What Is Bucketing?
Bucketing is a process that groups similar print jobs together before sending them to production.
It helps optimize how jobs are printed, reducing waste, improving efficiency, and allowing better control over when printing happens.
Flow Diagram
Step-by-Step Explanation of the Bucketing Flow
1. Start the Process
The system continuously checks if jobs are eligible to be uploaded and grouped into a bucket.
2. Upload Days Toggle Must Be Enabled
First, the system checks if the current day is marked as active in the Upload Days toggle (configured via the Bucketing Hub).
If it’s disabled, no jobs will be uploaded, even if all other conditions are met.
If it’s enabled, the system continues.
3. Is a Bucket Configured?
The system checks whether a bucket configuration exists:
No bucket configured → all eligible products will be uploaded at midnight by default.
Bucket configured → midnight upload is skipped unless specifically enabled. The system will rely only on bucketing rules to decide when to upload jobs.
4. Select Jobs That Match Rules
If a bucket is configured:
The system looks for Gelato Connect jobs with status NEW.
It filters jobs that match the bucket's criteria (like product model, volume, or other settings).
5. Triggering the Build Plate Process
Once the matching jobs are identified, the system prepares them for printing using Imposition v1 (a method of arranging print jobs efficiently on a plate).
There are two ways this can be triggered:
• Scheduled Trigger
Happens automatically once per hour, at the beginning of each hour.
Ensures jobs don’t wait too long, even if limits aren’t reached.
• Limit Trigger
Runs as soon as a threshold is exceeded (e.g., a certain number of print jobs or items).
If the limit is hit, the system schedules a print plate to be built within a few minutes.
Example: If the limit is 10 jobs, and 12 jobs meet the rules, all 12 will be printed.
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