Add Envelopes And Envelope Inserts To Mailings

Note: Envelope raw materials require your system to include the Mailing add-on module.

 

Creating The Envelope Raw Material

You can create envelopes or use ready-made envelopes as raw materials in an iQuote Estimate or Job record. Do all of the following to add a new Envelope record.

Note: To set up and manage envelope raw materials within iQuote, your system administrator must provide you with the following permissions: EPS > SALES > RECORDS > IQUOTE > ENGINEERING > RAW MATERIAL > ENVELOPE

Tip: Use the envelope raw material functionality to store envelopes that were purchased or produced in another job.

 

Navigate to Sales > Records > iQuote > Engineering > Raw Material > Envelope. The Envelope List screen opens.

Click Add. The Add Envelope screen opens.

Note: You can also duplicate an existing Envelope. However, it cannot have the same description as the original record.

Complete the following fields on the Add Envelope screen, as applicable:

In the Description field (required), enter a descriptive name for this Envelope record, for use in product engineering.

In the Cost Unit field (required),  elect the material measurement unit for basis cost (may be different from the measure's production unit).

The Round Up field represents the basis for rounding. It is a decimal field.

Note: In scenarios where you would use the Envelope in an Estimate, the system is able to get the round up value from the Envelope raw material record to round the envelope material calculated in the engineering, and to calculate the right amount of Envelope Raw Material in the Negotiation. The system applies the same calculus on the Job Level. 

Select the Send Round Up to MIS field to send the rounded value in the ProductionOrderXML.

Leave the Active check box selected to make this record available for use throughout the system.

In the Production Unit field (required), select the default unit of measurement (UOM) you want the system to use for this record.

In the External Reference field, enter the name used for this Envelope record by other integrated systems.

In the Cost Account field (required), select the cost account to which you want to allocate the cost of this Envelope record.

In the Cost Sub Account field (required), select the sub-account to which you want to allocate the cost of this Envelope record.

In the Plant field (available only if your system administrator selected the Separate Raw Materials By Plant check box on the Estimate General Setup screen), select the plant that contains the production groups to which this material belongs.

Important: Once you select a Plant record and save the raw material, you cannot unlink the Plant record.

In the Inventory Item field, select or enter the inventory item to which you want to link this Envelope record to facilitate the material request.

In the Weight field (required), enter the weight, in pounds, you want to assign to this Envelope record.

In the Thickness field (required), enter the thickness, in millimeters, you want to assign to this Envelope record.

In the Envelope Specification Search area of the Add Envelope screen, complete the following fields:

In the Envelope Format Model field (required), select the envelope format model you want to apply to this envelope.

Note: Refer to the Design An Envelope Format topic for more information.

In the Envelope Size field (required), enter the width and height, in inches, of this envelope material.

In the Substrate tab of the Add Envelope screen, click the Add button to add substrates to this Envelope record, as applicable. A new row opens in the Substrate grid.

In the new row of the Substrate grid on the Add Envelope screen, complete the following fields, as applicable:

In the Substrate Type field, select the substrate type, such as Envelope, to which this material belongs.

In the Line field, select the substrate line to which this material belongs.

In the Grammage field, select the grammage you want to assign to this material.

Repeat steps 6-7, as needed, to add additional substrates to this Envelope record.

In the Specification tab, you can use the Specification Characteristics to filter the Envelope Raw Material selection. With this configuration, the system will use the correct Envelope during the engineering simulation, based on the product specification.

In the Specification tab, click to create a new line. 

In the Specification Characteristic Type field, select the Specification Characteristic that you want to use as a filter. For example, you can select a Window Patch.

In the grid that appears, select the filter record that you want to apply to the Envelope. For example, an Oval Window Patch.

Note: This means that this Envelope record has an Oval Window Patch and that the engineering can only use this record if you have specified that the Envelope must have an Oval Window Patch in the Estimate's or Job's product specification.

Click Save.

 

Duplicating an envelope

Another way of creating a new Envelope Raw Material is to duplicate an existing one. For that, select a record and click the Duplicate button on the Envelope List screen.

 After duplicating, change the Description (required) and/or Inventory Item fields on the duplicate record.

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Use The Envelope Maker Functionality

Note: You must select the Envelope Format characteristic class to use the Envelop Maker functionality.

 

The 1090 – Envelope maker functionality applies glue and closes flat envelopes, transforming them into their finished size. When you run this functionality on envelope components, the system does all of the following:

Produces only one envelope in the layout.

Runs after the die cutter functionality.

Closes the seam flap but does not seal it. The formed envelope goes to the next machine in its finished format, and inserter machines open the flap, insert the items into the envelope, and then close the flap and seal the envelope.

