What Are the Benefits of Variable Data Printing?

If you’ve clicked on this article, you’re likely looking to learn more about what makes variable data printing stand out.

You’ve come to the right place.

For some, increased personalization and efficiency are aspects of variable data printing that make the process valuable. It’s an unmatched way to tailor direct mail to individuals or segments of customers.

The question is whether or not to take advantage of this tool. This article will help you answer it.

For other organizations, the process is a necessity. Maybe you need to print client statements, invoices, or other transactional documents for thousands of customers. In these cases, you must alter the information on each document, and VDP does that.

The question for these groups is how the process can be implemented more effectively. This article answers that, too.

Read on to discover the benefits of variable data printing that might help your organization connect with customers and clients.

What Is Variable Data Printing?

Variable data printing, commonly abbreviated to VDP, is a digital printing process that allows elements within a printed file to change from one piece to the next without the press stopping or slowing down.

These variable elements can include text, images, graphics, offers, barcodes, QR codes, or other content fields.

For example, a VDP workflow for financial statements, healthcare invoices, or utility bills might change client names, addresses, amounts owed, and other key account data from document to document. One of the benefits of variable data printing is its speed, as these workflows can print hundreds or even over a thousand pages per minute.

The information on each individual document is pulled from a database and mapped onto a template. Predefined rules determine how, when, and where specific data is placed onto each document.

This process is commonly used to print direct mail, transactional documents, statements, invoices, and other types of personalized customer communications.

How Does Variable Data Printing Work?

VDP can follow this 5-step workflow:

Step 1: Data Cleanup

Data files are checked, standardized, sorted, and formatted. Errors are caught before they make it onto the production floor or into the hands of a client.

Step 2: Document Composition

At this stage, a project’s business rules come into play. Business rules are guidelines that govern what content is placed on which documents, and where.

For example, a business rule might change the information that appears on a document based on a recipient’s state of residence. A different guideline might indicate where to place a name and address. One of the benefits of variable data printing is the degree of personalization that is possible, as multiple different business rules can be applied to a template.

During the document composition stage of VDP, data is mapped onto templates to create final documents. The data mapping process is completed by following an organization’s business rules.

Step 3: Pre-Print Testing

If you want to protect document accuracy, pre-print test runs should be a vital part of your variable data printing processes.

They confirm that the data and imagery on each document is exactly as intended, before beginning production.

This stage can catch errors quickly, before they make it to the production floor and lead to a costly and time-consuming reprint process.

Step 4: Printing and Inserting

During this stage of the process, documents are printed at high speeds and efficiently inserted into envelopes.

Step 5: Delivery

At this stage, mail is securely delivered to the final consumer or client.

This recipient reads the mailpiece, gains the customized information they need, and is able to connect with your organization accordingly.

What Are the Benefits of Variable Data Printing?

VDP Benefit #1: Improved Personalization and Relevance

One of the most significant benefits of variable data printing is its ability to deliver highly personalized and relevant print communications at scale.

Creating large amounts of tailored content quickly is a key part of the printing workflows of many organizations.

If you’re sending transactional documents, for example, you need a way to quickly create custom copies of these files for each individual you serve. You may also need to change several data points at once, such as client names, geographic location, account type, and purchase history.

Without variable data printing, it is much more difficult to deliver these key mailings.

The benefits of variable data printing are not limited just to these transactional workflows. For organizations in any industry, the ability to personalize content based on individual attributes allows for the creation of documents that feel more timely, specific, and meaningful.

Images, messaging, calls to action, and offers can all change dynamically based on predefined rules, ensuring each recipient receives information that aligns with their preferences or circumstances.

For example, messaging can change based on lifecycle stage, renewal timelines, and recent activity. This degree of customization allows for the creation of documents tailored for a customer’s exact stage in the buyer’s journey. It permits organizations to speak directly to each individual recipient, rather than to a broad audience.

VDP Benefit #2: Operational Efficiency

Variable data printing improves operational efficiency by automating personalized printing.

As opposed to other processes, VDP allows for the printing of customized documents without stopping presses or requiring manual intervention.

Automation is present throughout VDP workflows, reducing production time and strengthening document quality. Fewer manual steps mean fewer opportunities for human error, such as incorrect file selection, version confusion, or improper content placement.

The benefits of variable data printing efficiency can also be found during the mail inserting stage of the process.

Barcodes and unique identifiers allow for automated tracking and reconciliation, which prevents mistakes from making it to the consumer.

At firms that use piece-level tracking, each sheet on the production floor has a barcode attached to it. When a document is inserted into an envelope via a mail inserter, the machine scans the barcode. If the file is out of sequence or fails integrity checks, it is rejected by the inserter, and the issue is resolved by the quality control team.

These controls help ensure that every document is printed, finished, and mailed quickly and correctly, even in highly complex workflows.

What Are the Benefits of Outsource Variable Data Printing?

Outsource providers offer secure, accurate, and cost-controlled production workflows. Here’s a rundown on some of the benefits of variable data printing with a third-party vendor:

Outsourced VDP Benefit #1: Cost Control and Reduced Waste

One of the benefits of variable data printing services from an outsource provider is that they may reduce operational costs for your organization.

