Ganging rules decide which items of a job may share a form (one sheet layout, printed many times; on offset, one plate set). They work on each item's properties, such as "Coating = Gloss UV" (see Item properties). Your team sets the rules once on the Ganging rules page, and each job can add restrictions of its own.
Rules apply within one job. Collecting items from several jobs into one gang run isn't part of this feature.
The rules#
Match on#
Items share a form only when every listed property is equal. Several keys combine with AND: with Match on: Stock, Coating, a "100 lb Silk / Gloss UV" item never shares a form with a "100 lb Silk / Matte" one.
Values are compared without regard to case or extra spaces ("Gloss UV" and "gloss uv" are one value). A missing value is its own value, "not set": an item with a coating never gangs with an item without one. This keeps confidential or colour-critical work apart by default.
New teams start with Match on: Stock, Coating. Until items carry those values it changes nothing.
Gang group and own sheet#
Gang group (the group property) is always matched: items with a group gang only with the same group, and items
without one gang only with each other. Own sheet puts an item on forms of its own, shared with nothing else.
Keep apart#
Listed values of one key never share a form. "Keep apart: Customer C-102 / C-207" stops those two customers from meeting, while both may still gang with any other customer.
Due within#
Items whose due dates are more than the given number of days apart never share a form. An item without a due date has no window and may gang with any date: this is the one rule where "not set" doesn't count as a value. Items take the job's due date when they have none of their own. A due date with a time counts on its day in the team's time zone (see Teams, members and roles).
Prefer together#
A soft rule. Mixing values of the key on a form is allowed only when it saves more than the given percentage. The run keeps plans that respect the preference and plans that don't, and ranks a mixed plan as if it cost that much more.
The Ganging rules page#
Open Ganging rules from the Imposition job list, from the ⋯ menu of a job, or from Edit team rules › in a job's Settings…. Everyone on the team can read the page; team admins change it and press Save rules.
- Always match on: tick the properties items must share. Built-in, derived and custom keys are listed; Gang group is always matched.
- Custom properties: add a key (lower-case letters, digits and
_), a label and a type (text, number, date or choice, with its choices). Once saved, the key shows in every item's Properties and can be used in the rules. - Keep apart: pick a property and type the values that must never meet, pressing Enter after each (or separate them with commas). Each value becomes a chip with its own remove button.
- Due within: tick it and give the number of days.
- Prefer together: pick a property and the saving a mixed form must bring.
A rule that has no effect, such as Keep apart on a key that is also matched, is listed as a note after saving.
Try it checks the saved rules on real items: pick a recent job and two of its items, then Explain. The panel says whether they may share a form and lists every rule that keeps them apart.
Team rules and job rules#
The team's rules are edited by team admins; everyone on the team can read them. A job can add Match on keys and Keep apart rules, but never drops the team's, so "always" really means always. A job may set its own Due within window and its own Prefer together rules, which replace the team's.
A rule can only name a property the app knows: a built-in key, a derived key (sides, inks, finishes, product type) or a custom property your team declared.
A job's rules are in its Settings…, section Ganging. It shows the team's Match on keys; turn on Custom for this job to tick more keys (the team's stay ticked), add Keep apart rules, set a Due within window or give the job its own Prefer together rules. The same section picks the job's Press and, on offset jobs, the Ink limit and Work style (see Ink limits, press units and extra passes).
How each method applies them#
- Offset: each group of compatible items is planned on its own forms and the plans are combined, so no form ever breaks a rule. When the groups need more forms than Max forms allows, the run explains it and suggests allowing more forms or changing Match on.
- Digital N-up, strips and true shape: each group is laid out on its own sheets. Keep-apart rules may split a group into two for a digital run, which can use a few more sheets.
- Rolls: each group gets its own stretch of the roll, with a cut line between stretches. A roll holds one stock, so a roll job whose Match on: Stock splits its items is refused: make one job per stock.
Every layout is checked against the rules before it is shown. Editing a saved layout so that a form mixes groups gives a warning, not a block.
Seeing the groups#
When the rules split a job's items, each form belongs to one gang group:
- the viewer's Colour by: Group colours the pieces by group, the form under the sheet reads "Form 2 · Gloss UV", and the sheet strip marks each form with its group (G1, G2, …); past eight groups the number tells them apart;
- a roll shows each group's stretch with a dashed line where the next one starts;
- the parts list shows each item's group next to its name;
- the Production tab lists the groups of a digital layout (items, forms and sheets), and the offset Forms & inks table shows each form's group;
- in the Solutions list, a chip such as "3 groups" says how many groups a layout uses.
Why weren't these ganged?#
Each form carries its group, such as "Coating = Gloss UV · Customer = C-102". For any two items, the workspace (and the API) lists every rule keeping them apart. In an item's inspector, open "Which items can share a form with this one?" to see "Gangs with 12 items · Can't gang with 3" and the reasons for each: the property with both values, Own sheet, Gang group, Keep apart, or the due dates. On offset runs with a press, the ink limit is listed too; see Ink limits, press units and extra passes.
Not in this version#
Max items per sheet and Same sheet as (items that must share a sheet) aren't available yet.