Packaging Design News

In This Issue

• Our first ever newsletter
• The iSpek Quick Review Customer Programme a success
• New iSpek Features - Version 4_7_0
• iSpek website launched
• Hot Tip: Can't view images in this email?

Our first ever newsletter 

Welcome to the first newsletter from the iSpek team. This newsletter aims to provide our user community with updates on the latest features offered in iSpek, as well as news about the future direction of iSpek. Publication of the newsletter will coincide with production releases of new functionality and major events or milestones achieved.

This newsletter announces the release of iSpek Version 4_7_0, available for use from Monday 6th December, 2004. This new release includes many refinements to existing functionality as well as an integration pack for connectivity to the new SAP system ahead of the Amcor Fibre Packaging rollout in 2005, these are explained in more detail later in this newsletter.

In addition to this, we have provided our North American user base (Sunclipse)- now in excess of 180 users- with integration from iSpek to their sales order processing system which means users can now gain costing through iSpek. A new Activity, Design Box II, is also available to Sunclipse enabling multiple suppliers to participate simultaneously in the quotation process.

As the year is drawing to a close, we would like to thank the many people who have helped us with user testing and those who have provided feedback throughout the year to help ensure iSpek remains the leading provider of packaging design solutions. We look forward to working with you all again in 2005.

iSpek Quick Review Customer Programme a success  

We now have 6 customers who use iSpek to approve their artwork as a part of the iSpek Quick Review Programme - an initiative undertaken with Amcor Fibre Packaging to streamline the art approval process. The programme enables customers to directly approve their artwork within iSpek which reduces turnaround times on artwork approval because customers no longer have to wait for faxes or emails.

The results so far have been significant, with an average reduction of 50% in the time it takes to process art and a 30% reduction in the amount of artwork that has to come back to Amcor for rework.

An implementation plan has now been proposed to increase the number of customers participating in this programme.

New iSpek Features - Version 4_7_0 

As part of the iSpek Quick Review Programme users have requested email prompts every 24 hours as a reminder to complete the art approval task. This along with other new features will be available in the next version of iSpek, scheduled for availability Monday 6th November, 2004.

Other new features available in the December release include:

• Activity Manager and Packaging Chain are now pre-selected on the Project Information page and the checkboxes are no longer required
• Hour glass and page loading icon with status bar introduced throughout system so users are aware when iSpek has completed processing/sending information
• The name of the person reallocating a task in an Activity is now recorded in Activity Tracking
• The Comments box in My Tasks is now limited to 255 characters in line with Activity Tracking screen limits
• A Resource that has been linked to a task can now be linked to other tasks, the resource remains locked to the first Activity until that Activity is completed. Resources linked to subseqent activities in a locked state retain that state.
• New cross browser compatibility meaning iSpek is now accessible on a range of different browsers including Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera and Safari. These browsers cover the full range of operating systems (PC, Linux, Mac)
• Filtering of board grades, styles and colour according to customer agreements, market and value segments - to be rolled out in 2005
• A Pop-up alert suggesting the J01 style in preference to JR-R and JR9-R9 on the style selection page in Packaging Chain

For further information about these changes please refer to your local iSpek representative.

iSpek website launched 

The iSpek website has finally been updated. The new website provides a fresh look for our users while also providing access to the latest product information through easy to access PDF information sheets.

Hot Tip: Can't view images in this email?  

If you receive emails with external pictures that won't display properly and all that appears are boxes with a small red X in the corner, chances are your software is blocking the images. Some email programs do this to help protect you from spam. The most common programs to block images are Microsoft Outlook 2003 and Microsoft Outlook Express 6 (with Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed). You can choose to view the image by right clicking on the small red X and choosing 'Download Pictures'.

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