Guide to Print Order Management Software

Summary: Are manual print order management methods slowing down your business operations? Does your printing business need a robust software to automate orders, track and manage them? Well, print order management software can help you easily do it all, while providing centralized control over operations. Keep reading to know more about this software.

The printing industry is evolving at a rapid pace with more and more PSP’s shifting towards modern approaches and systems to manage print orders. As per research, the global printer market size is currently valued at USD 78.5 billion in 2025 and is anticipated to reach USD 123.1 billion in 2034, rising at a CAGR of 5.1%.

With the print industry’s growth on one side, there are still many print businesses who are falling behind the market due to the adoption of traditional print order management processes. In such a competitive scenario, leveraging advanced print order management software is the need of the hour, as it helps to streamline tasks and address the changing demands of customers.

Furthermore, utilizing a print-specific software for managing orders, can accelerate order intaking, provide a 360-degree view of orders, and help serve customers in a better way.

Curious about how this software can improve your print business? Well, keep reading to explore all the necessary information for getting started with print order management. From benefits, key features, selecting the right solution, to implementation steps – you can discover it all!

But first, let’s understand some basic concepts.

What is Print Order Management Software?

Print order management software (POMS) is a specialized software that automates operations, enabling print businesses to organize, track, and centrally manage the entire print order life cycle from order placement to delivery. This software improves operational efficiency, reduces manual errors, and ensures timely fulfillment of orders.

How Print Order Management Software Works?

Print order management software works by automating tasks like order intake, validation, production scheduling, tracking, shipping, and fulfillment to streamline operations. Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works.

1. Order Intake

The software enables print business owners to intake orders coming from different sales channels and centralize them in a single location.

2. Order Validation

It offers approval workflows to check if the print files are in the correct format, resolution, and ensures that the artwork meets all the technical requirements before pushing into production.

3. Job Ticket Creation

After this process, the software generates job tickets with the required specifications including size, substrate, finishing details, and more.

4. Production Scheduling

The software automatically assigns the job to specific departments including pre-press, printing, finishing, and allowing integration with several systems for smooth production.

5. Real-Time Tracking

Both internal teams and customers can get the option of real-time order tracking via modern software, enabling everyone to receive notifications and stay updated.

6. Shipping & Fulfillment

Print providers can utilize this software to integrate with shipping gateways and logistics partners to ensure smooth order fulfillment and timely delivery.

7. Invoicing & Reports

After order completion, the printer can get reports on invoicing as well as order performance with details like job status, order volume, turnaround time, and more.

The software enables your team in the prepress, production, and finishing departments to see the current stage of a specific order and work accordingly, thus saving time and ensuring timely production. It also enables your customers to stay updated about their orders at every stage, enabling them to build trust and loyalty for the print business.

Although all software offers similar functionalities, the secret lies in selecting the right print order management system and utilizing it to maximize your business potential.

Now that we have covered the basics, let’s quickly understand how the implementation can benefit your print business.

The Significant Benefits of Print Ordering Management Software

Print businesses adopting modern print ordering management software can boost their print operations in multiple ways. Here’s a quick list of the significant benefits that can be achieved by adopting this high-tech software. These include -

1. Improved Order Accuracy and Consistency

Print shop order management software ensures that each order is processed accurately and promptly. It helps maintain consistent print operations while minimizing errors, which ultimately boosts customer satisfaction and repeat business.

2. Streamlined Workflow and Production Processes

It automates complicated manual tasks and provides visibility into the entire print order operations. The print order management software streamlines workflow and production processes, increasing efficiency and reducing turnaround times.

3. Enhanced Customer Communication and Satisfaction

The software enables print businesses to constantly communicate the order status to customers in the form of notifications and regular updates. This keeps them informed at every stage of the printing process, starting from order placement to delivery, fostering satisfaction, trust, and loyalty.

4. Better Tracking and Monitoring of Orders

It enables print businesses to monitor and track every order, ensuring they are timely produced and delivered to customers. Furthermore, it helps resolve issues promptly with the help of data-driven insights gained through analytics.

5. Time and Cost Savings through Automation

The software offers several print automation benefits for print businesses, enabling printers to simplify estimating, quoting, and other repetitive tasks. It saves time and reduces manual intervention, leading to significant cost savings and increased profitability for print businesses.

