Bad Data Files

[Tracy]

I'm starting to get upset over the Bad data files they allow to come in
I feel like the customer needs to send good files or at least
files that don't need extensive fixing.
just wondering what others do, as I really don't want the intensity of this type of work.

today I had one that had paragraph returns, I fixed it but then they had another file
same company, for badges, the template that was created for the badges
has this big ol fat type for the Names and titles etc.. but the Title and company names are really long.
I have a feeling they are going to have me split the Titles/Names up.
this is so tedious, and it gives me a headache.

If others are doing this, I will suck it up, but I have a feeling most people
kick this sort of thing back.

[Joe]

the template that was created for the badges
has this big ol fat type for the Names and titles etc.. but the Title and company names are really long.
I have a feeling they are going to have me split the Titles/Names up.

Once they request you to split them up is when you tell them to split them up and send you a new file. (I can say that now) 

[born2print]

Here it depends. If it's really bad and like 1000s of items, we KIB...
but sometimes it's doable to fix or impossible for them...

[Tracy]

Thanks! Not really what I wanted to hear , but good to know what others do.

Yeah it's not even a really big one, 150 but this customer is a bit out of control
with their demands/hot jobs.

Joe is so lucky

[born2print]

Maybe "hot" is your bargaining chip... "I could turn this in one shift if you made your data XYZ like I've asked before, but the way it is I have to spend that time fixing the data before I can start"

[David]

quote from me whenever I get one of those jobs:  "I can fix this in about 8 hours & risk missing/deleting something or you can send it back to the customer and have them fix it the way they want it."





In most cases, these types of things are what causes "free printing".  It's all about who's liable for any errors. If they have you fix it & customer approves proof, then they find errors after job is delivered and wants a reprint to fix for free, or at least a major discount.

[Tracy]

I have had so many conversations in my head of what I would say. 

I think I will say something but I'm going to wait till after this job
It's the salesman that cannot say no to this customer.

One of the conversations was asking for a raise for this.
seriously the stuff I do is worth more $$$

[Joe]

I have had so many conversations in my head of what I would say. 

I think I will say something but I'm going to wait till after this job
It's the salesman that cannot say no to this customer.

One of the conversations was asking for a raise for this.
seriously the stuff I do is worth more $$$

No matter how much they pay prepress it is not enough!

[Tracy]

Agreed! wish I would of learned something else! 

update: the salesman is working it out with the customer
so hopefully it will go smoothly
who needs those long A$$ titles anyway?

[Joe]

who needs those long A$$ titles anyway?

People that think they are very important.

[Foozball]

Sometimes you just have to speak up ... then just let the idiots burn everything down.


I'll be helping with a fire project next month to move printers (because it's always THAT EASY!) ... my part will be executed in ~3 weeks, and none of my teams effort will be wasted ... the new guy pushing the project will likely be executed/laid-to-waste by about July/August! 

[DCurry]

We'll get good data files right around the time we start to get good art files. 

In other words, never. 

[Tracy]

[DigiCorn]

At my last job, we had an in-house guy that did all the list fixing/sorting using Satori. If there was any kind of issue, we kicked it back to him and he took care of it.

Previously, we worked with a mail house. That's what I recommend you do. You send them the file and they sort it/correct it and send it back to you. Usually as long as they do the folding/stuffing/mailing, they discount the cost of list work. If you do that in-house, then your boss needs to get you the software and training.

If it's VDP only with no mailing/sorting (this is based on mail permits and if you use a permit it has to be done and bundled a certain way before it goes to the post office), then the salespeople need to be retrained to sell the additional work it takes to fix the lists.

[born2print]

If the USPS would go bust for good, all of this would go away. Jus' sayin'