Package Boundary Fields dialog box

Use this dialog box to select the boundary fields for an ad hoc merge package rule. Boundary fields are applicable only if you expect that your merged document contains more than the allowed amount of exceptions in a given document. This maximum number of exceptions is 1000.

For more information, see AdHoc rules.

Here is an example when you could easily exceed this maximum. You have a merge job where the constituent documents are sets of documents for specific individuals that you are bundling together in a single print job. For each individual there are three documents.

  • The first is a mailer page that is intended to be folded around the other two and will show the individual’s name and address through a glassine mailer envelope. This document is to be printed white, single-sided, letter paper.
  • The second document is an account summary. This document is to be printed white, double-sided, landscape orientation.
  • The third document is a return payment stub. This document is to be printed light blue, single sided, and custom size.

Let us say the system chooses an optimal baseline of white, double-sided, landscape. This means every first document complies with the baseline, but every second and third document is an exception. You have 2300 individuals for which you are creating this bundle. You will end up with a merge job that has 4600 exceptions.

When merging, if the merged document will exceed this maximum number of exceptions, it is split into multiple resultant documents, with each split on a boundary that attempts to maximize the number of pages without exceeding the exception threshold. If you do not specify boundary fields using this dialog box, then the split is arbitrary and will occur where the maximum number of pages can be fit.

By specifying boundary fields you exercise a little more control over where this splitting can occur. In the example scenario above, you will end up with a merge job split into 5 merge documents, each of the first 4 containing pages that comprise roughly 1000 exceptions. For this scenario each merged document will be sent to a high speed printer/processing station. Since the client has five of these high speed processing stations, each merged document is sent to a different one to be printed, folded, and inserted.

The problem with arbitrary splits is that a split may occur on document 1 of a given document set, meaning that merge document 1 has the mailer page for individual X, and merge document 2 has the account summary and return payment stub for individual X. Since these 2 documents go to different processing stations, there is a problem because these 3 items need to be together in a given merge document and cannot be split. This is where boundary fields are used. Assuming that each individual is defined by a client identifier, and that client identifier is attributed for each constituent document, then you will use that client identifier as a boundary field, so that when the documents are merged, the merge action knows to always keep all pages for documents that are for the same client identifier together when splitting.

Properties grid

Lists the document properties that can be selected as package boundary fields. Boundary fields are only applicable when a merged document will exceed the maximum number of exceptions (currently set at 1000). Merged documents that exceed the exception count will be split into separate documents. Boundary fields are used to control where the merged documents will be split. Each split will be on a boundary that maximizes the number of pages without exceeding the exception threshold. If you do not specify boundary fields, the split is arbitrary and will occur where the maximum number of pages can be fit.

The properties are grouped into the following categories: Basic options, Media selection, Document, Image adjustments, Finishing, and Other properties. To expand a category, click the down arrow next to a category name. To collapse a category, click the up arrow.