Overview of Resources

Resources in Odyssey allow you to manage the items, materials, or tools that are used in the production or workflow process. These might include paper types, ink, devices, or any other item essential for completing jobs or estimates.

Resources play a key role in ensuring efficient production workflows by helping you track and organize the materials necessary for job completion.

Accessing Resources

To manage resources in Odyssey, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Products Menu:
   • From the top navigation bar, click on 'Products'.
2. Select Resources:
   • In the drop-down menu, click on 'Resources'.

Above: Accessing ‘Resources’ under the ‘Products’ drop-down menu

Main Resources Screen Overview

The Resources section is where all resources for your business are categorized and managed. Here’s a breakdown of the key components on the Resources screen:

• Create New Resource:
  • This button allows you to add a new resource, whether it be a paper, device, or other resource necessary for  production.
• Search Bar:
  • The search function helps you quickly locate specific resources within your resource groups.
• Resource Groups:
  • Resources are organized into different tabs for easy management. Each group contains related items or materials used in the workflow. The groups are broken down into Physical, Not Physical, and Tags categories for better organization.
• List of Resource Groups:
  • Each group is displayed in a table format with the Resource Group Name on the left and the Number of Resources on the right, allowing you to see how many resources are associated with each group. Examples of groups include:
    • Paper: 87 resources
    • Device: 50 resources
    • Misc Consumable: 21 resources
    • Component: 27 resources

Managing Resource Groups

1. Physical Resources:
   • These include tangible items such as paper, devices, and ink that are used directly in production.
2. Not Physical Resources:
   • These may include non-tangible elements such as a layout
3. Tags:
   • You can apply tags to resources to further categorize and manage them based on your operational needs.

Viewing and Editing Resources

• Click on a resource group (e.g., Paper or Device) to view the list of all resources within that group. From there, you can edit or remove resources as needed.

Above: The ‘Resource groups’ home screen

Device Resource Group

Viewing and Managing Devices

In the Device List under the Resources section, you can view and manage all devices used in your production processes. Here’s a breakdown of how to navigate and use this screen effectively:

Device List Overview

• Search Bar:
  • Use the search bar at the top to quickly locate specific devices by name.
• Add Resource:
  • Click the Add Resource button to add a new device to your list of devices.
• Add Tags:
  • This feature allows you to categorize devices further using tags, enabling better organization and filtering.

Device Table Columns

1. Device Name:
   • A list of all available devices is displayed in this column. Each device can be clicked for further details or editing.
2. Tags:
   • Devices may have associated tags for easier filtering and organization.
3. Cost:
   • This column displays the unit cost for using each device. For some devices, a Cost Table is used, while others have direct unit costs, such as $10 per exposure for the Agfa Imagesetter or $0.50 per book for the Booklet Maker.
4. Device Type:
   • Displays the type of production the device is used for, such as Digital Printing, Cutting, or Booklet Making.
5. Cost per Unit:
   • Shows the cost incurred per unit of production. This could vary by the specific output, such as per sheet, cut, or per Sq Ft/Sq In.
6. Hourly Rate:
   • Shows the hourly operating cost of each device
7. Status:
   • Indicates whether a device is currently Available or not.
8. Cost Log:
   • Provides a record of the cost changes for the device, with links to view the history of cost updates.
9. Delete:
   • The red trash can icon allows for the removal of devices if they are no longer needed.

Above: An example of a list of devices in the ‘Device list’

Managing Devices

• Editing a Device:
  • Clicking on a device name will allow you to view or edit its details, including updating costs, changing the hourly rate, and more.

