Adstream launches e-ssential web-to-print software

Adstream announces the launch of e-ssential, a powerful but easy-to-use system that enables the online creation, editing, management and ordering of documents based on pre-defined templates.

Adstream specializes in digital management and delivery solutions for the media industry, including the popular Quickcut range of services following its acquisition of the company earlier this year.  e-ssential is a highly flexible central resource that can be tailored to suit a wide variety of applications and is the first major launch from the expanded organization.

Aimed at brand owners, designers, agencies, printers and publishers, e-ssential is perfect for companies who wish to manage the brand integrity of a variety of corporate material, such as advertisements, stationary, POS items, direct mail, brochures, reports, leaflets etc.

Its flexibility allows it to be deployed in a variety of ways, including:

• Publishers can provide a variety of ad templates online enabling advertisers to add copy and images and submit print ready copy directly to target publications alongside ad booking details.

• Print buyers can host documents complete with detailed print specifications to facilitate fast and efficient print tenders invitation and confirmation

• Companies can host corporate stationary and other documents for localization by regional offices while ensuring brand consistency and accuracy

• Printers can provide customers with round the clock access to a range of material for localization, personalization, direct mail and reprints etc

e-ssential is a managed service provided by Adstream, and each site can be customized to fit a specific company branding. Users do not need any special software applications or plug ins, other than the freely available Flash plug-in. Simply accessed through a standard web browser, e-ssential controls the complete document creation and production process; including the ability to create documents online based on pre-defined templates, live previews, annotation capability, approvals and on-line ordering.

‘e-ssential enables companies to drive down costs whilst increasing productivity and maintaining a consistent brand. We have had a terrific response already from the market as companies appreciate the ability to maintain control of the look and feel of their material, whilst giving their partners and regional offices the ability to source and personalize documents as and when they need them,’ explained Joe Jarrett, Adstream's group business development director.

e-ssential is secure and access is password controlled. Once logged in users have the freedom to insert, edit and format text within pre-determined guidelines. A layout window provides tools to select objects, zoom, scroll, fonts, text alignment, styles, and sizes, adding and scaling images and tables, and a color palette. The ability to use international languages and character sets is standard and key for multi-language document production. Images can be supplied within the system or users can, if allowed, upload images into an asset manager. Plus, a variable data feature allows users to link documents to databases to produce personalized documents

Once a document is compiled, e-ssential produces a high-resolution print-ready PDF. If required an approval cycle can be added to allow viewing and annotation by several people. Additional job management features allow users to save unfinished jobs and view a job list by status (i.e. work in progress, in approval, and completed)

‘e-ssential is a very powerful system and has capabilities way beyond print applications,’ Jarret continued. ‘With the rapid acceleration of online communications it has the potential to be a true multi-media e-commerce solution. For example a retailer would be able to create and manage advertisements, brochures and direct mail on the one hand, and then create or replace a static image with a streaming video file to produce an online advertisement.’

e-ssential's open architecture allows it to be integrated with third party asset management systems and MIS systems if required. Future developments will include an offline version with online synchronization.