You may wonder why a print order management system is necessary and how its features can help your print business stay competitive. Don’t worry, because that’s what we will be unveiling in the next section.

Key Features of Print Order Process Management System

Features are an important factor when it comes to investing in any software for your print business growth. Let’s discover the major features that differentiate print order management software from traditional systems, making it an asset for your print business.

1. Order Tracking and Status Updates

Being timely updated about the status of orders throughout the print order cycle is a crucial factor for customers as well as the print business. A robust print order management solution gives print businesses the flexibility to select, add, update, and notify customers about their order status, i.e. whether an order is shipped, out for delivery, cancelled or delivered.

2. Automated Quoting and Estimating

PriPrint businesses, commercial printers and brokers who follow traditional methods for confirming quotes with customers require sending multiple emails to them, thus spending a lot of time and effort. A modern print estimating software with order management capabilities can help you automate the process of sending print estimations and quotations to your registered customers quickly and efficiently.

3. Inventory and Supply Chain Management

An order management software allows print businesses to have control over their inventory management and the available stock levels, allowing customers to have the flexibility to place orders in large quantities with multiple shipments and timing. The solution also allows to streamline supply chain management that includes tasks from sourcing, manufacturing process like pre-press, printing, post-press, transportation to distribution.

4. Integration with Other Systems

It enables integrating with your existing CRM as well as supports advanced web-to-print integrations for MIS, accounting system, shipping, payment, SMS/email, mailing, etc. The capability to integrate with other applications and systems allows automating tasks such as label creation, assigning unique tracking codes for every order, thus leading to quick order processing, improved customer experience, and enhanced overall operational efficiency.

5. Reports and Analytics to Gain Data-Driven Insights

You can gain visibility into the complete order cycle of your printing processes with the help of robust reporting and analytics tools that are supported by your print order management system. Make informed decisions by leveraging metrics, valuable data and actionable insights like product sales over a specific duration, pending orders, best-selling products, customer preferences, activity logs to see the time spent on specific tasks and much more.

Types of Order Management Software for Print Service Providers

Based on the types of automated print order management, there are three types namely on-premises, cloud-based, and hybrid. Each of these types are developed to cater to different print business needs. Let’s understand each of these in detail.

1. On-Premises

On-premises print ordering management software, or the traditional ones, are installed and operated on the server, utilizing the infrastructure of the print business itself, ensuring better control over data management and security.

Pros

• The system is scalable and can be modified to the unique business requirements
• Long-term costs are more predictable as it provides complete control

Cons

• Requires significant upfront investment as there is no third-party vendor involved
• It also needs ongoing maintenance and updates of the system

2. Cloud-Based

Pros

• Allows remote access and management of the solution due to internet-based approach
• Requires minimal upfront investment and is less expensive

Cons

• Relies on stable internet connectivity and might hinder productivity if issues arise
• It raises security concerns for sensitive data and information

3. Hybrid

The hybrid print order management solution is a combination of both on-premises and cloud-based solutions which allows businesses to leverage both the deployment methods, ensuring a customizable approach to cost-effectiveness and specific business requirements.

Pros

• Flexible, as it combines advantages of both models
• Optimizes resource allocation for cost savings

Cons

• Requires management of both types, hence complex
• May have challenges in integration due to multiple processes involved

How to Choose the Right Print Order Management Software

To choose the right print order management software, print providers must carefully consider a lot of aspects to make an informed decision. In this section, we’ll explore all the necessary aspects with the help of a step-by-step guide to help you in this process.

1. Assessing Your Print Business Needs for Order Management

Evaluate your current online order processing system and clearly identify the areas for improvement such as the requirement for a progressive print fulfillment software with order management functionalities. You can set goals and objectives for implementing the new software, ensuring the timeline for the implementation process, key milestones, and deadlines.

2. Evaluate Different Software and Their Order Streamlining Features

Examine various software options in the market to find those that match your business requirements. Look for a print order management software to manage bulk orders & customizations, offer order tracking, automated quoting, and get inventory management, ensuring scalability for future expansion.