Some of the costs associated with high-volume printing include:

• Buying, renting, or allocating space for production.
• Buying, renting, or allocating space for a mailroom.
• Purchasing new machinery equipped to handle the job.
• Performing maintenance on the machines and fixing them when they break.
• Acquiring materials, such as paper and ink cartridges.
• Hiring new staff to manage print, mail, and quality control.
• Diverting current employees away from their usual responsibilities to handle tasks associated with printing and mailing.

Partnering with a third-party provider allows you to avoid these costs.

An outsource vendor typically holds specialized USPS knowledge. They know how to prepare your mailings in cost-effective ways and in ways that qualify for USPS discounted rates.

Outsourced VDP Benefit #2: Accuracy

Accurate printing is one of the most important steps you can take to maintain client trust. Outsource providers have controls in place to help maintain accuracy in your workflows.

The best third-party vendors prioritize open communication. They hold frequent meetings with each client, where the right questions are asked and all issues are addressed before printing begins.

This can prevent errors on the production floor, thus saving time and money.

This step goes hand-in-hand with the completion of pre-print test runs. Top outsource providers take this testing seriously, and will not move forward with production until clients have had the opportunity to view the final output.

This creates a process with multiple built-in accuracy checks before printing begins.

Another of the benefits of variable data printing with outsource partners is that their resources enable the completion of accuracy checks on the production floor, often carried out by dedicated quality control teams.

For example, mail barcoding is carried out by many third-party providers, and assists in preventing mistakes that manual processes cannot catch.

Top providers care about the quality of mailing as much as they care about the quality of printing. Many providers offer CASS and NCOA services to strengthen the accuracy of their clients’ mailing lists.

CASS-certified address standardization services provide corrections to addresses that are not written in accordance with USPS guidelines. For example, they add missing zip codes and correct misspelled information.

The NCOA is a database containing records held by the USPS on families and businesses that have moved. NCOA services cleanse mailing lists against this data, indicating which addresses are outdated and where mail should be directed to instead.

CASS and NCOA services can help reduce the time and monetary costs that come with handling undeliverable mail.

Outsourced VDP Benefit #3: Security and Compliance

Stringent security controls are a foundational part of the best VDP providers’ workflows.

These can include:

• End-to-end file encryption, in transit and at rest.
• Access control measures such as multi-factor authentication and role-based access control.
• Mailpiece tracking.
• Data redundancy.
• Real-time alerts and incident response teams.
• And other controls designed to protect client data.

The previously-described methods that strengthen data accuracy also enhance security and compliance.

If a document is incorrectly printed, and a customer receives files containing another client’s sensitive information, this could be a compliance violation. Test runs confirm that data is correctly mapped onto templates, helping keep client data protected.

Mail barcoding and the efforts of a dedicated quality control team can prevent one customer’s documents from being placed in another customer’s envelope. This further strengthens data security of the workflow.

Secure variable data printing firms are often SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA audited. These certifications indicate that a vendor’s processes meet compliance requirements and advanced safety standards.

The Benefits of Variable Data Printing with D4 Solutions

D4 Solutions‘ workflows are designed to get documents to their final destinations securely, accurately, and on time.

We prioritize open and transparent communication by assigning each new client a dedicated project manager. Client meetings are held with the project manager as often as needed, whether that be weekly, monthly, quarterly, or another frequency. At these meetings, the project manager asks the right questions and addresses issues to prevent mistakes on the production floor.

We complete thorough pre-print test runs, and do not move forward with production until clients have reviewed the output. This confirms that the data and images on each document are printed exactly as specified, optimizing our clients’ abilities to connect with their mail recipients.

Our mail barcoding processes and the efforts of our quality control team prevent mismatched or erroneous documents from leaving the production floor.

These steps give D4 Solutions a 99.99% accuracy rate in terms of quality and on-time delivery.

Our workflows are SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA audited, and our team of printing and mailing experts can help you identify ways to make your workflows more cost-effective.

Reach out now to learn more about how variable data printing can work for you.

Q&A: Benefits of Variable Data Printing

What is variable data printing, and how does it differ from other types of printing?

Variable data printing allows content to change dynamically on every page without stopping the press or requiring manual intervention. This is as opposed to other types of printing, in which copies of an identical document are created.

What are the benefits of variable data printing?

VDP allows organizations to personalize their communications for individuals or for customer segments. This is a necessity for many types of operations, such as transactional printing. This also allows for hyper-relevant marketing communications for clients across industries.

How quickly can documents be produced using variable data printing?

Documents can be printed at a rate of hundreds or even over a thousand images per minute.

What are the benefits of outsourcing variable data printing?

Partnering with the right VDP provider can make your workflows more cost-effective, accurate, and secure.

Who should I partner with for variable data printing?

D4 Solutions is a HIPAA and SOC 2 Type II audited printing and mailing firm well equipped to handle your variable data printing needs.

Our print and mail professionals can help you find ways to lower the costs of your mailings. Open communication, pre-print test runs, use of mail barcoding, and our dedicated quality control team contribute to the excellence of our process. D4’s workflows boast a 99.99% operational accuracy rate in terms of quality and on-time delivery.

Interested in learning more? Reach out now, and one of our experts will be in touch.