Some variable data products (VDPs) are personalized so that the resulting order includes several versions of the same product, each personalized differently. One example is an order for promotional postcards, with each postcard being personalized (versioned) for a different recipient. (Other VDPs are personalized one at a time.)
Note Direct mail products are a different form of multi-record VDPs. (This type of VDP is also known as EFI VDP.) The process of ordering direct mail products involves some additional steps unique to mailings.
For multi-record VDPs, the information for the product typically comes from a data source (for example, an address book that your company makes available); you select what you need from this data source. You may also have the option of creating your own data source based on an external file. In addition, for some products you can upload images to personalize the product or select images from a gallery.
Note Some multi-record products are considered combos because they allow you to enter some common data (single-record) and some versioned data (multi-record). For example, a promotional postcard might include a common message, logo, and return address, but have individually unique recipient addresses. Here you would complete a form for the common data and then use a data source for the versioned part of the product (the recipient addresses in the case of this postcard).
When personalizing the product, you work in a window with two panes: Personalization and Preview. Initially, the Personalization pane is open and the Preview pane is minimized (closed). After you provide the data for personalizing the product, you review your personalized product in the Preview pane. Here are some tips for working with these two panes.
Notes
●
Some products are hybrids and offer a choice of Single
Mode or Batch Mode. If
you select Single Mode, you personalize a single record at
a time. This topic covers Batch Mode
– here you personalize multiple records at a time.
●
Some products may be available in both printed and/or downloadable form.
In this case, in addition to (or instead of) obtaining the printed copies
of the product, you can order a digital download
of the production PDF. If different deliverables are available for a product,
you select what you want to order after you click Buy
Now.
1. In the Job Name field, enter a descriptive name for the job so that you can identify it easily.
2. If the Deliverables field is displayed, it is set to what you selected after you clicked Buy Now. If necessary, change your selection. (This selection affects the price.)
3. Enter the Quantity.
Tip You can click Save (at the bottom of the page) at any time to save the job. This allows you to return to the job later.
4. For a combo product, a form is displayed for the common data, followed by the versioned data selection (see step 5). In the form, enter the data that you want to use for all the versions of the product. For example, you may be able to enter a return address or some generic text like "Spring Specials," or select an image. What you can do depends on the product you selected.
Notes
●
You may be stepped through the process of filling out the form with common
data. For example, you may need to make a selection in one field before
other fields are displayed. Also, sometimes fields may be filled in for
you automatically. For example, after you select a company, its location
may be automatically filled in.
●
For some products, a Make Versioned
link may be displayed next to the common data form. You can click Make Versioned to turn the product
into an all-versioned product (without any common data). In this case
the common data form is no longer displayed, and all the data for the
product comes from a data source. (To undo this, click Revert
Combination.)
5. To provide the versioned data, either upload data from an external file or select an existing data source. (These choices depend on the product you selected.)
For the versioned data, a data source may already be available. Otherwise, you can upload your data from an external file such as a CSV file:
1. In the Versioned Data field, choose Upload Data Source.
2. In the Type field, select the format of the data you are uploading.
3. In the Field Delimiter field, select the delimiter that separates values in the file. For example, select (,) for a comma-separated values (CSV) file.
4. To use a template for your data, click Download Template. A template helps to ensure that your data source is in the correct format. (Alternatively, first click View Template Fields and then click Download.)
Note If a sample template is available for the product, a Sample Data link is available instead of Download Template.
5. If you download a template, open it in a spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Excel or a text editor such as Note Pad that can read files in CSV format. Enter your data or import it (if you already have it in another format) and then save it as a CSV file under a new name.
Note Text that you enter in your template file cannot contain any commas (,) or other separators unless you enclose all the text for that field in double quotation marks (").
6. To the right of Select File, click Browse to locate your file, make sure the Type and Field Delimiter are correct, and click Upload File.
Important All the records in the file you uploaded are automatically selected for inclusion in the product. If you want to exclude a record, return to your template file, delete the record, and upload the file again.
