Using Combined Filters

A combined filter is group of minimum two component filters designed to generate and send batches to different output destinations. This allows you to create multiple linked batches with separate output devices and send them for printing at the same time.

You can configure the filtering criteria for each separate component of the combined filter. A job from a received order is selected for a component of the combined filter only when:

1. The job attributes match the user defined component criteria and the job is in an Unbatched state.
2. All the other jobs from the order match one or more components from the combined filter.
3. All the other jobs from the order are in either an Unbatched, Batched, Printed, Sent, or custom state.

Creating batches from a combined filter

You can manually create multiple batches from one combined filter or you can set the Automation Level to either create batches, or create and send the batches for processing.

The system creates a batch for each component of the combined filter that contains jobs. The result is a group of linked batches. This linked batch information is displayed in the Batch ID throughout the TotalFlow BatchBuilder system. When the combined filter’s automation is triggered by the specified volume threshold, all the jobs are added to new batches according to the filter component they belong to.

Creating batches manually from a combined filter

You can manually drag and drop the combined filter to the batches panel to create a group of linked batches. You can also right-click the combined filter and select Create Batch….

You can select a component from a combined filter in the Filters panel, right-click the component, and select Create Batch…. This action creates a batch from the selected component of the combined filter. The system also creates a batch from each component that contains jobs from the same orders as the selected component.

Select one or more jobs from the list of jobs of a combined filter and then drag and drop the jobs to the batches panel to create new batches. The jobs from the same orders as the selected jobs are also submitted to new batches, each job is placed into a batch according to the filter component they belong to. This allows you to keep all the jobs from an order synchronized when they are sent for processing.

In the Automation Level tab, you can also add a single job from a combined filter to an existing batch or a new batch. The system displays a warning informing you that the job is part of a combined filter and the other jobs from the same order will not be added to any batches.

When you try to delete a batch which is linked to other batches, the system displays a warning. You can choose to continue and the system updates the other linked batches to reflect the change.