3. Considering User-Friendliness and Ease of Software Adoption

Opt for a software that provides necessary resources for training and adoption easily as well as quickly, with the help of demos or trial periods to experience the usability of the print order management software. A user-friendly and intuitive interface reduces training time and facilitates smoother integration into your existing print workflow.

4. Check Integration Capabilities to Boost Print Order Cycle

Evaluate the print order management software's capacity to seamlessly integrate with your current systems, including CRM, accounting, and shipping platforms. When choosing a print order management system, ensure it offers smooth integration across platforms for simplifying data management, reducing manual labor and potential errors.

5. Analyze Spending and ROI of the Order Management Software

Compare the pricing structures of different print store order management software and consider the overall return on investment based on potential savings in time, labor, and efficiency improvements. While upfront costs are important, also consider long-term expenses, including subscription fees, maintenance, and the overall customization costs.

By adhering to these procedures and conducting a comprehensive assessment of available choices, you can select a print order management software that aligns with your precise business requirements, improves effectiveness, and drives growth.

Implementation Steps for Print Shop Order Management Software

The implementation steps typically include requirement analysis, software selection, and a lot more. Furthermore, a smooth transition to a print shop order management software requires careful planning and execution. Here's a step-by-step approach for a successful implementation.

1. The Right Software Selection for Meeting Business Requirements

As discussed previously, after print assessment and planning, choose a print order management software that aligns with your specific business requirements and goals. Consider factors such as scalability, ease of use, integration features, print-specific capabilities, and customer support for a smooth transition.

2. Planning and Execution of Accurate Data Migration

Plan and execute the transfer of current data from your previous system to the new software, guaranteeing the precision and integrity of data throughout the migration procedure. Conduct testing of data migration procedures in a controlled setting to detect and resolve any potential issues in advance.

3. Effortless Integration of Software into Existing Workflows

Integrate the software seamlessly into existing workflows by customizing the software settings and configurations to match your business processes.

Collaborate with the print order management software provider to integrate it with third-party applications.

4. Ensuring Effective Staff Training on a Regular Basis

Provide comprehensive training to employees on how to use the new software effectively with timely training sessions and access to knowledge resources.

Promote transparent communication, address concerns, and queries from all team members involved.

By following these best practices and addressing common challenges proactively, print businesses can successfully implement print order management software, experience the benefits of streamlined operations, and improve efficiency.

Post-Implementation Tips for Print Order Management Software

Many print businesses think that the work is over after implementing a print order management software. The reality is - utilizing a newly implemented software to its full potential is crucial after the implementation process. This will ensure you achieve maximum productivity and profitability. Here are a few tips to excel in this process.

1. Regularly Train Your Print Business Team on a Timely Basis

Regularly train your team members to maximize software proficiency and foster ongoing skill development to adapt with the updates and industry standards.

2. Leverage Advanced Features of the Software for Maximum Productivity

Explore and utilize advanced software features for enhanced functionality and customize settings to align with specific business needs and preferences.

3. Leverage Data-Driven Insights for Continuous Improvement

Monitor performance metrics from reports and analytics to identify areas for optimization. Continuously improve your operations based on the gathered actionable insights.

Success Story of OnPrintShop’s Customer using Order Management

Best Printing USA, a B2B global printer specializing in booklets, magazines and calendars has achieved a 130% increase in online order sales and 80% reduction in manual order management after migrating to OnPrintShop, ensuring heightened efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction.

The print business faced issues with delays in price calculation, delivery timelines, not being able to reach a wider audience, and complex payment processes, hindering their growth.

OnPrintShop helped the company by providing solutions for automated order management, shipping estimations, multi-store management, and payment gateway integration. The company was able to achieve enhanced customer experience, expand their market across the USA, and streamline payment processing.

Over to YouModern order management systems provide numerous benefits, including order accuracy, quicker production processes, improved communication, and data-driven insights. Print businesses may use innovative order management software for printers like the ones offered by OnPrintShop, to optimize their print order cycle, boost client satisfaction, and drive growth through increased efficiency and productivity.If you haven’t explored OnPrintShop’s print order management software yet, then request a personalized demo today. Our team will provide you with a detailed walkthrough about our software, enabling you to maximize the potential of your print business and achieve long-term success.