differ from the phase names in the diagram.

Document processing phase in the RICOH ProcessDirector workflow

Image shows the Receive, Prepare, Assemble, Print, and Complete phases

Step templates

PDF Document Support and AFP Support add step templates for processing documents within workflows:

  • For PDF Document Support, steps based on the IdentifyPDFDocuments and BuildPDFFromDocuments step templates apply your document definitions, data mappings, and other document changes made with RICOH ProcessDirector Plug-in for Adobe Acrobat to PDF jobs.

  • For AFP Support, steps based on the IdentifyDocuments and BuildAFPFromDocuments step templates apply your document definitions, data mappings, and other document changes made with RICOH Visual Workbench to AFP jobs.

  • A step based on the SetDocPropsFromConditions step template lets you update the document properties file for a job based on other document and job property values. For example, you can group documents based on a particular postal code range, and then create separate child jobs for the postal code groups.

  • Steps based on the SortDocuments, SplitDocuments, and GroupDocuments step templates let you manipulate documents within a single file and output the documents as one or more new jobs.

  • A step based on the EmailDocuments step template lets you email each PDF document in a job as an attachment to an individual email address. RICOH ProcessDirector can send email directly through the default SMTP server or indirectly through an email service provider.

  • A step based on the SetDocPropsFromList step template lets you read one or more list files in a directory and set the value of a specified document property for each document in the document properties file for the job. You can use the value of the document property to group documents in a job for common processing. For example, using this step, you can provide a "pull list" of documents in a job. Using the pull list, you can suppress documents from printing, divert them from inserting, or send them to an express mail service.

  • A step based on the SetPropertiesForReconcile step template lets you use the Insert sequence document property to find documents on the Reconcile Job dialog or the Documents portlet.

  • A step based on the Reconcile step template lets an operator set an action to take for the documents in a job. You can place a Reconcile step after a PrintJobs step in a workflow. When a job enters the Reconcile step, the operator selects the Reconcile action to reconcile a job manually. During manual reconciliation, the operator marks documents that are OK, any documents to be reprinted, and any documents to pull from the job without reprinting.

  • A step based on the CreateReprints step template processes documents to be reprinted after reconciliation by creating a child job containing only the reprints. The child job can be sent through the same workflow as the original job or through a different workflow.

In this section:

  1. Processing AFP files that contain documents
    The AFP Support feature lets you manipulate the individual documents in an AFP file. For example, you can rearrange their output order or group them according to different envelope size requirements .You can find a specific document by searching for a document property in the AFP file.
  2. RICOH Visual Workbench
    RICOH Visual Workbench lets you display and define enhancements for sample AFP files that represent your production AFP files. Examples of enhancements include creating page groups, indexes, barcodes, and text; assigning values to document properties; and adding content to white space areas. RICOH ProcessDirector then applies the same enhancements to production AFP files when it prepares them for processing.

Related information:

AFP Support
PDF Document Support
Parent topic: AFP datastream support