Steps to Add a New Device Resource

When creating a new resource, a device in this example, in Odyssey, follow these steps:

1. Access the Device List:
   • Navigate to the Resources section, select the Device group, and click on the blue 'Add Resource' button.
2. Enter Device Details:
   • Device Name:
     • Type in the name of the device (e.g., "Canon iX1700").
   • Device Type:
     • From the dropdown menu, select the type of device. Options include categories such as Digital Printing, Cutting, Folding, etc.
   • Unit of Measurement:
     • Choose the unit that the device operates in (e.g., Clicks for digital printers or Cuts for cutting devices).
   • Account for Cost:
     • Assign a cost account where the device expenses will be tracked (e.g., Uncategorized Expense or any other designated account).
   • Tags (optional):
     • You can add tags to categorize or organize the device more easily. Click the Add Tag button to enter a new tag.
3. Base Configuration:
   • Attributes:
     • Set the Minimum Required clicks or quantity for the device to produce a cost. This is optional and depends on the printer's needs.
   • Run Size Limits:
     • Define the minimum and maximum sizes of the paper the device can handle before any folding takes place.
   • Cost:
     • Specify the cost per unit of production (e.g., $0.05 per click for black and white or $0.07 per click for color). You may also enter the Hourly Rate for operating the device.
   • Setup Time (minutes):
     • Enter the setup time for the device in minutes. This is the amount of time it takes to prepare the device for production after being powered on.
   • Speed:
     • Set the device's operational speed. You can select Fixed Speed or Variable Speed according to the device's capabilities. The unit and time needed to complete the task can be entered here.
   • Test Speed:
     • Use the 'Test speed' button to simulate how the device operates based on the speed settings you've configured.
4. Adding Thickness Conditions (optional):
   • You can define Thickness Conditions if the material thickness affects the device’s efficiency or operation. This is useful for production environments that work with varying material types or thicknesses.
5. Finalizing:
   • Once all necessary fields are filled out, click Save at the bottom to add the new device to your Device List.

Above: Example of a Canon iX700 digital printing device

Accessing the Edit Screen

To edit an existing device in Odyssey, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Device List:
   • From the Resources section, select the Device group.
2. Select the Device to Edit:
   • Click on the name of the device you want to modify. This will take you to the Edit <Device name> screen.

Edit Device Screen Breakdown

The Edit Device screen allows you to configure a variety of settings for a device, ensuring it reflects your printshop's cost and operational details accurately.

• Device Name:
  • This field displays the name of the device. You can modify it if necessary (e.g., changing from "Default Digital Press" to a custom name).
• Device Type:
  • Select the appropriate type of device, such as Digital Printing or Cutting.
• Unit of Measurement:
  • This determines how the device's usage is measured (e.g., Clicks for printing presses; Cuts for guillotine cutters).
• Cost Account:
  • Select which account the costs for this device will be assigned to. If no specific account is set, it defaults to Uncategorized Expense.

Base Configuration

• Attributes:
  • Set Minimum Clicks if required for this device. This helps track the minimum usage to incur costs.
• Run Size Limits:
  • Input the Minimum and Maximum Run Sizes. For example, set limits like 5.5 x 8.5 inches for minimum and 19 x 25 inches for maximum run sizes of a printing device, depending on the device's capabilities.

Cost Settings

• Cost:
  • Set the device's cost based on the type of work it performs. For example:
    • Black and White: $0.05 per 1 click.
    • Full Color: $0.07 per 1 click.
  • Modify these rates by clicking the pencil icon next to the cost fields.
• Hourly Rate:
  • Input the hourly rate for operating the device (e.g., $155 per hour for a digital press).

Additional Settings

• Setup Time:
  • Define the Device Setup Time (in minutes), which impacts scheduling and job costing.
• Speed:
  • Set the speed at which the device operates. You can select a Fixed Speed or Variable Speed and adjust based on your production needs.
• Test Speed:
  • Use the 'Test speed' feature to simulate how fast the device operates with the inputted settings.

Thickness and Efficiency

• Add Thickness Conditions:
  • You can add conditions that affect the device’s efficiency based on the thickness of the materials being used. This helps ensure more accurate cost tracking when dealing with varying paper or material thickness.
• Select Save' to save any edits made.