The Job Process
The P3Expeditor system follows a familiar path that most print buyers will recognize. Our aim is not to change the process, but to automate and streamline it. On top of that we have built into the system ``best practices`` for print procurement, based on over 10 years of feedback from Print Production Professionals that use our software.
P3Expeditor follows the typical competitive bidding approach used by procurement professionals around the world. This process makes sense for print, because most print jobs are custom manufacturing projects, not off-the-shelf catalog items (although there are exceptions).
This illustration (right) shows the six steps in the life cycle of a print job and the various automated communications the P3Expeditor system provides.
The P3Expeditor Job life-cycle
Requesting Quotes
With P3Expeditor getting prices from your suppliers is a snap. You simply build your job specifications, select the appropriate suppliers from your supplier list and click the ``Send RFQ`` button. This action will send each of your suppliers a separate private email (faxing is also available) with your job specs and instructions. Suppliers then have the option of using the P3Software online response system to send you their prices (this transmits the data into your database) or they can fax, email or phone in their responses the way they have in the past.
Organizing your jobs
In addition to automating the process P3Expeditor is an invaluable tool for organizing and archiving information on your print jobs. Our demo pages will illustrate how P3Expeditor helps organize your work and manage deadlines
P3Expeditor organizes your jobs in a way that makes it fast and easy to access the critical information you need when you need it. Right now!
Immediate Access
Our Job list (right) allows you to quickly see your active jobs right away sorted by status, job number, project or name. And since the list is printable you have a handy list of all your work in progress.
Reprint? Requote?
The ``Copy`` function allows you to instantly create duplicate jobs with or without the suppliers and prices you originally quoted.
Instant Archives
With one click all your archived jobs become visible on the job list, ready to be searched and sorted. This makes searching for reprint specs fast. Budgeting? Look up what you were quoted on comparable jobs in the past. Then use our Implied Price Calculator(tm) to generate an estimate at the new quantity.
Deadline Management
P3Expeditor makes managing your deadlines easy with our Job Schedules calendar system. All your active project deadlines appear in a convenient calendar through which you can access basic job details with one click of your mouse! And full job details with two clicks!
The Job Master Screen - This is the central screen for controlling the information associated with a particular print job. All information for a given job is either displayed or accessed from this screen.
Key Top Level Information on your job is clearly displayed on the left side of the screen for easy access. This includes:
- Job Name and Number (auto numbering is an option)
- Your organizational search categories (e.g. Department, Client, Project)
- Job Schedule dates
- Quantities - Up to 4 quantities with information on overs/unders
- Supplier(s) selected for the job
- Job status as it moves through production
The Button Bar across the top of the top of the job master screen links to the actions you will need to take as the job progresses:
- SpecCheck - runs a quick review of your information and displays the text of your job specs as they will appear for suppliers.
- Select Suppliers - launches the supplier selector, which displays your portfolio of suppliers and allows you to assign them to the job you are working on.
- Send RFQ - launches the email message sender which will send your Request for Quote to the suppliers assigned to your job.
- Compare Bids - gives you access to our unique instant price comparison screen. Loaded with features this part of P3Expeditor is a gem!
- Order Job - Opens our work order generator which you can use to order your job by email or printed work order. A more formal purchase order can also be created using the Job Order function.
Technical Job Specifications are listed on the right side of the job master screen. P3Expeditor has two methods for generating job specifications:
- Flexi-spec, gives you the maximum freedom to specify your jobs. In a fast flexible way that can cover nearly any purchase you want to make.
- Detailed-Spec is a structured forms driven approach. This fill-in-the-blanks method ensures you cover all the details. Convenient pick lists, option buttons and check boxes make the process fast. Comments fields in every section give you the flexibility to cover the few unique details that every job seems to have
