Where the pdfToolbox technology provides a flexible PDF processing engine, pdfToolbox Portal is a ready-to-use portal where files can be submitted, checked, corrected, and made production-ready.
pdfToolbox Portal uses and complements the pdfToolbox processing engine. A highly-optimized user interface framework focused on making prepress more reliable and faster and production more streamlined and cost-efficient.
This page further details the high-level workflow functionalities provided by the pdfToolbox Portal. These can be enabled or hidden based on what is needed in a particular market segment or for the production of a particular product. The pdfToolbox Portal is branded and configured by callas for each OEM customer’s needs. A REST API allows integrations both on the front end (with Web2Print or MIS systems, for example) and on the back end (with RIPs or output devices).
Quality control
As PDF files are taken into the pdfToolbox Portal, they are checked in. This involves running preflight checks and corrections on them to detect common problems and correct those items that can be corrected safely. The check-in procedure uses pdfToolbox technology and is fully customizable to the implementation needs of an OEM partner.
The check-in process also performs other tasks such as rendering thumbnails and preview images, and gathering essential PDF file information that make pdfToolbox portal more user-friendly for the end-user.
Manual PDF editing
While PDF files can be automatically fixed in many cases, pdfToolbox Portal features a link to a locally running manual PDF editor. PDF files handled by pdfToolbox Portal can be opened in this PDF editor to check them in more detail or fix problems that can only be fixed manually. Once fixed, the PDF files can be uploaded to the workflow again.
pdfToolbox Portal handles check-in and check-out of PDF files while they are being edited to avoid conflicts between different operators working on the same jobs.
The PDF editor can handle all common production editing tasks, including modifying colors, overprint, transparency and virtually all other PDF element properties. Moving, rotating, and scaling of individual objects or of the whole page, text editing for last-minute corrections are all supported. Corrected PDF files are checked again when they are released from the editor and sent back into the automated workflow.
Order handling
pdfToolbox Portal is created around the concept of orders and order lines. These constructs allow end-users to keep PDF files belonging to the same order together and see the overall order status (made up of the statuses of individual PDF files associated with all order lines belonging to that order). Unique order IDs can be used throughout the workflow, using in output file names, on labels of imposed print sheets and more.
pdfToolbox Portal is however flexible enough that it can be configured to operate without the concept of orders with order lines. In “article” mode, individual PDF files can be uploaded and handled without the complexity of having to create and maintain orders. If desired, both concepts can be used next to each other in the portal.
Proofing
Optionally, PDF files that have been checked in and are considered error-free, can go through an approval step. During that step, proof previews are created that combine product visuals together with job metadata, and email notifications are sent to the end customers. These can access pages to approve jobs or decline them with required comments from the comfort of their regular browsers.
Imposition
Once production quality is ensured for checked-in PDF files, they can be imposed. Imposition in the pdfToolbox Portal can be very simple—placing each PDF file on its separate imposed sheet—but it can also extend to ganging and true-shape nesting. What is available and allowed depends again on the workflow needs the OEM wants to use pdfToolbox Portal for.
The imposition engine takes media specifications (of sheets or rolls) into account, and is fully capable of also adding all necessary marks (registration marks, trim and bleed marks, text labels, barcodes…) in order to make the imposed sheets ready for printing.
Output
pdfToolbox Portal exports production-ready PDF files (imposed or not) to output folders where desired. The specifications (regarding color spaces used, PDF versions…) of the output PDF files are completely customizable. The link with the output RIP or output devices can be implemented in this folder-based way, but tighter, API-based, integrations are also possible.
If desired, a built-in RIP is also available. In that case output is not only possible through PDF, but also as fully ripped files. Having a built-in RIP offers other advantages as well, such as having accurate ink information available for PDF files checked into pdfToolbox Portal.
