Version 7 of the package adds functions to content such as colour and white space management, application merging and batching, and image manipulation and then controls how it is distributed across different channels.

Previously users would have used different interfaces for creating documents and for adding functionality to existing documents, but under version 7 this has been unified under Document Workshop and Production Workshop.

According to Giles Hill, general manager, Sefas: "Traditionally you would have to build a document from scratch each time and while Open Print Version 7 gives you the option to do that, it also gives you the option use an existing document, and all within the same interface.

 "It means you can build documents using exactly the same images, fonts and data as the original, and it gives you much better security over your brand, over white space management for transpromo, and enables to you to sort and batch to take advantage of Mailsort discounts.

The software breaks down documents within print files into objects that can be assigned various data sets and controlled by different groups so that they can be modified by printers and print bureaus and their clients to optimise their effectiveness. For example, names and addresses can be extracted and matched against high value customers, so that those documents can be given a different treatment to reflect that through colour or higher grade stocks.

The new version also includes Output Management for configuring rendering options and specifying standard or custom impositions as well as enabling a range of other optimisation options.

 "Previously this sort of thing would have been IT resource-intensive, needing a lot of scripting and programming, but with Open Print Version 7 much of the logic is built into the software, meaning that it can be business users making the decisions," Hill added.