Print management provides flexibility for enterprise-wide applications

TEKLYNX International, the worlds leading developer of software products for the AIDC marketplace, is introducing SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 print management software for its CODESOFT label design software. Earlier versions of the SENTINEL data capture, mapping and distributive printing application are in use at major organizations supporting enterprise-wide bar code printing needs of ERP, MRP II and WMS systems.

SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 is an event driven, high performance print management tool designed to process enterprise-wide label and form printing data, regardless of format. It enables host applications to print to any designated printer anywhere in the enterprise. The new version adds significant process management features that fully leverage the Internet while continuing to support legacy systems.

SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 enables data from a host system to be merged with CODESOFT label designs without requiring complex and costly modifications to the host application. Its sentinel watch approach supports any enterprise system, including host applications from Baan, JD Edwards, Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP and others.

Enterprise level control
SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 helps system administrators keep control of the enterprise data by enabling output (label and form data) to be sent to a designated file, virtual printer or TCP/IP port, or even over a WiFi network, without requiring that the host application directly interact with printers and the printing system. This approach keeps enterprise level control and security separate from the printing process. Yet, label and form printing integration is easy since SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 watches the location and, when data is present, maps the data and then prints the information using TEKLYNX enterprise level CODESOFT label design software.

Flexible integration
SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 is designed to work in the most advanced environments and in support of legacy systems. Its flexible approach accommodates virtually any file structure, including:

ASCII Supports both character-delimited tables and tables aligned in columns.

Forms Handles complex formats that include header and footer information, as well as repeating blocks of data, such as quantities, descriptions, costs and extensions.

Unformatted Raw data, such as printer code, is often used with legacy systems that are programmed to print to a specific printer. Changing printers or adding a networked application is expensive and time consuming, and requires reprogramming the actual application. SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 can watch a virtual print spool and then map and send the data to virtually any thermal or Microsoft Windows-compatible printer locally, or over a LAN, WAN or the Internet.

Direct and table assignment Works with both direct assignment and table assignment to dynamically analyze data files to generate printing for different labels.

Commented David Pettiford, TEKLYNX product manager, Customers want to take the next step in automating the label printing process and SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 is the ideal solution. With the simple addition of some Windows-based middleware, companies can automate print management across the enterprise to speed label printing and reduce errors while minimizing data manipulation on the host application.

SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 maintains control throughout the process. Administrators are able to designate files, locations, printers, data maps, and processing rules. In addition, output, report, log file and TCP/IP port listening plug-ins allow developers and administrators to monitor system performance. The multi-threaded print engine and load balancing capabilities facilitate high throughput.

SENTINEL Print Pack S/4 is available immediately through TEKLYNX Certified Integrator (TCI) partners under a simple-to-implement and administer per-printer licensing program. TEKLYNX supports over 70 bar code variations on over 1,000 thermal printers and any Windows compatible printer.