Note: You can add only the 1035 – Envelope component as both input and output for this functionality.

In the envelope maker configuration, the Minimum (WxH) and Maximum (WxH) fields in the Input Format area filters the use of this functionality in the estimate or job, according to the component format.

 

Use An Envelope Inserter

The Envelope Inserter specification characteristic type enables you to add informative notes to the final product component on an estimate or job. This specification characteristic activates the 1093 - Envelope Inserter functionality, which gathers all components into one final product.

 

Configure the Envelope Inserter specification characteristic type

Envelope Inserter functionality enables you to insert components into an outer envelope. You must set up a Characteristic Type record for an Envelope Inserter in order to define component specifications such as aggregation type, input state, and match information. To configure an Envelope Inserter specification type, do all of the following:

Navigate to Sales > Records > iQuote > Product Specification > Specification Characteristic Type. The Specification Characteristic Type List screen opens.

On the Specification Characteristic Type List screen, locate and select the Envelope Inserter record.

Tip: If your system does not include an Envelope Inserter record, click the New button to create one. Be sure to select Envelope Inserter in the Characteristic Class field.

The Characteristic Type screen for the Envelope Inserter record opens.

Click Edit Characteristic Info. The Edit Characteristic Info screen opens.

In the Input State area of the Edit Characteristic Info screen, do all of the following:

Click New  to define an Input State record for the envelope inserter.

Enter a description for this Input State record in the Description field.

Leave the Active check box selected to make this record available for use throughout the system.

Repeat this step to add additional records to the Input State area.

In the Match Information area of the Edit Characteristic Info screen, do all of the following:

Click New to define a Match record for the envelope inserter.

Enter a description for this Match record in the Description field.

Leave the Active check box selected to make this record available for use throughout the system.

Repeat this step to add additional records to the Input State area.

In the Aggregation Type area of the Edit Characteristic Info screen, do all of the following:

Click New to define an Aggregation Type record for the envelope inserter.

In the Description field, enter a description for the aggregation type to use with children components linked to parent components with this aggregation characteristic.

In the Aggregation Type field, select whether you want components associated with this aggregation type to be inserted or affixed.

Select the Standard check box if you want the system to automatically select this aggregation type in the children's components whenever the Envelope Insert characteristic is selected in the parent component.

Leave the Active check box selected to make this record available for use throughout the system.

Repeat this step to add additional records to the Input State area.

Click Save to save your changes.

 

Configure the envelope inserter and envelope inserter stations

You use production groups to set up envelope inserter machines, and configure multiple stations within the production group so the Envelope Inserter performs different functions, such as inserting folded components, inserting reply envelopes, etc.

Important: The outer envelope must be the first component in the mailing to use the Envelope Inserter functionality.

Note: The width and height of inserted components must be smaller than the width and height of the outer envelope.

Navigate to Sales > Records > iQuote > Engineering > Production Group. The Production Group List screen opens.

On the Production Group List screen, do one of the following:

Click Add Production Group to create a new Production Group record for the envelope inserter. The Add Production Group screen opens.

Locate and select an existing envelope inserter Production Group record, using the Search criteria to the right of the screen. The Production Group screen for the selected Envelope Inserter record opens.

Do one of the following, depending on where you are in the system:

If you are on the Add Production Group screen, proceed to step 4.

If you are on the detail Production Group screen for the selected Envelope Inserter record, click Save and go to Advanced Settings, then skip to step 6. The Advanced Settings screen for the selected production group opens.

On the Add Production Group screen, complete the following fields, as applicable:

In the Code field (required), enter a unique identification code for this production group.

In the Description field (required), enter a descriptive name for this production group.

In the Production Group Type field, select the production group type to which this record belongs.

In the Unit of Measurement field (required), select the default unit of measurement you want to apply to this production group.

In the Cost Account field, select the cost account, such as Machine Finishing, you want to associate with this production group.

In the Plant field, select the plant where this production group resides.

Select the Template check box if you want to use this Production Group record as a template for other production groups.

Click Confirm to save your changes. The Add Production Group Advanced Settings screen opens.

Do one of the following on the Functionalities tab of the Advanced Settings screen or the Add Production Group Advanced Settings screen:

Click the Add button to add a new envelope inserter functionality record to this production group. The Functionality screen opens.

Select the existing Envelope Inserter record to edit from the list in the Functionalities area.

On the Functionality screen, or in the Functionalities area of the Advanced Settings screen, complete the following fields, as applicable:

In the Functionality field (required), enter, or locate and select, the Envelope Inserter record.

In the Description field (required), enter a brief description of this functionality, such as Envelope Inserter.

In the Input field (available only on the Functionality screen for new functionality records), select the check boxes next to all the input (those items this envelope inserter can insert into the outer envelope) you want to assign to this functionality.