7. Review the data to make sure it is accurate (free of typos and errors). If it is not, return to your template file, correct the information, and then upload the file again until the data is correct.
8. Click Mapping to continue to the Map Data step.
In some cases, data sources may already be available to you for providing the versioned data. For example, a company or university-based site may have an address book that you can use. To use an existing data source:
1. In the Versioned Data field, choose the data source you want to use.
2. If the list is long, you can sort it by a particular column: Move the pointer over a column heading and click Sort Ascending or Sort Descending. (To restore the original sort order, move the pointer over the column heading and click Remove Sort.)
3. To search for a record, move the pointer over the heading of the column where you want to search (for example, Last Name) and enter what you want to find (for example, Smith) in the Search by field. (To remove the search results and restore the full list, click Clear Search.)
4. Select the check boxes of the data you want to use, for example, the people for whom you want to create business cards.
5. Click Mapping to continue to the Map Data step.
After you select or upload a data source you must make sure that the fields in the product template are mapped correctly to the fields in the data source so that the product includes the correct information.
1. Make sure each Variable Data Name is mapped correctly to the Datasource Name. The information in the Sample Data column comes from the file you uploaded or the data source you selected.
2. If necessary, correct the mapping by selecting a different field in the Datasource Name column.
3. Click Fill Form to continue. The next step is to personalize the product.
1. If the product includes an image, either click Upload Image to provide your own image or click Select from Gallery to choose an image from a gallery of available images. (What you can do depends on the product.)
2. You may have the option of editing the image. If
is displayed, click it to rotate the image or to
adjust the fit.
Note For some products, if you edit a CMYK image (in PNG or JPG format), a message in the Edit Image window informs you that you may see some color discrepancies in this window. The colors in the preview (step 4 below) and in the production PDF, however, will be accurate.
3. If the left-hand pane includes print options (for example, a choice of Media), make your selections.
Notes
●
If you are ordering a download version of the product, you will receive
the PDF file that forms the basis of the product. If you are ordering
print copies together with the download version of the product, the downloaded
PDF will not reflect tabs, Media
size or color, orientation, or other print options that you may be able
to select for your printed copies. The print options apply only
to the print version of the product.
●
Some of your print option selections may result in messages about incompatibilities
with previously selected options, recommendations for other or alternative
options you should consider, or notifications that your selection resulted
in another print option being automatically enforced (selected for the
product).
4. Click Update Preview. (You must preview the product before you can add it to the cart.) The Preview pane opens so you can review the product. If you selected print options, the preview will reflect them.
5. Click
to zoom in or 
to zoom out. To restore the preview
to its original size, click 
.
6. Use the arrows at the top of the Preview pane to display different records and check that data looks the way you expected.
7. To see what the printed version of the product will look like, click PDF Proof.
8. If the product has two sides or multiple pages, preview each side or page by using the page buttons.
Tip If the
product has multiple pages, you can click 
to switch
to thumbnail view and click 
to switch back to spread view.
Tip To see more pricing details, move the pointer over the Unit Price area at the bottom of the window. If you are ordering both a print and download version of the product, the pricing summary provides a breakdown. (A pricing summary is not available for all products.)
1. When you are satisfied with the product, click Add to Cart.
Note If the product is part of a kit, a Finish button is displayed instead of Add to Cart. Click Finish to continue with the process of ordering the kit.
2. Proceed with the checkout process when you are ready.
At times it is helpful to have just one pane open. For example, when you are previewing the product you may want to view it in a larger space. At other times, it is helpful to see both the form and preview at the same time. You can control what is displayed like this:
● To open or close a pane, click its title bar to close it. When you close one pane, the other one opens.
Alternatively, to close a pane, right-click its title bar and select Close Personalization Panel or Close Preview Panel.
● To have both panes open at the same time, click Split Window at the top of the page. (Alternatively, right-click inside a pane and select Split Window.)
● To return to a single-pane view when the window is split, click the title bar of the pane you want to close.