My friend Jim has been a prepress operator for over two decades. I’ve been testing software for almost as long. When I test, I try to image myself as being the operator. I’ve talked to Jim many times to help me get into character, and we’ve talked about how Kodak Proofing Software makes life easier for a prepress operator.
As a prepress operator it is a challenge to keep customers such as Mr. Sun, of Happy Golden Smile fame, happy. Jim earned a reputation as being the guy on the floor that could match color. After years of running a spectrophotometer back and forth, he wanted a solution that provided him with the confidence that the color is right, without spending all his time measuring. Kodak Proofing Software does just that, allowing him to service more customers than ever before. When I imagine that I am Jim, I believe these are the five reasons I love Kodak Proofing Software.
1) Easy Color Standard Set Up: the color engineers at Kodak combine profiles, and color bars into an easily installed configuration file that has the color standards that I use (such as
FOGRA,
SWOP and GRACoL). They have these setups that replicate the print conditions that my customers use, which are easily downloaded from
eCentral. I download the file for my proofer and media, and simply install. Then when I select a layout that has a color bar for one of these standards, the hot folder automatically selects the right profile for the job.

2) Spot Colors: Those same engineers make Spot Color Libraries, which are optimized for my setup. This includes Pantone® libraries for the typical target press I want to match. Measuring spot color libraries is a time consuming and costly process. It is great to know that somebody has already done this for me.
3) Automated Calibration: I can schedule my calibrations for when I am not around, and the proofer is not busy. Kodak Proofing Software has an iterative automated calibration that uses an inline spectrophotometer. I set the calibration for a very fine tolerance, and my proofer takes care of calibration for me. I start the day knowing the proofer is ready. For the first few weeks I carefully reviewed the detailed calibration report. Now I completely trust the calibration pane: if the software indicates that my setup is calibrated, I know this to be true.

4) Certified Color: The way I like to work, all my jobs have a color bar. Kodak provides a feature (Certified Process for Color Confirmation) that measures my color bars, and when they measure up to the color standard, the software prints a label with a check mark and measurement details right on the proof. I can hand off all those proofs with the check mark, as contract proofs. That’s really my job. I also generate a detailed color report as a reference for myself, the manager, and the customer who wants detailed information. These reports make me look like a genius. Each day I review job report, which shows me the information I need to know about all jobs, and gets me the information I need quickly. After my first few days of working with certified process, I couldn’t image working without it.

5) Consistent Color: By using proofing media from Kodak, I know this media has been used on the same model of proofer that I use with the same type of ink. Once I have setup a configuration, I will be able to hit that color standard consistently. I don’t worry that a new batch of paper or ink will invalidate my setup.
These are the main reasons why my friend Jim the prepress operator is happy, and if Jim is happy: I am happy.