Mass Print Job - Opinion/Suggestions

[Guest]

We receive data from employers to print customized brochures for their
employees. The employee packet can be anywhere from 2-4 pages. The 1st page
could be info on medical benefits/premiums (based on job class - managers may
have higher premiums then technicians), 2nd page may be dental
benefits/premiums (again based on job class), 3rd page may be application for
benefits etc.

We want the info to print grouped by employee. I have the various
individual reports set up, but there could be 5000 employees. Is it better
to run through each employee and open, filter, print their reports, then move
to next employee?? Or would it be better (more efficient) to have one report
with the various options (med, dent, app etc) as subreports and open that one
report and let it print? As I'm typing this I'm thinking that option 1 or
running through each employee is probably the better way to go, especially if
something were to happen (printer jam etc) during printing.

I also have the option of allowing them to print/reprint the 'packet' for a
specific employee(s).

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Larry Linson]

Almost certainly, you could define the groups of employees who need various
configurations, perhaps print labels for each, print one master copy in that
configuration, and have it printed in a print shop much more
cost-effectively than printing a report per employee for thousands of
employees -- unless you have much different print equipment accepting Access
output than any I have seen.

That's not to say that you could not ALSO retain the capability for a
one-off run, if needed, for a particular employee.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP