Prepress Not signed in
Saved projects / repeat jobs

Save current job for repeat

Stores settings + source PDF(s) in your user folder. Only you can open them. Operators and admins can browse all folders.

Cloud sync

Not configured — set server URL in Admin (or below if elevated).

My folder

EPMS gang scan God / Admin / Operator node

Search jobs

Scan the EPMS board for jobs that can share a press sheet. Match job number, finish size, and paper.

Add / import EPMS job

Manual add, or pull from the API card below.

EPMS API connection

Setup: pick a profile → enter the shop EPMS URL and login → Save → Test → Pull. Live refresh is optional. If the browser blocks the MIS, set a CORS proxy or run the local sync server.

  1. Profile (EPMS Connect, OnPrintShop, generic JSON, or local live MIS)
  2. Base URL of the MIS (example https://epms.yourshop.local)
  3. Auth token or basic user from EPMS Connect / FRB
  4. Save connection, Test, then Pull open jobs

Not connected.

CORS / connection troubleshooting

What CORS is: the browser blocks JavaScript on one origin (this app) from reading another origin (EPMS) unless that server sends Access-Control-Allow-Origin.

Typical console text: "blocked by CORS policy", "No Access-Control-Allow-Origin", or "Failed to fetch".

Fixes, in order:

  1. Same host: serve this app from the EPMS machine / reverse proxy so both are one origin.
  2. Ask IT to add on EPMS: Access-Control-Allow-Origin for this site, and allow GET plus Authorization / X-API-Key.
  3. Click Use sync-server as CORS proxy, start node sync-server/prepress-sync-server.js, then Test again.
  4. Mixed content: page is HTTPS but EPMS is HTTP — use HTTPS on EPMS or open the app over HTTP on the LAN.
  5. Wrong URL / MIS down — open the jobs URL in a new tab. If the tab fails, it is not CORS.
  6. Work offline: paste jobs JSON or Load sample board, then scan gangs.

Job board

No jobs loaded.

Gang suggestions

Run a scan.
My Stored Artwork Files

My Stored Artwork Files

Files live in your user folder, grouped by project. Source art is in artwork/. Generated jobs go to Imposed/.

Shop pricing God only

Pricing option

Turn this off to hide estimates on every job. Paper and machine costs stay saved.

Paper and cost

Cost per press sheet (or per sq ft for large-format / rigid). Blank uses the default paper $ / sheet.

StockGSM$ / sheet or sq ft
Machines and cost

Click charges and hourly rates used in estimates.

Bindery, shipping, and defaults

God only. Save writes paper, machines, and rates.

Viewing another account

Prepress Shop

Admin / Owner backend

Session

Web portal

Off = this machine only. On = share portal on network (local server required).

Software updates

Current shop: v3.60.0. Look for an update, confirm, then install. You can also install a .html or .zip package from a file. Previous version can be rolled back when a local server stored it.

Not checked yet.

Install / data paths

Branding

Businesses

Employees belong to a business. Theme and logo apply to that company login page.

EPMS / MIS integration

God, Admin, and Operator. Configure the shop MIS in the EPMS Gang node: profile, URL, auth, field maps, live pull.

Shop pricing

God only. Paper, machines, bindery, shipping, and the on/off switch live in the Pricing panel.

Cloud storage sync

Point at your shop sync server. User PDFs stay under users/{id}/projects on the server. Operators/admins can sync all folders.

On your hosting plan: set base URL to api and paste the token from api/config.php. Files then land in public/users/{id}/artwork/ on the FTP site. See HOSTING-SETUP.txt.

AI helper (troubleshooting)

Local Prepress assistant for owner/admin/god. Optional xAI/Grok API for deeper answers.

Mode: local knowledge (no API key)

User accounts (owner / admin / god)

Edit name, email, role, or set a new password (8+ with letters and numbers). Delete asks for confirmation. Cannot remove the last owner/god.

Add user

Users never see the backend. God always has every node. Check Admin / Operator to grant those nodes.

Project Catalog

Job board for saved work and uploaded artwork. Filter, assign, and move jobs through the shop.

Prepress Imposition Tool

Not signed in v3.60.0
Generate an imposition to preview press sheets.

Units

Project

Set via New project wizard

Binding & layout

Imposition software tools

This app covers the same core layouts as commercial tools. Pick a layout above; names below are the industry equivalents.

Kodak Preps — signatures, sheetwise, work-and-turn/tumble, JDF
Ultimate Impostrip — cut & stack, step & repeat, booklets, gang
Quite Imposing / HOT — Acrobat n-up, booklets, creep
Fiery Impose — digital cut-stack, duplex, booklet maker
Esko (ArtPro+ / Plato) — packaging step-repeat, CAD, marks
Enfocus Phoenix — planning, nesting, ganging
Insoft FastImpose / Dynagram — commercial signatures
Our Cut & stack = Impostrip/Fiery cut-stack. Step & repeat = Esko/Impostrip S&R. Booklet = Preps/Quite saddle. Dutch cut = extra rotated strip in leftover space. Duplex turn/tumble = Preps work styles.

Layouts

N-up / step & repeat — same art, grid, 100%. Guillotine rows/cols.
Cut & stack — sequential pages in a grid; piles collate after the cut.
Booklet / saddle — printer spreads, spine ticks, no horizontal marks on the fold.
Dutch cut — main grid plus leftover pieces rotated 90° (mixed grain — mark lifts).
Gang pack — mixed sizes on one sheet (strip packer). Check Impose gang pack.
Work-and-turn / sheetwise — duplex cut-stack options.

Cuts

Single knife — one cut in the gutter; set gutter to 2× bleed.
Double cut — two knives + slug; gutter larger than 2× bleed.
Butt cut — no gap; finishes touch. Tight register.
Kiss-cut — face + adhesive only; liner stays (stickers/labels).
Through / die-cut — all layers; separate pieces or custom shape.
Perf / score — tear or fold path on the piece, not a press gutter.
Swing cut — how a guillotine knife shears (arc + draw), not a layout.

Sheet & finish

Bleed: how far art goes past the finish. Independent of gutter.

Gutter: space between finish edges (n-up, cut & stack, and between ganged booklets). Independent of bleed.

Yield calculator

How many finish pieces fit per sheet (finish + gutter). Compares orientations and common press sizes.

Mixed-size gang pack

Different finish sizes on one sheet (same stock). Strip packing — guillotine-friendly rows. Gutter between items.

Cutter program

Guillotine-only plan: yield vs knife hits vs turns. Same pattern on every sheet so the lift can be cut as a pile. Not a mid-sheet (MaxRects) nest.

Gap from finish edge to the start of each mark (outward). Length then extends further away from the art.

Arm length outward from the offset — longer values move the tip further away from the artwork (never into the art).

Never overlap trim interior. Tight gutters → fold ticks. Full marks need gutter ≥ 2×(offset+length).

Knife marks vs gutter marks

Knife marks — for the cutter. They sit in the gap between two pieces on the press sheet and show where the slitter or guillotine separates one up from the next. They have nothing to do with folding or binding.
Gutter / fold marks — for the bind / fold. They sit on the spine or fold (head and foot only, in the bleed). They show the inner margin so type is not swallowed by the stitch or fold. They are not a cut, and they are not a line through the page.
Crop marks = outer finish. Knife marks = cut between ups. Gutter marks = fold / bind.
knife gutter/fold UP UP SPREAD TRIM / LIVE bleed (outward) mark

Paper

Quantity

Enter quantity to see sheet counts.
Paper / stock
Impressions / clicks
Bindery
Shipping (est.)
Estimated total

Pricing uses global rates; your account may have custom rates.