This article provides a comprehensive overview of the print job lifecycle, detailing the roles involved, the workflow design process, and the steps necessary to send plates to print using the GelatoConnect platform. It covers everything from setting up the workflow in Workflow Builder to managing print jobs in the Print Operator Console.
Understanding the Print Job Lifecycle
The print job lifecycle involves several key components:
The workflow designer establishes the production process, including steps, templates, and machines.
The print operator manages the plates on the shop floor and initiates the printing process.
Note: The Print Operator Console (POC) is a desktop-only application. Use GelatoConnect as a desktop application to send print jobs, as this feature is not available in the browser.
The Workflow Components
Three main elements work together in the print job process:
Workflow Builder - This is where you design the recipe for how an order is produced.
The workflow engine - This component executes the recipe for each incoming order item in the background.
Print Operator Console - This is where the operator views the actual plates that are ready to print.
When the workflow reaches the Print step, it transfers the job to the POC. The operator only sees the plates ready for printing, not the workflow itself.
Key Principle: A job only appears in POC when the workflow reaches the Print step and only if it has produced an imposed plate. No imposition → no plate → nothing in POC.
Designing the Workflow in Workflow Builder
To ensure a workflow reaches an operator, it must include the following steps in this specific order:
Imposition → Create Configuration File → Print step
Here’s a breakdown of each step:
Imposition
Imposition converts the customer's raw PDF into a format suitable for printing. It arranges the artwork onto a sheet using a selected template and generates the final plate file for the press.
Important: Imposition must be the first step. The Print step does not create files; it only forwards what imposition has produced. If there is no imposition, no plates will be sent to POC.
Create Configuration File (JDF)
After imposition, add a Create Configuration File activity to generate the JDF job ticket, which contains machine-readable instructions for some presses.
The critical setting here is context: previous imposition.
Why context matters: Setting the context to the preceding imposition links the JDF to its corresponding plate. Without this link, the system cannot associate the configuration file with the plate, preventing it from reaching POC.
Both the plate PDF and the JDF are connected by a shared Plate ID, which serves as the identifier for the operator.
The Printing Step
The Printing step is a dispatch step that collects everything associated with each Plate ID and forwards it to POC. Here, you specify the machine type, machine, and sheet size.
Once the Printing step is executed, one job per plate appears in POC.
What the Printing Step Sends to POC
What | Source |
Plate PDF(s) - The imposed artwork for printing | Imposition |
Configuration file (JDF) - Optional job ticket | Imposition's Create Config File activity |
Preview image - Small visual in the POC list | Auto-generated from the first plate PDF |
Job details - Includes Plate ID, product, customer, assigned machine, sheet size, paper, quantity, and more | The workflow |
The customer's original uploaded PDF is not what reaches POC; the operator receives the imposed version created by imposition.
Setting Up Your Machines
Before an operator can send any jobs, the presses must be configured in Work Settings → RIP Machine Configuration. This setup includes:
A file source - Where plate files originate (local folder, SFTP server, or cloud storage). Canon PRISMAsync presses require a cloud (S3) source.
One or more connected machines - Each machine must be named and assigned a destination type.
For HP and Canon machines, use the Test button after entering the endpoint to ensure the app can reach the controller before relying on it during a shift.
Sending Plates to Print via Print Operator Console
Before You Start
Feature access is enabled. Ensure that both Print Operator Console and RIP Machine Configuration flags are turned on by Gelato. If you can see plates but cannot send them, the second flag may be off; contact Gelato.
Your role has print-job access. You need the Print Operator role or higher for the console to appear under Stations.
Your machines are configured. Refer to the previous section.
The plate is in Pending status. Only pending plates can be sent; already-sent or printed plates require Reprint.
The plate has its files and a machine. This is produced by your workflow.
Step 1: Open the Console
From the sidebar, navigate to Stations → Print operator console. All plates waiting to be printed for your print house will be listed here.
Step 2: Select Your Plates
One plate: Click the Send to Print button on the plate's card.
A batch: Check the boxes next to the plates, then use the Send to Print action in the selection bar.
The single-plate button only works for pending plates. The bulk action will flag any non-pending plates in the next step without blocking the action.
Step 3: Review and Confirm
Clicking Send to Print opens a confirmation screen. All print settings are derived from the machine setup, so there is nothing to configure here. You will see a summary grouped by destination machine, a machine selector, a per-plate preview, and the total download size.
Click Send to Print. The dialog will close immediately, and the plates will be added to the print queue. The downloading and transfer will occur in the background.
A plate's status changes to Sent to print only after its transfer succeeds, not immediately upon clicking.
