Is your print business still missing a MIS?

3 Apr 2023

You have probably heard the term "print MIS" when looking for supporting software in your print business. It often involves complicated language, with some technical terms and at the end of the day, you don't know if the proposed print MIS system is right for your business and machinery! Save yourself some time. Here are all the facts in a nutshell: what is a print MIS, what are the benefits and how do you start your search?

What is a Print MIS?

'MIS' stands for Management Information System: a digital system that integrates administrative, commercial, financial and logistics business processes into one convenient system. The system insets and manages useful information and data that gives you a constant overview of the processes in your print business. As a result, you optimise your company's workflow: from CRM, to calculation onto order management and accounting. A print MIS system can also manage processes such as planning, logistics and e-Business.

Simply put, a Print MIS is what it claims to be: a Management Information System that has knowledge of print technology and is also set up accordingly. Moreover, you can connect a Print MIS to numerous external software programmes, as well as to the hardware in a print business. You get an overview of all processes without having to tinker with them yourself.

There exist other terms for a supporting administrative software:

  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): is largely similar to an MIS. In the print industry, ERP and MIS are often used interchangeably. 
  • Business software: is a more generic term for MIS and/or ERP.

Not to be confused with generic project management software. This type of software isn't adapted to the specific needs within the printing industry and lack certain functionalities, such as CRM, order and quotation management, planning of print jobs and stock management.

5 advantages of an MIS system

The benefits of an MIS system often seem rather abstract: what is a digital system going to change about your daily way of working? A good print MIS has numerous advantages; here we have picked out five that clearly show where a print MIS makes the difference:

  1. All data is stored in a central location: you no longer have to search hopelessly among sticky notes and filing cabinets to find that one quotation or invoice. MultiPress stores all data in a central database, making it easy to find all information about each job. Suppose a customer returns to your company after three years and has a complaint. You can easily find the complaint, respond to it and follow up the production of this new order. It opens new doors to give your service just that little bit more and always speak to your customer personally without extra work.
  2. You always have an up-to-date overview of your print business. The visibility of your administration and production increases. That overview allows you to make well-considered decisions based on real facts and figures and to react quickly when problems arise. Continuing to innovate is important, but an informed man is worth two. Does this investment pay off? Do I have enough margin left to buy that machine? With a print MIS, you don't have to ask yourself those questions, because in just a few mouse clicks you have all the relevant information at your fingertips to make decisions.
  3. Your workflow becomes much more efficient. And that in turn correlates to productivity: you complete more print jobs in the same or less time. This leaves you more time to build good relationships with your customers. You have space in your schedule to listen to their questions, allowing you to provide them with a better service. Moreover, e-commerce solutions allow you to give your customers even more access and control over the print production process.
  4. You make fewer (expensive) mistakes. Part of your business processes happens automatically, e.g. price calculation, preflight or reporting. So less manual intervention is needed, allowing you to use your employees smarter and more efficiently for other tasks. This allows your employees on the production floor to focus on real production work, now that the entire administrative flow has been validated in the preceding steps.
  5. You can link with other software packages and applications. Professional print MIS systems offer you numerous linking possibilities for exchanging and synchronising data with all kinds of equipment, ordering systems, web portals, CRM and reporting systems. Synchronisation means you no longer have to enter data twice. This saves time and reduces the number of 'small' typing errors, which can sometimes have 'major' consequences.

Ask yourself these 3 questions before choosing a print MIS

When choosing a suitable MIS system that meets the needs in your print business, there are a few things to keep in mind. Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. How is the contact with the MIS developer? 
    Do you notice that the MIS provider continues to innovate and invest in the software? Do new updates come out frequently? Do you get quick answers to your questions about their product or software issues? If you can answer 'yes' to all questions, then you can assume that the software company is doing everything in its power to make your experience with their product the best it can be. Good service is crucial, even after implementation.
  2. Does the software grow with the needs in the printing industry and your print business? 
    The printing industry keeps evolving and an investment in an MIS system is for several years or even decades. The software should be flexible enough and grow with your business and your future plans. A stagnant software package, or even worse, one that is not updated regularly, will not be able to optimally support your business in the future.
  3. How much will you save once the MIS system is implemented?
    The investment in an MIS system may seem large at first glance. The important thing to remember is that the software not only provides more efficiency and overview, but it can save you a lot of money and time, often much more than company managers plan for at first sight. Think about the fact that you only need one system instead of a lot of island solutions, or that you make fewer costly mistakes, or spend less time on basic administration?

Conclusion

Implementing a print MIS system has a lot of advantages, but it is not an easy choice. After all, the software becomes the backbone of your business. The choice you make has to be the right one. Feel free to take plenty of time for this.

Are you curious about how much time and money you could save by getting started with MultiPress ERP/MIS software? Calculate your cost and time savings with the Dataline audit tool 'MicroMAS'.