In the Output field (available only on the Functionality screen for new functionality records), select the check boxes next to all the output stations (those items into which you want the input inserted) you want to assign to this functionality.

Note: The following fields are available only in the Functionalities area of the Advanced Settings screen:

Leave the Active check box selected to make this record available for use throughout the system.

Select the Dependent check box if this functionality is a dependent on a parent functionality.

In the Notes field, enter any additional information you want to include about this functionality.

Select the Create Diagram Filter Option if you want the system to provide a diagram filter option for this functionality.

In the Publication field, select the Publication record you want to associate with this functionality.

Do one of the following:

If you are on the Functionality screen, click Confirm to save your changes.

If you are on the Advanced Settings screen, in the Functionalities area, select the envelope inserter functionality and click the Settings button. The Settings screen opens.

On the Settings screen, complete the following fields, as applicable:

Select the Tolerance To Fit In The Outer Envelope check box if you want to set up the minimum width and height tolerance for insert components to fit in the outer envelope.

Note: If you do not define an outer envelope tolerance, the system sets the tolerance to zero by default.

In the Minimum Tolerance Width field (available only if you select the Tolerance To Fit In The Outer Envelope check box), enter the minimum width tolerance for insert components to fit in the outer envelope.

In the Minimum Tolerance Height field (available only if you select the Tolerance To Fit In The Outer Envelope check box), enter the minimum height tolerance for insert components to fit in the outer envelope.

Select the Outer Envelope Station check box if you want to set up a minimum and maximum size tolerance for the outer envelope to fit in the Outer Envelope station, and which edge includes envelope’s opening flap.

Note: If you select the Outer Envelope Station check box, the closed size of the outer envelope component must be between the minimum and maximum sizes you define in the functionality.

In the Minimum Size field (available only if you select the Outer Envelope Station check box), enter the minimum size needed for the outer envelope to fit in the Outer Envelope station.

In the Maximum Size field (available only if you select the Outer Envelope Station check box), enter the maximum size available for the outer envelope to fit in the Outer Envelope station.

In the Envelope Flap/Opening Edge field (available only if you select the Outer Envelope Station check box), select whether the outer envelope can open along its long edge and/or short edge.

In the Inserter Stations area of the Settings screen, click the Add button to add a new station to this functionality, or select an edit an existing station directly in the grid.

In any row of the Inserter Stations area of the Settings screen, complete the following fields, as applicable:

Important: The order of the inserter stations MUST match the order of the mailing components, excluding the outer envelope. (You can click the Up and Down arrows to change the order of the stations and/or mailing components. Refer to the Review the Envelope Inserter composition details in an estimate or job topic for more information).

If an inserter station is incompatible with the corresponding sequential mailing component (i.e., the mailing component does not meet all the criteria defined for the station), the system ignores that station entirely and moves to the next inserter station in the sequence until it locates a compatible station. If the system cannot locate a compatible station, or if the functionality runs out of subsequent inserter stations before the system can process all mailing components, the system cannot use the functionality to process the mailing. However, when you select the Variable Position check box for an inserter station, the system can use that station out of sequence, as needed.

In the Qty field, enter the component quantity available for this station.

In the Input Minimum Size field, enter the minimum size (width x height) needed for the component to fit in this station.

In the Input Maximum Size field, enter the maximum size (width x height) needed for the component to fit in this station.

In the Min Thickness field, enter the minimum thickness needed for the component to fit in this station.

In the Max Thickness field, enter the maximum thickness allowed for the component to fit in this station.

In the Type of Components field (required), select the component types you want to use for this station.

Tip: The available component types for this field depend on the check boxes you selected in the Input field of the Functionality screen.

Select the Allow Folded Components check box if you want to allow this station to accept folded components.

In the Composition Type field (required), select whether this station can insert and/or affixed the components to the outer envelope.

In the Complexity field (required), select the work complexity level for this station.

Select the Selective Insert check box if this station can perform variable counts for the insert, depending on the mailing record. (For example, the station inserts the component only for a small percentage of the mailing, such as when the insert applies only to a specific demographic group.)

Select the Variable Position check box if this station’s position is variable and can be moved to any position in the process.

In the Inserter Stations area of the Settings screen, if you want to specify engineering characteristic by which you want to filter or filter out specific inserts, select the desired station and click Must Have Charac or Must Not Have Charac. The Must Have Charac screen or Must Not Have Charac screen opens.

On the Must Have Charac screen or Must Not Have Charac screen, click the Search icon to locate and select the characteristics you want to include or exclude from components used by this station, then click OK.

