TECHNICAL WHITE PAPER

QPS® provides tools that let teamsof writers, designers, editors, andother contributors to creative andeditorial workflows integrate theirtasks and publish content acrossmixed media. This paper describeshow QPS works in practice.

An ideal publishing workflow lookslike a linear progression from startto finish. But in truth, the processoften requires changes, and QPSaccommodates these changes.

QPS Server andQPS Client Applications

The full QPS software suite includes a QPSServer that tracks all assets, along with acollection of client applications for writers,designers, artists, editors, and managersto work on those assets. QPS users transferassets to one another using client applica-tions, and the QPS Server dynamicallymaintains a record of this activity for allQPS users to see.

Administering aQPS Workflow

The QPS administrator defines the work-flow configuration. The structure of thecontent might include project types(for example, advertisements andbrochures), which can be further subdivided according to the clientsfor whom the group creates ads andbrochures. The QPS administrator creates the list of workgroup users, or,to make this task even easier, creates

the user list through QPS support for LDAP,directly integrating with the company´sdirectory services. Then the administratorassigns each user to a specific role thatgoverns the privileges available to thatuser. The QPS administrator also controlswhere assets are stored (either in a filesystem, or in a single repository, sharedwith a content management system), the

progression of steps in the workflow,default specifications for new assets, andthe attributes (descriptive metadata fieldssuch as name and due date) that areattached to every asset in a QPS work-flow. All QPS users can track assetsbased on these attributes.

Figure 1: The designer receives the illustration assignment, and the writerchecks out the article in QuarkCopyDesk.

Figure 2: The designer creates an illustration according to the layout artist’s specifications, the writer writes an article of the appropriate length, and addsthe illustration.

How it Works

Assigning and ManagingAssets from QuarkXPress

A QPS workgroup for a brochure mightinclude a QuarkXPress® user responsible forpage layout, a QuarkCopyDesk® user whowrites the brochure copy, a graphic artistwho uses an image-editing application,and a remote editorial manager who usesQPS Web Hub to work on text through aWeb browser. QPS even accommodatesmembers of your workgroup who useAdobe® InDesign® with InCopy®, alongwith those who use Quark® applications— in the same workflow. (See figure 1)

Let’s consider a sample workflow. Note thatthis is only a sample; different organisationsset up their QPS workflows in differentways. In this workflow, the QuarkXPressuser often works as the hub through whichall other work flows.

The layout artist uses QuarkXPress to create the page layout by creating textboxes for copy and picture boxes forgraphics. Once the layout artist has createdthe page, he or she checks it in to theQPS Server. The layout is now backed upon the server, and every time the layoutartist checks it out and back in, anotherrevision is created. (See figure 2)

Using QPS, the layout artist assigns articles,including text and picture boxes, toQuarkCopyDesk users, and assigns pictureboxes to artists working in drawing applica-tions. The writers and artists receive notifi-cation of these assignments, which can alsoinclude instructions and other useful infor-mation in the attributes for the asset. Here,a designer has been assigned to create anillustration, and a writer has been assignedto write the brochure text and to add a relevant illustration. (See figure 3)

It is important to note that an article createdfrom a layout comes with geometry, whichis a description of the article’s size andshape within the layout. Geometry allowsthe writer to know exactly how muchspace he or she has to fill.

Working on Assignments

Having received their assignments, writers and artists can now do their part to complete the layout. The designer createsan illustration, and the writer writes thetext, selects the picture in QPS, and placesit in the picture box. (See figure 4)

Next, the designer and writer check theirwork in to the QPS Server. Now, like the

layout, the illustration and article arebacked up in a central location, and revisions of the assets will be saved. Andwhen the layout artist refreshes the layout,the layout updates to show the work of thedesigner and the writer. (See figure 5)

So far we’ve been looking at a linear work-flow. However, workflows are not always linear. For example, what happens if thelayout artist decides that the illustrationshould be larger and the text shouldbe shorter? If a layout artist changesthe size of a text box in an assigned article, QPS can automatically updatethe page geometry in the writer’s copyof QuarkCopyDesk to reflect the newsize of the box. The writer can then add

or remove text to fit the updated pagedesign. (See figure 6)

The writer updates the text to fit the available space, checks in the article,and all is well. (See figure 7)

Now, let’s assume the copy editorassigned to fact-checking is in anotherlocation, and does not have access tothe network where QPS Server is run-ning. The copy editor can simply launch aWeb browser, log in through QPS WebHub, check out the story, and do the copy-editing. And because QPS Web Hubis aware of article geometry, the copyeditor knows exactly how much space isavailable. (See figure 8)

Figure 3: Once checked in, illustrations, pictures and articles can be viewedin the layout with which they are associated.

