How Printing Job Estimates, Job Cards and Delivery Tracking Fit Together

An estimate starts from the enquiry: size, quantity, paper, number of colours and finishing. Paper, plate, press and finishing costs are added using the rates your estimator uses today. Digital short runs and offset sheet-fed work each follow the rates set for their own machine.

Customers often change the quantity or the paper after the first quote. Each revision is kept against the same estimate. The press can then see what was sent, what changed and which version the customer accepted.

Once the customer accepts, the estimate opens a job card. The specification, paper, quantity and delivery date come across from the quote. Nobody keys them in again.

The card also lists the stages the job must pass through, such as plates, press, cutting, folding, lamination and binding. Artwork and proof versions are attached to it. Plates are made after the customer’s approval is recorded.

Estimators and the counter own this step. They open the card, send the proof and follow up on approvals.

A card is only useful if its stages are marked. Operators open the jobs booked on their machine, see the paper issued and the stage that comes next, and mark each stage done.

Work sent out for lamination, die-cutting, foiling or binding is recorded with the vendor, the date sent and the date due back. A report lists outside work still pending return.

The owner reads jobs in hand by stage and due date. Late jobs are visible before the delivery date arrives.

Finished work leaves with a delivery challan. It lists the job, the packs and the count, along with the vehicle or courier and the receiving signature.

Many orders go out in parts, such as half the copies on one day and the rest later. Each challan draws down the quantity on the job card, so the balance still to deliver stays on record.

The GST invoice follows from the same card. Paper, printing and finishing charges are already on it, and advances received are shown against it.

When a job is closed, its estimate can be set against what it actually used in paper, plates, machine time, outside work and labour. This shows which kinds of job were quoted too low.

Before building any of this, decide how the estimator prices a job, which stages every card must carry, and who may mark a stage done.

A press that quotes from a fixed rate card and delivers in one lot may find a bill book enough. The decision is about how many hands a job passes through.