On-Press Data Sheets - what do you include? how do you store them?

[ZooCity]

Title says it all.  Currently using Google Docs/Drive (we have two locations so it all has to be cloud stuff).  Separate sheet for each job with:

• The basics - date, printer, press, run time
• Link back to order invoice for order details.
• Dryer settings
• Flash settings
• Printer settings- blade type, off-contact, (auto shops would put a lot more in here)
• Screens - mesh/thrd diam., tension, emulsion/coating
• Ink type/color/additives
• Print sequence and general notes

What else? 

I'd like to start including half-decent pics of the prints or, better store physical samples that get cleaned out once a year but, if using photos I'm not ready to shell out the monthly cash for enough web storage and with physicals I worry about it being a false economy like film storage often seems to be.

I know that, rare as they can be at times, a true reprint order is the cat's meow for a printshop and is where you can really profit as all the 'front-end' work as well as the back-end setup and testing is done and done, just rip it out and get paid.  What I find though is that actual reprint orders for custom work are rare- it's common with retailers on a 'program' selling set product of course -and I wonder how much is TMI on these sheets and will never be referenced again. At the same time, I'm always kicking myself when we get a reprint and didn't record the data properly.  Consistency from order to order is very important of course and again, that's where you're really making bank if you did your chores and recorded the job last time.

*One big reason I just though of to use these on every single order is that I (or your production manager and possibly art staff) can pre-enter some of the job data, forcing the printer to open up the data sheet and giving them a roadmap to start in with.  They update as the run the job, you review each one, and without getting off your arse, you get a sense of what's happening in the shop and can spot bottlenecks and problem areas.

Interested to hear what you all do.

[mk162]

i put all data in the job ticket such as mesh count, lpi, ink color all that jazz.  that way when it's reordered it looks dang near the same as before

[ZooCity]

i put all data in the job ticket such as mesh count, lpi, ink color all that jazz.  that way when it's reordered it looks dang near the same as before

so where do said tickets reside, how are they organized? paper or digital?

[alan802]

As far as print settings and tools go, we write that info on the outside of the film/art folder after we get the job set up the way we want. I'll take a pic of our informal way of doing it and upload it tomorrow.  We don't normally write down dryer settings or flash setting unless it's something out of the ordinary.  We don't track off contact either, we just use the lowest possible setting for the substrate. Tension and coating are also not put on the job folder.

Our folder will look something like this
1) low bleed white 135/48, 8"/S
2) flash
5) union maxopake golden yellow 225/40
6) qcm xolb royal blue 195
7) flash
10) white 140, 12"/S
*print looked great, had issue with lint on shirts, use lint screen for next big run

If the job was a real mother F'er I will post all the print settings like pressure, sq&flood speed, angle, blade type, mesh tension and EOM, and anything we had to do out of the ordinary.

[mk162]

digital, I give the details of the job enough to get the job setup and running, from there it's the printers job to give me all the fine details that I put into the system for future use.

Sounds like you need a shop management program.  Google docs only goes so far.  I know you make it work, but homebuilt presses work too, but you spend more time fighting them.

Do yourself a favor and get a legit program.

[ScreenFoo]

I try to stay with an SOP for 90-99% so most of this info is implied--and make note when something has to deviate.
I'm a fan of pellons for complex jobs, with a breakdown of color and print order.  Can't beat a sample for knowing if you hit the mark or not.

[ZooCity]

we use t-boss for order mgmt but theres no press data fields, hence the docs. what do you use mk and how does it display and store those sheets?

foo and alan, I'm leaning that way, sop for every major item and details as needed. for ex, we always keep the screens within our set range, no need to record their tension every time

[mk162]

I use t-quoter and where the individual colors go I put in things like this:
1. Wilflex Quick White 110
2. Flash
5. GNS Light Royal 230
6. GNS Black 155

The numbers represent the print head.  Any extra details can go in the work order notes section.  You are using too many things to complete a task.  The more places you look the more work you are making for yourself.

[ZooCity]

I use t-quoter and where the individual colors go I put in things like this:
1. Wilflex Quick White 110
2. Flash
5. GNS Light Royal 230
6. GNS Black 155

The numbers represent the print head.  Any extra details can go in the work order notes section.  You are using too many things to complete a task.  The more places you look the more work you are making for yourself.

Agreed.  It's just not currently a feature of the program.  It could be easily added it's just not there right now.  Another ? though: can you export this data from T-Quoter in a reasonable format that could be browsed in years to come if you migrated away from the software?  That's my primary concern and reason for using simple, exportable docs that can be read and edited in a variety of common programs.   

[mk162]

nope, i am stuck with it unless somebody writes a program to read the data

[Denis Kolar]

nope, i am stuck with it unless somebody writes a program to read the data

Print a PDF when done filling out

[mk162]

that would work, sort of, i would have to have a program that could take info off those sheets, but only if i filled it out the exact same way every time, and it has changed over the years based on what works best.

i pay a yearly fee for updates on t-quoter, but I don't have to.  The program runs without them.

[ZooCity]

that I don't like. going cloud, I've found it can be a gotcha when you need to switch programs and can't export your data or the export is a labrynthine mess.

[ZooCity]

dk, thats what we're essentially doing- pdf of the invoice and doc for the press data stored in the cloud, final art files and mock files on a hard drive. t boss archives the customers mocks as well.

[mk162]

how much is the cloud really helping you since you are doing everything twice, but I guess what do I know, I look in one place and find all the job info I need to reprint the job.  the only thing  I would like is a link to the file.