Figure 4: The layout artist updates the layout in QPS. This automaticallyupdates the geometry in the article. QPS notifies the writer of the change.

Looking at a Content- driven Workflow

As mentioned above, this layout-drivenworkflow is only one option. An organisation might instead choose touse a content- driven workflow, wherethe designer and writer do their workfirst, and the layout artist then designsthe layout to fit the content. In sucha workflow, the designer creates an illustration and checks it in with QPSConnect Client, and the writer createsan article from scratch in QuarkCopyDeskand then checks it in with theQPS® XTensions® software.

When this is done, the layout artist createsa layout and attaches the illustration to thelayout by dragging the file icons from theSearch Results palette to a picture box. Thelayout artist can use the same method toattach the text of the article to a text box.

In addition, QuarkXPress users can attachthe same article in separate QuarkXPressprojects. The first attachment is called the“primary attachment,” and all other attach-ments are “secondary attachments.” Ifthe article content changes, all instancesare updated.

Updating All Users inthe Workflow

While working on an assignment, a QPSuser can update the entire workgroupwith the current state of that assignmentby using the Save Revision command. Thiscommand updates the QPS Server withthe most current version of the assignment.For example, if a QuarkCopyDesk userfinishes four of five sections in a brochureassignment and then chooses SaveRevision, the editor can open a read-onlycopy of the text and preview it before theassignment is complete.

Routing and Tracking

Many QPS workflows include a sequenceof hand-offs from one team member toanother. In QPS, this is called routing. Forexample, when a QuarkCopyDesk usercompletes an assignment, he or she

might route the asset to an editor whoreads first drafts. Using QPS Web Hubor QuarkCopyDesk, this first-draft editormight finish the job and route the asset toa copy editor, who in turn might route itto a managing editor. As the asset movesfrom workgroup member to workgroupmember, other team members can trackthe asset’s movement using the QPSsearch interface.

The QPS copytasting feature letsusers view the first 255 characters in aQuarkCopyDesk article in the SearchResults palette. Users can also view a listof all revisions of an asset, open a read-only copy of any revision, open a read-only copy of any current asset, and get(retrieve) a fully editable copy of any assettracked by QPS.

Figure 5: The writer updates the text to match the updated geometry and checksin the article. The layout updates to show the updated text.

Figure 6: The remote editor copyedits the article using QPS Web Hub.

Automated Output andExport in Multiple Formats

Organisations often report that the finalstep in the publishing process — output —requires too much time and money toaccommodate last-minute changes. QPSusers can streamline much of the outputprocess by using the Quark® Job Jackets®

controls within QuarkXPress and QPSServer to eliminate problems before theoutput stage.

For final output, QPS provides three waysto automate tasks.

Within QuarkXPress and QuarkCopyDesk,users can create output styles that specifyevery aspect of output. With an outputstyle, a single action can trigger output forone or more assets.

Working with the QPS Script Managerapplication for QPS Server, administratorscan write scripts that automate outputbased on conditions within the QPS work-flow. For example, when a user changesthe status of a QuarkXPress project to“Ready for Output,” an automated scriptcan output or export the project in anyof the supported formats (PostScript®,PDF, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, SWF, PPML,XML, or native QuarkXPress orQuarkCopyDesk format).

If an organisation requires more automa-tion, the open architecture of QPS allowsthird-party developers to fine-tune theoutput process with XTensions software.

Archive and Restore

When a project like the brochure describedabove is complete, all the assets can begathered for archiving within QPS. If theorganisation needs to revise the brochureor create a similar project in the future,they can use the QPS Restore function toaccess the content.

©2008 Quark Inc. All rights reserved. Quark, the Quark logo, Quark Publishing System, QPS, QuarkXPress, QuarkCopyDesk XTensions and Job Jackets are trademarks orregistered trademarks of Quark Inc. and its affiliates in the U.S. and/or other countries. Adobe, InDesign, InCopy and PostScript are either registered trademarks or trademarksof Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. 03430DS

North AmericaQuark Inc.1800 Grant StreetDenver, CO 80203www.quark.com+1.800.676.4575+1.303.894.8888

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Figure 7: The writer updates the text to match the updated geometry and checksin the article. The layout updates to show the updated text.

Figure 8: The remote editor copy edits the article using QPS Web Editor.