Repeat step 13 for each characteristic you want to include or exclude, then click OK on the Must Have Charac screen or Must Not Have Charac screen. The Must Have Charac screen or Must Not Have Charac screen closes, and the system enters your criteria in the Must Have Charac or Must Not Have Charac field on the Settings screen.

On the Settings screen, click Confirm to save your changes. The Settings screen closes, and the Advanced Settings screen or the Add Production Group Advanced Settings screen refreshes.

Click Save and Close to save this Production Group record.

 

Review the Envelope Inserter composition details in an estimate or job

To view detailed information about a component aggregation, do all of the following:

Select a component with the Envelope Inserter characteristic from the Product tab of an estimate or job.

Click the desired record in the Product column on the left panel.

Select Composition Detail from the pop-up menu.

The Composition Detail screen opens.

In the Composed By area of the Composition Detail screen, complete the following fields as applicable:

Important: The outer envelope component must always be first in the composition sequence, and the order of the subsequent mailing components MUST match the order of the inserter stations for the desired envelope inserter functionality. You can click the Up and Down arrows to change the order of the mailing components and/or stations. Refer to the Configure the envelope inserter and envelope inserter stations topic for more information.

Note: The Aggregation Type, Input State and Match information fields display values you define on the Envelope Inserter Specification Characteristic Type record.

Tip: Click the New button to add a new component to the aggregation.

In the Component field, select the name of the component.

In the Version field, select which version of this component you want to use.

In the Code field (read only), the system enters the inventory code tied to this component, as defined on the Sub Job Management screen.

Note: This field is blank if the corresponding sub jobs are undefined.

In the Factor field, enter the factor number you want to use for this component.

In the Qty field, enter the quantity of this component you want to include in this aggregation.

Select the Flies Pkg check box if the package mailing address is printed or placed.

The system selects the Personalized check box (read only) if the component’s specification characteristic type is Customization – Variable Data or Inkjet.

In the Aggregation Type field, select whether you want this aggregate component inserted or affixed.

In the Input State field, select the input state you want to apply to this component, as defined in the Envelope Inserter Specification Characteristic Type record.

In the Match Information field, select the match information type, as defined in the Envelope Inserter Specification Characteristic Type record, you want to apply to this component.

In the Notes field, click the ellipsis (…) to add or edit additional information for this component.

Click Confirm to save your changes.

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Use Inkjet Functionality

Use
The 1092 – Inkjet functionality is used to print on different components such as sheets, rolls, and envelopes. Note: When using this this functionality, you must add any component added as an input, as an output as well.
Engineering Component Types Used
Inputs	Outputs
1001 – Sheet 1002 - Component Composite 1003 - Roll 1013 - Sheet (Irregular/Carton) 1014 - Kit/Grouper components 1022 - Sheet (leaf) 1026 - Sheet - substrate (big size) 1027 - Stand roll - substrate (big size) 1035 - Envelope 1036 - Mail Package 1028 - Provided Component	1001 – Sheet 1002 - Component Composite 1003 - Roll 1013 - Sheet (Irregular/Carton) 1014 - Kit / Grouper components 1022 - Sheet (leaf) 1026 - Sheet - substrate (big size) 1027 - Stand roll - substrate (big size) 1035 - Envelope 1036 - Mail Package 1028 - Provided Component

 

When adding this functionality to a production group, the system will display a window for you to configure the functionality further. Complete the fields in this window as described below:

 

Example

Consider the following two possible configurations for an inkjet machine: Configuration A has two printing heads, while configuration B has only one:

1) In the component Outer envelope of a given estimate, the inkjet characteristic is specified with one line requiring two printing heads:

This scenario results in the following:

Inkjet A → Prints the component in one pass.

Inkjet B → Not able to print this component. Engineering fails

2) In the component Outer envelope of anther estimate, the inkjet characteristic is specified with two different lines requiring one printing head each:

This scenario with the same machine configuration as before results in the following:

Inkjet A → Prints the component in one pass, both lines at once.

Inkjet B → Prints the component in two passes, one line each time.

Use A Window Patcher

Use
The 1091 – Window patcher functionality is used to apply and trim the window substrate to envelopes or other components. You can apply it on: Sheets, before folding Folding cartons, before closure Envelopes, before closure and glue application Irregular sheets, before closure
Engineering Component Types Used
Inputs	Outputs
1008 - Film 1013 - Sheet (Irregular/Carton) 1035 - Envelope	1013 - Sheet (Irregular/Carton) 1035 - Envelope

 

When adding this functionality to a production group, the system will display a window for you to configure the functionality further. Complete the fields in this window as described below:

Note: This functionality cannot suppress only part of the window patch specification requirement. Products with more than one window patch activate only machines that can apply all patch areas at once, or the engineering generation will fail.

Note: For more information regarding the functionalities, see Envelope Functionalities.

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