CIP4 (The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress) has chartered a new MIS (Management Information System) working group. The mission of the working group is to facilitate the implementation and integration of JDF (Job Definition Format) in MIS managed environments.

WASHINGTON, DC-CIP4 (The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress) has chartered a new MIS (Management Information System) working group. The mission of the working group is to facilitate the implementation and integration of JDF (Job Definition Format) in MIS managed environments.

Its stated intent is to provide a central forum and unified environment in which MIS companies and other industry vendors (prepress, press and finishing equipment manufacturers, as well as other software providers) can work toward establishing a minimal set of transaction types that the parties can support to implement JDF integration. CIP4's MIS working group will also define the technical aspects of these integrations, so members will be able to deliver working interfaces within an agreed upon time line.

The group's specific areas of responsibility include the following interfaces:

* Customer to/from MIS, including product description and quoting.

* MIS to/from Production Planning.

* MIS to/from Prepress, including workflow software and equipment.

* MIS to/from Pressroom, including conventional and digital printing devices.

* MIS to/from Postpress, including finishing and bindery operations.

According to the organization, the new working group's findings will also be used in the ongoing cross-vendor interoperability testing events, which are sponsored by CIP4, and will serve as the foundation of MIS-related JDF certification testing. Formal certification testing will be performed by third-party labs on behalf of CIP4. (www.cip4.org)