Transpromotional Printing

How would you like to modify your print capabilities to incorporate processing based on existing customers previous purchases?

How would you like to develop additional messages to your customer on their statements reflecting promotions or point them to additional discounts, do more than just personalize your output to the intended recipient.

What they are delivering all ready is a document that some one is guarenteed to open, why not take advantage of promotions on these existing transaction-related documents. The are many advantages over promotion that you could do in various other means.

What you are delivering today can be enhanced because you all ready have:
1. Openability. Statements and invoices are expected—they contain important financial information and usually require action. More than 95% of transaction documents are opened and read each month – far more than any other type of direct response effort.
2. Involvement. Bills and statements receive more attention than any other form of communication including television advertisements. Studies show that the average customer invests between one and three minutes for statement review.
3. Trusted Media. While e-security and telephone fraud continue to make headlines, nearly everyone trusts the postal service to send and deliver mail – including highly important documents.
4. Functionality. Statements are often viewed more than once. The paper-based nature of transaction mail helps consumers pay bills, submit expense reports, prepare taxes and file documents.
5. Returns. Statement-based marketing is effective because it targets current customers. A five percent increase in current customer business can translate into as much as a 50 percent increase in bottom-line profits.
6. Customized offers. Statement-based marketing is effective because it enables customized offers to be automatically generated by the transactional data within the document itself

Let me know, there are many ways that I can assist you!
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Programming Conversion

Have you ever undertook a conversion of a application from one graphic programming language to another?

We undertook a conversion from Printronix Magnum Code to IBM IPDS on a AS400 using RPG and Data Description Specifications. Would this be something for you consider trying?

We did and with great success!!

We converted a manufacturing production ticket application that had a job description log of over a 100 pages and reduced it to around 50 within the application. Making it easier to read and documented it well enough for the customer to make future modifications!

This customer had no familiarity with programming this way. We turned the application around very quickly, pointed out what we were doing, allowed them to get this into production with very little customer modification after going live!

Have you ever programmed barcodes in the Printronix language, whether its the old Magnum Code, CodeV or IGP... converting this within RPG using Data Descriptions Specification to place the data and modified the font characteristics and barcoding.
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Application Modifications

Have you ever received the following request from someone you have provided a print solution to?

How can I add this to my statement?

It doesn't matter, this could be something like adding a barcode, maybe changing a logo or putting some kind of image or graphic on the page, or how about adding an electronic form?
It doesn't have to be a AFP/IPDS application, maybe its a PCL or PS application. Let me know, I can assist with either programming services or a product that you can install to make this very easy.

Give me a shout out, I can assist you in many ways!
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Barcoded Label Holders

A unique but valueable application we assisted in:

We created a simple RPG Program that pulled from a AS400 DataBase and created 10,000 barcoded labels and also provided various Label Holders for their warehouse and tool crib storage unit so that they could pull from their own inventory application.




We also provided 4000+ magnetic tab holders of various sizes to be used where storage was on metal racks.

Tag stock media was provided that was perforated so as each label was printed it could be separated and stored in the appropriate tag holder.

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How to format a page


With AFP Printing, there are resources that can be created to change the way a page is formatted. Do you want a field to reflect a specific font or maybe use this same field and represent it as a barcode somewhere else? How about adding the capabilities that allow duplexing or change from portrait to landscape

These capabilities are defined within a Formdef and Pagedef created within a AFP Resouce

Question:
I have several applications that generate output that is formatted with page definitions. Currently the print streams are directed to a continuous forms printer. I want to migrate some of the printing to a cut sheet printer and I am confused about what role the formdefs and pagedefs play. Will I need to modify my applications or page definitions to accommodate the new printers?


Answer:
Page Definitions are used to determine what the formatted page(s) will look like. Think of these pages as virtual pages that are not yet associated with a physical piece of paper. The way you want your application data to look on the page is determined by the instructions within the page definition.


Form Definitions are used to control the physical attributes of printing such as:
  • Which side of the paper to print on for duplex printing.
  • What sequence the pages will follow for multiple up (N_UP) printing.
  • What paper trays are used for cutsheet printing.
  • What overlays, if any, are to be associated with particular data printing.

In your case, you should need to be concerned with the formdefs only. The formatting for your pages typically does not need to be altered to accommodate different printers, but, you will need to look at using a different formdef or a different copygroup within your formdef to achieve the results you are looking for when you change printers.

If this is something you can not do, please let me know and I can provide the services to do this for you.
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Value of Programming

While I started out to focus entirely on print and the way information is delivered. During my conversations, I have found that there are so many other needs that the people I talk with have. By focusing in on listening to what they need I have found many ways to be of assistance.

My assistance includes finding packaged programs to cover and implement capabilities to meet the needs I understand.

After 20 years with IBM, I recognize the differences between programs that are cadillacs in comparison to those that are like volkswagens. The main objective, in the 90's selling was focused on quality, today I believe that focus is on value.

I have a team of people who can assist in writing programs.
We specialize in AS400 Cobol and RPG Programming, but we are not limited to this. We have the ability to program with Visual Basic as well as .NET(VB & C#), Lotus Domino (Lotus Script & Formula), Java, JavaScript, HTML. 


DataBase Creation and Storing of information within SQL Server, MySQL, DB2, iSeries, etc.
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About Me

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Founder, Imaginer, Creator of Major Printing and Programming Solutions, bringing value to the printed page