Let’s face it: quoting in print production can be like herding cats — blindfolded, in a thunderstorm, while trying to explain cost-per-unit to a client who thinks printing is free because their office printer uses “free ink.”
But what if quoting didn’t have to feel like black magic?
Welcome to the wonderful world of Instaprint, Enfocus Switch, and Phoenix — where automation meets intelligence, and where quoting and invoicing become… dare we say it… fun?
Well, maybe not fun-fun, but at least faster, smarter, and way less error-prone.
The Quoting Conundrum (a.k.a. MIS: Manual Input Suffering)
In traditional MIS systems, quoting is often built like a spreadsheet on steroids. Every possible product size, material type, finishing option, and production method requires its own dedicated row in a monster pricing table. And heaven forbid if your product doesn’t fit a pre-defined box — it’s like asking a vending machine for sushi.
This rigid logic means you need to build a massive, detailed pricing matrix. It takes forever to set up, is expensive to maintain, and still somehow never quite covers that “one weird job” that arrives every Tuesday.
That’s where Phoenix steps in and says: “Relax. I got this.”
Phoenix: The Quoting Engine with a Brain
Phoenix by Tilia Labs is like a print pricing Jedi. Instead of requiring every quote scenario to be pre-entered like an old-school catalog, Phoenix dynamically calculates the optimal production plan based on real job data: size, quantity, press availability, finishing setup, gang run options, even how to best nest items for sheet or roll optimization.
In other words, it thinks like a planner, not a calculator.
And yes, Phoenix can even tell you if your layout is a good idea, or if it’s like putting pineapple on lasagna (don’t).
Connecting the Dots: Phoenix + Instaprint + Switch
Now here’s where the real magic happens: using Enfocus Switch, we can link Phoenix directly to Instaprint — our lightweight and flexible production management tool.
So how does this three-way combo work?
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A quote request enters Instaprint (say, from a sales rep or a web portal).
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Switch picks it up and sends the specs to Phoenix.
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Phoenix calculates the optimal production method, price, press allocation, imposition, and estimated costs.
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Switch brings that data back into Instaprint — no spreadsheets, no manual copy-paste, no “Sorry, forgot to add trimming cost.”
You’ve just gone from “I’ll get back to you with a price” to “Here’s your precise quote, optimized for profitability and delivery time” — in under a minute.
And When the Job is Approved?
As soon as the quote turns into a confirmed order, Instaprint knows what to do. The production plan from Phoenix is already attached, job tickets are generated, and — once completed — the invoicing process is automatically triggered.
No more forgetting to bill for extra finishing, or scrambling to figure out what the agreed price was. Instaprint handles it all, like that super-organized friend who not only remembers your birthday but also books the restaurant and brings the perfect gift.
Did We Mention That Instaprint is Free?
Let’s pause for a moment and talk about pricing — not your client’s pricing, but yours.
Most MIS systems that try to do what Instaprint + Phoenix do will charge you a small fortune. Why? Because someone had to build that monster quote table, and they’re passing the pain on to you.
With Instaprint, you get a lean, powerful, and free system — yes, free — that doesn’t lock you into old-school methods. Thanks to Phoenix doing the heavy quoting and planning work, there’s no need to build thousands of pricing templates. It’s smarter, faster, and far easier to set up and maintain.
Wide Format Printers, Rejoice!
Now, if you’re in wide format, there’s an extra treat waiting.
Phoenix doesn’t just optimize layouts — it talks directly to your cutters, too. And not just metaphorically.
Let’s say you’re producing a set of POS displays, each with custom die cuts. Phoenix can estimate cutting time based on the layout. But better yet — it can ask your cutter (yes, literally) how long it will take.
It sends the cut paths to Zünd or Kongsberg, and the cutter replies with an actual time estimate. No guesswork, no over- or underpricing, and a much more reliable production schedule.
It’s like having a crystal ball for your finishing department — only less mystical and more USB-compatible.
From Quoting to Cash – Smooth as Silk
With this setup, you’re no longer stuck in the weeds of pricing logic or chasing invoice trails. Every quote flows logically to production, and every job flows automatically to invoicing — all while keeping data clean, aligned, and trackable.
Thanks to Phoenix + Switch + Instaprint, you’re quoting smarter, producing faster, invoicing accurately, and most importantly — spending less time on admin and more time on value.
And let’s be honest — wouldn’t you rather spend your day improving production strategy instead of decoding someone’s Excel sheet from 2011?
TL;DR (Too Long; Definitely Worth Reading)
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Traditional MIS quoting is clunky, expensive, and a nightmare to set up.
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Phoenix replaces static templates with dynamic production-aware pricing.
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Enfocus Switch connects Instaprint and Phoenix seamlessly.
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Instaprint automates quoting → production → invoicing without manual input.
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Bonus: Phoenix can talk to cutters like Zünd and Kongsberg and ask for accurate cut time estimates.
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Double bonus: Instaprint is free and way easier to implement.
In short: if you want quoting and invoicing that feels like a 2025 solution — not a 2005 problem — it’s time to Switchto Instaprint + Phoenix.
Ready to quote like a boss?
