IBM Adds New Features to Innovative Print Automation Software

IBM Infoprint ProcessDirector(R) Expected to Be Generally Available September 15, 2006

BOULDER, CO - 12 Sep 2006: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today introduced new features for its breakthrough IBM Infoprint ProcessDirector software and announced that the product is expected to be generally available September 15, 2006. Infoprint ProcessDirector, unveiled in February, is designed for high speed production print environments. It is a customizable process management system that automates many tasks in print and mail shops that today are handled manually.

Infoprint ProcessDirector is designed to improve the management of output environments, which can help clients reduce costs, improve quality and seamlessly respond to changes in their processes. Its modular architecture enables businesses to add capabilities as needed, delivering the capability to start small and grow over time. Infoprint ProcessDirector is built on IBM DB2® Universal Database™, embedded IBM Web server software, and runs on an IBM System x™ server using the Linux operating system.

“Infoprint ProcessDirector is designed to help clients re-engineer their end-to-end transaction output processes to maximize efficiencies,” said Karen Fukuma, vice president of production print solutions for IBM’s Printing Systems. “As a result, it can deliver customized output process management and job-level control functions from a single point of control.”

New Features Build on Core Capabilities

IBM is announcing four new add-on capabilities that build on the base software components announced in February. These are:

* AFP Indexing, which allows clients to customize the print indexing process to identify mail piece boundaries and capture other mail piece data.
* AFP Editor, which allows clients to insert, modify, or delete barcodes to facilitate tracking and reprinting operations. This capability can help identify documents and set the foundation for file-based insertion.
* SLA Feature, which allows clients to track jobs according to their customers’ Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that are in place to determine whether jobs are late.
* Reporting Capabilities that can provide real-time metrics on the production process. This information is stored in a DB2 database and is designed to help optimize the utilization of resources and devices.

In addition, the Indexed Reprint feature will now be included in the base product. This feature allows clients to easily reprint mail pieces as part of their end-to-end reprint management process.

Base Software Provides Web-based Interface for Single Point of Control

The core Infoprint ProcessDirector software includes a workflow engine with an extensible interface to provide the ability to add components over time. Also included is an innovative browser-based user interface with a shop floor dashboard to help operations facilitate efficient and effective host-to-post process management. This workflow process management system can manage jobs among multiple printers, prioritize jobs and allow operators to see precisely where to restart a job.

Latest Addition to the IBM Workflow Portfolio

Infoprint ProcessDirector is IBM’s entry-level process management product, joining the IBM Workflow Portfolio, which also includes IBM Infoprint Workflow, a customized output transformation professional services offering for transaction printing and IBM Infoprint Manager software, an enterprise print server that can support transaction, print-on-demand and distributed environments.

About IBM
For more information on IBM’s comprehensive output management offerings, contact an IBM sales representative or visit http://www.ibm.com/printers

Contact Information

David Scholes

IBM Media Relations

IBM

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