Collate print-job cost information

When a print job is completed, an invoice is usually raised to the customer. Most printing businesses collect together the production cost information for the job, either as a way of checking that all the work undertaken is invoiced, or in order to review the costs of production compared with the prices charged to customers.

This unit is for you if you are responsible for bringing together, recording or reviewing information relating to the cost of production of print production.

As a print job progresses through production, resources will be used – labour, machinery, stock for resale, perhaps – and other costs may be incurred from external suppliers - materials, outwork and delivery.

It is important that information about resource usage is collected and recorded, either on an individual job basis or in aggregated form, so that the costs of production can be compared with selling prices and profits or losses can be calculated by job, by department or other cost centre.

Some job costing software programmes allow information to be captured or posted during production, either manually or through shop floor data collection devices linked to machines. Alternatively, a simple manual system may involve recording the time taken on the job and the cost of any bought in supplies. Whatever system is used, the data has to be checked and reviewed by someone if it is to have been worth collecting.

This unit involves checking that job cost data has been collected and / or recorded and that it is complete.

If differences arise between the expected and actual job costs it is expected that you will be bring these to the attention of the person in your company who has responsibility for dealing with such matters.

1. collect all relevant information about jobs following standard operating procedures
2. confirm jobs produced and quantities delivered meet original estimates and customer orders
3. check materials and outwork purchased for jobs match original estimates
4. identify any additional services, processes or quantities provided not included in original estimates
5. check and approve job cost information prior to invoicing
6. complete invoices or pass information to person responsible for invoicing following standard operating procedures

1. why it is important to maintain confidentiality, including for reasons of commercial competition, market sensitive information, 'embargoed' publications with a specific publication date
2. legal duty of confidentiality
3. your duties and responsibilities for health and safety as defined by any specific legislation covering your job role
4. current display screen equipment regulations
5. customer materials handled; including original photographs or artwork; samples; disks; raw materials for print or finishing
6. techniques for protecting customer materials
7. insurance requirements
8. potential for loss or damage
9. advantages of team-working
10. consequences of poor team-working
11. techniques for communicating with colleagues, such as verbal and written
12. appropriate use of language, such as technical or non-technical
13. verbal and non-verbal expressions
14. types and characteristics of formal language and communications
15. types and characteristics of informal language and communications
16. communication as a means of building customer confidence
17. communication as part of delivering excellent customer service
18. listening skills
19. the importance of giving instructions to suppliers, including specification, delivery timescales and quantity
20. written confirmation of orders
21. communication of any quality and environmental targets or requirements
22. workplace objectives, priorities, standards and procedures
23. quality standards and procedures
24. key customers / accounts
25. company handbook
26. range of work carried out
27. stages in the printing process from pre-press to printed product
28. recording and reporting information
29. manual or electronic techniques for recording and reporting production times, resource utilisation, quality checks / auditing, output, improvement recommendations
30. the nature and use of record-keeping systems
31. product labelling
32. techniques for identifying and, possibly, tracing, routing and locating production batches
33. the law of contract
34. estimates v. quotations
35. terms and conditions
36. main features of quality assurance and quality control systems
37. quality policy
38. types and characteristics of paper, board and other commonly used substrates
39. principal types of proof and their role in the printing process