Step 4: Track the Print Queue
Open the queue from the Plates sent to print indicator in the page header. Plates process sequentially:
Queued → Downloading → Sending to RIP → Completed
State | Action available |
Queued / Downloading | Cancel - Stops the process immediately. |
Failed | Retry - Re-runs the job; error shown inline. |
Completed | Open folder - Reveals the files on your machine. |
The queue is held in memory. Finish or clear active transfers before closing the app to avoid losing any in-flight jobs.
Step 5: Check Progress on the Press
For HP and Canon machines, click Check Status from DFE on a sent plate's card. This dialog will show the job name, status, submission time, and current phase. Click Refresh to update the status.
Phase | What's happening |
Download | The press is fetching the necessary files. |
RIP | The artwork is being converted for printing; larger files take longer. |
Router | The job is handed to the print hardware. |
Printing / Output | The job is actively printing. |
Product | Finished and collected; safe to mark the plate as Printed. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the file name need to match the plate name?
No, your workflow can assign any name to the file, and POC will use that name. The only change made by POC is to the JDF's DescriptiveName tag, which is prefixed with GC{machine_id}_{SequenceNumber}.
Do I need to upload the JDF and plate files, and where?
No manual uploads are necessary. Your workflow automatically uploads the files to both S3 and SFTP. POC fetches them from the selected source in Work Settings → RIP Machine Configuration.
How is a hot folder configured, and does it differ by machine brand?
The hot folder setup is brand-agnostic. Configure it in Work Settings → RIP Machine Configuration, and the app will move the JDF file into that folder.
How is HP press delivery configured?
When sending to print, the app fetches the files, rewrites the JDF's FileSpec URL, and calls the DFE API with the updated JDF. The plate's status changes to Sent to print once accepted by the DFE.
Are JDFs autogenerated, static, or editable?
The JDF is created in the imposition activity and can be edited there. POC updates the FileSpec URL and DescriptiveName attributes automatically when the plate is sent to print.
Troubleshooting
Nothing Appears in POC for an Order
This is typically a workflow issue:
No imposition ran: Without an imposed plate, there is nothing to send. Ensure imposition occurs before the Print step.
The Print step didn't execute: Confirm the workflow ran successfully to this point.
The JDF didn't link: Check that the Create Configuration File activity used context: previous imposition and is positioned before the Print step.
The Send to Print Button is Missing or Greyed Out
Plate isn't pending: Use Reprint for reprints.
No machine assigned: Assign it to a press in the workflow first.
You're in the browser: Open the desktop app; Send to Print is desktop-only.
Feature access is off: Contact Gelato to confirm the Print Operator Console and RIP Machine Configuration flags are enabled.
A Plate is Flagged "Cannot be Sent"
Message | What it means | What to do |
Plate is not pending | Already sent or printed | Use Reprint if needed |
Missing JDF / PDF / No files | Artwork or job ticket not produced | Check the workflow's imposition and config-file steps |
No assigned machine | Not assigned to a press | Assign it to a machine |
Machine not configured | Press not set up | Add it in RIP Machine Configuration |
Hot folder / RIP API / path not set | A machine or file source is missing a setting | Complete the machine setup in RIP Machine Configuration |
SFTP not configured | File source has no valid connection | Configure the SFTP connection in Work Settings |
A Plate Failed in the Queue
Cancel then Retry - A transient network issue is often the cause.
The error is shown inline. Path or connection errors usually indicate a machine or file-source setting issue in RIP Machine Configuration.
A Download Seems Stuck
The progress bar may animate even if stalled, so look for a frozen byte count as a signal.
Cancel and Retry.
Check free disk space; a full disk can stall downloads.
Verify the file-source connection in Work Settings.
Can't Check Status on the Press
The press may be temporarily unreachable; try the Test button in RIP Machine Configuration.
Job history may have expired; controllers typically keep records for 24–72 hours.
With multiple machines, confirm you're checking the correct press for the plate.
Still stuck? When contacting support, share the exact error shown in the status dialog for precise assistance.
Glossary
Workflow Builder (WFB) - The tool for designing how an order is produced.
Print Operator Console (POC) - The interface where operators view and send plates ready for printing.
Imposition - The process of laying artwork onto a sheet to create the print-ready plate.
Plate - The imposed, print-ready file for one sheet.
Plate ID - The identifier linking a plate's PDF and JDF into one job.
JDF / Configuration file - The machine-readable job ticket used by some presses.
Print step - The dispatch step that forwards a plate to POC.
RIP / DFE - The press controller that processes and prints the job.