Prepress
Enfocus announces Switch 09
Thursday 18. February 2010 - New release makes it easier to create and edit workflows, introduces more powerful tools for larger environments and features a completely renewed SwitchClient
Enfocus announces the availability of Switch 09. The Switch family of products enables users to automate repetitive tasks, standardizing their work and reducing errors. Switch 09 brings significant enhancement to work smarter, instead of working harder.
Printing and publishing professionals have a myriad of repetitive tasks every day that require undivided attention to prevent errors from occurring. The purpose of the Switch product family is to automate as many of those repetitive tasks as possible, freeing users to spend their time on more productive activities without being concerned about the errors and mistakes that can easily occur during the performance of these repetitive tasks. Automating these tasks with Switch ensures accuracy and increased employee satisfaction as their attention is turned to more challenging activities.
“Switch 09 offers increased productivity, ease of use and robustness. This is particularly important as we see Switch being used in more complex solutions within larger environments. Our goal in releasing Switch 09 is to make sure those needs continue to be addressed with the product.” comments Fabian Prudhomme, Vice President of Enfocus.
Enfocus Switch 09 Highlights
Enfocus has invested significant effort in enhancing the Switch product family based on feedback from both users and partners.
Switch 09 makes it easier to create and edit workflows, introduces more powerful tools for larger environments and includes a completely updated SwitchClient. “We have focused on higher efficiency and easier integration,” explains Prudhomme, “as these are significant timesavers for our users. It gives our customers the ability to work smarter, instead of working harder.”
Other important enhancements include:
Easier workflow editing: folders can automatically be added when two tools or configurators are connected. Flow elements can be inserted in an existing connection and connections can be moved from one flow element to another.
Professional email support: Switch supports event-driven plain text and HTML format email notifications to customers. It now also supports IMAP servers and secured log-ins.
Splitting and merging PDF files: Switch 09 introduces a new workflow element to split multi-page PDF files into single pages or ranges of pages as well as a tool to merge separate PDF files into one consolidated file. Since these tools are based on the Enfocus library, they dont require the use of external applications.
Involving operators and clients with SwitchClient
Switch comes with a collaboration tool to allow operators (and even clients) to submit jobs and make decisions on jobs easily. The SwitchClient tool has been completely redesigned to show all jobs using thumbnails in combination with job information, status, statistics and metadata. Jobs can quickly be filtered by user, status or Switch server, and a search field allows instant search for specific jobs. The new SwitchClient 09 interface offers a unique and innovative approach to job management.
“For Switch 09,” says Prudhomme, “we are including three roles for users: operators who are responsible for their own jobs; job managers who are responsible for their teams jobs; and administrators, responsible for Switch on an overall basis. We have also increased the number of users that can be supported and managed throughout the entire Switch line to accommodate the growing number of large workgroups and enterprises that are deploying the product.”
New third party integration for Switch 09
Crossroads – a community built around the Enfocus Switch automation solutions – enables communication between Enfocus Switch users and vendors. Switch 09 also introduces new Crossroads partners that have integrated Switch with their own solution. “Another enhancement to Switch 09 is that all configurators link directly to the Crossroads website so users can immediately find information about that particular application,” says Prudhomme.
The initial release of Switch 09 is expected to include the following additional configurators:
GMG Connect is capable of connecting to Switch. Color management and proofing can be better automated and centrally controlled with GMG.
ICS Remote Director provides color accurate monitor proofing solutions.
WoodWing Enterprise and Dutch Software Elvis are content publishing platform tools that integrate with Switch.
Switch also supports a Microsoft Word configurator.
Background on the Switch Product Family
The Switch Product Family includes LightSwitch, FullSwitch and PowerSwitch, with an easy upgrade path among the three.
Entry-level LightSwitch takes away the repetitive tasks associated with receiving and sorting files. It automatically downloads files from one or more FTP servers, receives them as email attachments or handles hot folders.
FullSwitch is ideally placed to help users reclaim time and be more creative. It offers the same capabilities as LightSwitch. In addition, FullSwitch introduces configurators that allow third-party applications such as Adobe Acrobat Distiller or Enfocus PitStop Server to be integrated easily within a workflow. Setup and automation of those applications is completely controlled from within FullSwitch.
PowerSwitch is the workhorse of the Switch product family. Using its comprehensive scripting and metadata tools allows users to build a smarter and more advanced workflow that integrates seamlessly with third-party technology. The workgroup client bundled with PowerSwitch allows team members to submit and track jobs from their own workstations. PowerSwitch also offers intelligent processing enabled by metadata tools.
Availability
Switch 09 and SwitchClient 09 are available from www.enfocus.com as off February 17, 2010. For Switch clients having a maintenance contract the upgrade is included.