This system administration guide describes the software and explains how to set it up and manage it. This includes configuring the connectivity with any related system servers and any specific features that your prepress operation uses.
What is Business Link?
The Kodak Prinergy Business Link software:
- Collects production information from a Prinergy prepress workflow system
- Manages the flow of job data and automation instructions between a management information system (MIS) and a Prinergy system
The available MIS connectivity types are based on the CIP4 open standards for the Job Definition Format (JDF). If your MIS does not yet support JDF connnectivity, you can generate built-in reports from the Business Link database or use the reports in conjunction with MIS connectivity.
Your role
Your primary task is to install and configure the software to effectively support the workflow features that are used both by the prepress system and the MIS software or other source of job information. After you install and activate the software, Business Link is aware only of any new jobs that are created, and it immediately starts to collect and manage data about the jobs. The software requires very little ongoing maintenance, and you typically support the system through basic monitoring, reporting, and updating.
Assumptions and prerequisites
This documentation assumes that all the hardware, software, and network components of your Prinergy system are installed and licensed, and that you:
- Have a working knowledge of Prinergy prepress operations
- Are familiar with the Microsoft Windows operating system
- Have a basic understanding of Job Definition Format (JDF) concepts
Your ongoing responsibilities
After the software is installed and configured, you can help to ensure uninterrupted service by monitoring system activity and providing support as needed.
For example, you might perform any of the following tasks:
- Keep the software up to date by installing updates as they become available.
- Monitor the communication between the connectors.
- Set up and monitor e-mail notifications of system and job events.
- Schedule automatic backups, and perform manual backups if needed.
- Troubleshoot problems, which can include reviewing system log files. Troubleshooting information is available for the installation, the connectors, unavailable work types, and for automated imposition.
- Run the installer again to select a different connectivity option.
- Set up new features, such as:
- Workflow processing (if an MIS can send JDF/JMF messages to initiate job processing, you can also use automation for archiving, purging, retrieving, exporting, or importing jobs)
- Automated imposition (the ICS JDF connectivity option can be used to generate signatures that meet MIS-specified imposition requirements and to import any successfully completed impositions into the Prinergy jobs, complete with exact page positions and marks)
- Press previews support (a Prinergy system can use Kodak PrintLink digital ink-profiling software to generate the preview data that is used by a press controller for setting up a print job)
To find information about these or other tasks, use this system administration guide.
Business Link MIS connectivity types
During installation, you enable one of the available MIS connectivity types, depending on the JDF standards that your MIS software supports. The built-in production reporting capability is included.
In version 8.0, this connectivity standards is supported:
- The CIP4 ICS standard for two-way MIS connectivity
For an overview of the ICS standards and features that are supported, see the Business Link 3 ICS Interface Overview technical document.
Active JDF job details are stored in a separate local file-share folder, and, if two-way connectivity is enabled, JDF job details and status updates can also be sent to the MIS.
Note: If you use custom MIS software, Kodak can provide technical support to help you develop an interface that is compatible with Business Link. For information about contracting Kodak for custom development, contact your sales representative.
For more information
- For documentation, training courses, downloads, and service and support contacts for Prinergy Business Link and other products that can be used to enhance your system, go to http://graphics.kodak.com/.
- To download recent updates or other documentation and translations, log on to the Kodak Partner Place portal (https://partnerplace.kodak.com/). You must open a user account before you can access most Partner Place items.
- For the most current, detailed information about JDF data, see the specification documents on the website maintained by CIP4 (International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress Organization).
- For information about vendors whose MIS products have been qualified for use with Business Link software, contact your Kodak sales representative.
- For information about Prinergy and Business Link compatibility with your particular MIS, contact a service representative.
For additional information related to automated imposition:
- For general information about working with Preps profiles, see the Preps Help.
- For Preps information about autogenerating impositions from JDF data, see the Preps Pro 5.3.2 Auto Signature Creation technical bulletin.
- For Prinergy information about process templates, integrated Preps, and automated imposition, see the Prinergy Help.
- For summaries of the ICS connectivity features that Business Link supports, see the Business Link 3.0 ICS Interface Overview technical document.