From online ordering to production handover: PrintDesk automates the entire print order process - without manual intervention, without media breaks.
Web-to-print refers to the technical connection between online ordering processes and print production. Web-to-print software not only takes care of taking orders, but also the entire workflow: order data transfer, price calculation, document creation, file checking and handover to production control. Our article offers a detailed introduction What is Web to Print.
For printing companies, web-to-print means: Orders arrive in the system fully structured - with all the necessary data such as format, edition, paper and print file. PrintDesk creates the order automatically, generates the order confirmation and delivery note, checks the print data and controls production. Employees only intervene when it is really necessary. This reduces error rates and significantly reduces the effort per order. You can find out more about the overall solution for printing companies at Printing software.
On the customer side, Web-to-Print enables printed materials to be ordered directly from a browser - without email communication, without PDF attachments by post, and without telephone queries. Companies with multiple locations or teams can access brand-compliant print products from a central portal. Marketing departments define the templates, specialist departments order within the specified design framework. This saves coordination effort and ensures brand consistency.
PrintDesk covers the entire web-to-print process - from ordering in the shop to outputting the production data. The most important functional blocks at a glance:
Orders from WooCommerce or Shopify are transferred to PrintDesk in real time. The system reads product configurations, quantities, delivery addresses and print data and uses them to create a complete print job. Manual data transfer is no longer necessary. Errors caused by double data entry are a thing of the past. For print shops that do not yet operate a shop system, orders can alternatively be created directly in PrintDesk.
PrintDesk automatically generates all commercial documents based on the order data: offer, order confirmation, delivery note, invoice and, if necessary, reminders. Templates can be configured with company logo, address and individual texts. The workflow can be fully mapped: from the first offer to receipt of payment, without necessarily requiring an external accounting system.
All orders can be viewed centrally and filtered by status: open, in production, ready for dispatch, completed. Employees in production see their work list in real time. Status changes automatically trigger customer notifications. The order history is fully documented and can be accessed at any time. For an in-depth look at order management, visit Printing software.
PrintDesk has native interfaces to WooCommerce and Shopify. The integration takes place via a plugin or an app that is installed in just a few steps. Product catalogs, prices and inventory levels can be synchronized bidirectionally. Other interfaces – for example for ERP or shipping service providers – can be connected via the PrintDesk API. Our article provides an overview of the integration options in comparison Web-to-print software comparison.
Web-to-print is not a one-size-fits-all solution - the requirements differ depending on the type of business and target group. PrintDesk is designed for two central usage scenarios:
Printing companies that still take orders by email, fax or telephone today invest a significant portion of their capacity in administrative activities. PrintDesk automates these steps: order entry, calculation, communication with the customer and production preparation run without manual intervention. The result: the same workforce can process more orders in less time. We also recommend taking a look at this Print MIS from PrintDesk for complete operational control.
For companies with their own printing needs, PrintDesk offers one Closed shop solution: an internal ordering portal where employees order printed matter from predefined, approved templates. CI-compliant print material is therefore equally available to all locations and teams. Budget limits, approval workflows and user management are integrated. Purchasing receives transparency about printing costs and can enter into framework agreements with printing service providers.
Developing your own web-to-print platform is technically possible - but in most cases it doesn't make economic sense. A realistic comparison:
| criterion | In-house development | PrintDesk (SaaS) |
|---|---|---|
| Time to market | 6-18 months | 1-2 days |
| Initial investment | 50.000 – 250.000 € | Monthly usage fee |
| Ongoing maintenance | Own development team required | Included in SaaS |
| Updates & new features | Develop and test yourself | Automatically included |
| WooCommerce/Shopify integration | Own development required | Natively present |
| Scalability | Operate the infrastructure yourself | Cloud-based, auto-scaling |
PrintDesk is a fully hosted SaaS solution. No local installation, no dedicated server and no development team is required. After registration, products, prices and document templates can be configured directly in the browser. Updates are installed automatically, including security patches. The risk of system failure, data loss or technical debt lies with the provider, not the printer.
PrintDesk can be integrated into existing WooCommerce and Shopify setups without interrupting the shop's operations. The existing shop design, product structure and payment processing remain intact. PrintDesk fits in as a process layer behind it and takes over from the moment the order is placed. Print shops that do not yet operate a shop system can use PrintDesk as a standalone solution or set up a shop in parallel.
The economic benefit of web-to-print can be calculated specifically. The following values are based on practical experience with printing companies of different sizes:
A print shop with 50 jobs per week in manual operation spends an average of 8-12 minutes per job on administrative activities: recording, email correspondence, document creation, status updates. That’s around 7-10 hours per week – just for administration. With PrintDesk, this effort is reduced to less than 2 minutes per job, as all routine steps are automated. With 50 orders per week, this results in savings of around 6-8 hours per week - which can be more sensibly invested in production or customer service.
In addition, error costs are reduced: Incorrectly recorded orders, lost emails or missing print data lead to reproduction and complaints. These sources of error are structurally eliminated through automated order receipt and integrated file checking.
Web-to-print software connects online ordering processes with print production. Customers order printed matter via a web portal or shop system; The software takes care of order entry, preflight, document creation and handover to production control - without any manual intermediate steps.
PrintDesk integrates natively with WooCommerce and Shopify. Incoming orders are automatically created as print jobs in PrintDesk, including customer data, product specifications and file attachments. The connection of other systems is possible via the API.
Yes. PrintDesk can be used as a standalone Printing software operated without a shop connection. Orders are then recorded directly in the system. The shop integration is optional and can be activated later at any time.
As a SaaS solution, PrintDesk is ready to use straight away. The basic configuration (products, prices, document templates) is usually completed within one to two working days. A WooCommerce or Shopify integration follows the same time frame.
Start with web-to-print software that fits into your existing operations - without development effort and without investment risk.
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Web-to-print automation for modern print shops. A product from Druckhaus interactive GmbH.