10. HP SmartStream

Configure the HP SmartStream OutboundApp

Intermediate

This document provides help and step-by-step instructions for preparing an HP print template as well as configuring the HP SmartStream OutboundApp within MindFire Studio campaigns. This outbound app allows you to upload a new print template or manage templates you have already uploaded.

Prerequisites:

Before getting started, you should have completed the following task:

• Adobe InDesign CS6 or newer with HP SmartStream Designer plugin.
• A MindFire Studio account to create your campaigns. 
• Access to the HP SmartStream OutboundApp element.

Note: 

This document will not discuss the template (.indd file) creation within the InDesign software and HP SmartStream Designer plugin. However, it will give you the instructions to prepare the final print template (.hpd file) which is required by HP SmartStream OutboundApp.

Instructions:

Preparing the Print Template

1. Design your document with Adobe InDesign CS6 (or newer)

2. From within the HP SmartStream Designer plugin, add the necessary variables and rules to your document and save it

3. Go to the Tools menu and click on the Pack Job menu

HP SmartStream Designer Plugin's Pack Job menu and window: This menu will be used to pack a document for being used in the HP SmartStream OutboundApp

4. In the Pack Job window, check the Include Fast Template box and click on the button

5. An .hpd file should be now created that can be used for print purposes through MindFire Studio campaigns

Adding the HP SmartStream App to Your Campaign

Note: 

At the minimum, you should have already uploaded one print template in order to proceed with this section. If you haven't done so yet, please read the next section (MANAGING YOUR PRINT TEMPLATES) first.

In order to add a print piece to your campaign, please follow these steps:

1. Either start a new campaign or open one of your saved/published ones

2. From the Outbounds menu, drag and drop an HP SmartStream element to the canvas

3. Connect this element to either a TargetAudience or a Trigger element

4. Double-click on the HP SmartStream element to open its properties window

5. If desired, you can modify the element's name in the same way you would for all other elements, then Navigate to the Configuration tab

6. If this is the first time using an HP SmartStream element, if you would like to upload more print templates to your account, or if you would like to view a sample PDF of print available print templates (if any), click on Template File Name field, then click on the link under the drop-down

Tip: 

Please refer to the MANAGING YOUR PRINT TEMPLATES section for more information on how to upload and manage your print templates.

7. From the Template File Name field, select the print template you would like to be used for print purposes through your campaign (if any), click on the Template File Name field, then click on the link under the drop-down

8. From Is Template Imposed? field, select Yes if you have set up impositioning through HP SmartStream Designer plugin in Adobe In-Design. Otherwise, select No. Please refer to Image_12 for a sample impositioned output.

9. Click on Delivery Method and select the method you would like to receive the output file (this can be either an email, an FTP, or both)

10. Based on your selection in the previous step, provide values for the remaining fields (Email Address and/or FTP URL, FTP User Name, and FTP Password).

11. Navigate to the Settings tab

12. Based on your print template selection under the Configuration tab, you need to add all the variables used in the template and map them to their equivalent fields from Studio. Repeat the following steps to add as many fields as required:

13. Navigate to the Schedules tab, add a schedule, and click on button

HP SmartStream's Settings tab is where you map the print template variables with their equivalent standard/custom Studio field names.

Managing Your Print Templates

The HP SmartStream Outbound App allows you to upload a new print template or update/delete/preview the ones that are already uploaded.

Note: 

At the moment, each account can only see the templates that have been uploaded under that account regardless of the user. If you have different accounts and you would like all of them to have access to the print templates, you need to upload them to all the targeted (sub)accounts.

In order to bring up the Template Upload page to upload new template(s), or later on, to manage your uploaded templates, follow these steps:

1. Open a new campaign

2. From the toolbox, click on Outbounds and drag and drop an HP SmartStream element onto the canvas

3. Double-click on the element and navigate to the Configuration tab

4. Click on Template File Name (if it is not highlighted) field, and then on the link under the drop-down

In order to Upload a new print template or manage the existing ones, go to the Configuration tab of the HP SmartStream element and click on the Template File Name field in order to see the above link.

When you land on the TemplateUpload page, you need to select an action; upload a new print template, or manage the one you have already uploaded.

4a. Depending on what you plan to do, read the related sub-section below

5. After you are done, close the window to return to the previous (Properties) window

I) Uploading a New Print Template:

• From the drop-down, select the 2nd option: Upload a new print template (When you select to upload a new print template, you are required to provide the print template file)
  
  

• Click on the Browse button for print template to select the desired print template (.hpd file)

• If desired, click on the button for the preview and select a PDF file that represents the print template

• Click on the button and wait until you see a success (green) or error/failure (red) message
  
  

• Repeat steps 1 to 4 to upload more print templates (as necessary)

II) Updating Existing Print Templates:

• From the drop-down, select one of the available print templates

• If you would like to update your print template, click on the first button and select a HPD file with the same name as the current file (i.e. the name that is displayed in the drop-down)

• Click on the Update button ONLY once and wait until you see a success/failure (green/red) message

III) Deleting Existing Print Templates and Their Preview Files:

• From the drop-down, select one of the available print templates. You should see a window similar to Image_6.

• Click on the button ONLY once and wait until you see a success/failure (green/red) message

• Repeat steps 1 and 2 to delete more print templates and their related preview files, if desired

Note: 

There is no confirmation or undo for this action. If you deleted a template by mistake, you can upload it again through the Upload New Print Template menu.

Notes

• Print template files should always have "hpd" extension

• After a print template is uploaded, you cannot modify the template name. The new file should always have the same name as the currently uploaded file.

• Before deleting a print template, always make sure that it is not used in any campaigns that have a future schedule. Or else, that request will fail.

• The delete feature doesn't ask for any confirmation and will delete the print template, if available, immediately

Receiving the Output File

The output (rendered PDF) file will be delivered to you either by sending an email with a link to download the file to your computer or by copying it to your FTP server. This depends on the option you have selected from the Delivery Method drop-down in the Configuration tab of the HP SmartStream element's properties window. The email goes to the address that is specified in the Email Address field in the same tab as Delivery Method. You can provide multiple email addresses (separated with a comma or semi-colon). The email output looks like this:

This email is sent out after the print template has been rendered successfully.

Working with HP SmartStream Designer Plugin

In here we just provide you with some screenshots of different menus in the HP SmartStream Designer plugin to give you a general idea of how this plugin can assist you to design your artwork and adding variable pieces to it.

Sample artwork: The graphics designer designs the background first, then adds the variable components. He/she can then, preview the expected result in InDesign.

Setting the Colors: A designer rule is defining the assignment between the color and a PDF that draws the color.

Define the QR Code.

After your artwork is complete and saved, you need to pack it in order to create an HP Document (HPD) file for use in MindFire Studio.

The Sample impositioned PDF rendered by HP SmartStream Composer: The left side is the 1st page of the PDF and the right side is the 2nd page.

Note: 

Variable names in print templates are case sensitive. Therefore, in the Settings tab, you need to type them exactly as they have been used in the print template.

Tip: 

The field sequences in the Settings tab do not need to match the ones in the print template.

Know Issues and Limitations

• At the moment, we cannot populate the Settings fields based on the selected print template in the Configurations tab. Therefore, you should know what variables exist in that template and what are their exact names.

• See known limitations to rendering templates here: HP Smartstream Composer Engine
• Diagonal variable text is not supported in the template