This article applies to PrimeCenter V4 and later. For older versions, see this article.

You are about to begin your journey with PrimeCenter, designed to simplify your prepress workflow and boost productivity. Whether you are nesting files or automating repetitive tasks, this software will help you work more efficiently. Let’s get you started on creating the best prepress experience!

Configure your settings

When you launch PrimeCenter for the first time, it is important to adapt the settings to your specific needs. To get started, click on  Settings at the bottom of the left navigation bar.

From there, configure the following:

Cutters

Configure the cutters you will be working with. You will access the list of cut drivers assigned to your license. For each cutter, you can define an output folder where cut files will be exported or establish a direct connection with your cutter controller, depending on the cut driver you use.

➡️ How to add a cutter?

Media

After configuring your cutters, some media may automatically load into the media list depending on the cut driver you use. Adjust this list so it matches the media you work with.

➡️ Managing media

Formats

A predefined list of formats is provided. Edit, delete, or add formats to ensure the list matches your usual requirements.

➡️ Managing formats

Cut contour names

Review the cut contour names listed in the Dictionary. Edit, add, or delete entries to match the cut contour names in the files you process. This ensures the software can detect and use the appropriate cut contours.

➡️ Managing cut contours in PrimeCenter

This initial configuration will help you get the most out of your software and ensure that your workflow is set up according to your needs.

Choose how to start

From the homepage, you can begin working in the way that best suits your needs:

• Start from scratch: Create a new recipe with completely customized settings to suit your specific workflow by clicking New recipe.
• Use a recipe template: Begin with a template that includes predefined settings, making it quicker to set up common workflows.
• Follow tutorials: Explore our guided tutorials to learn the interface and complete your first tasks step-by-step.

Work through Layout Creator

Layout Creator - V4.0

The Layout Creator section is where you will create your prepress workflows, configure your settings, and process your files. Let us guide you through the key steps and interface elements:

1. Open or create a recipe

At the top of the interface, you will see a bar with several tabs, each representing a recipe.

A recipe is a combination of settings that defines how your files will be processed, helping you automate tasks like nesting, adding bleed, and applying cut marks.

You can open an existing recipe or create a new one by clicking the   button. It’s possible to work with multiple recipes at once, each accessible via its own tab in the top bar.

For example, one recipe can apply true shape nesting and add cut marks, while another applies rectangular nesting, adds bleed, and generates a verso image for double-sided printing.

2. Configure your recipe's settings

The configuration panel on the left side is where you define all the settings for the recipe. Its is divided into two tabs:

👉 Layout tab

This tab contains all the settings related to layout creation and editing:

• Media settings: Select the media and format you will work with.

• Layout and editing tools: Select tools for arranging and optimizing file placement on the layout. This includes nesting files, adding cut marks, or enabling double-sided printing.

👉 Files tab

This tab focuses on file management and import settings:

• Import settings: Define how files are imported to the software. This includes tools applied during the import phase, such as automatic scaling, adding bleed, creating contours, or checking PDF standards. Depending on your PrimeCenter package, you can also configure automated import workflows.

  Bleed	White underbase	Grommets

    Info

  To learn how to configure an input folder for automated imports, see our article on How to set up an input folder?.

• File manager: This is where you can open the files you want to process. Once opened, you can select the files and insert them into the Studio before generating the final layouts. The File manager also allows you to access file details such as detected contours, number of copies or file dimensions.

    Info

  • For a detailed explanation of the File manager, see our article on using the File manager.
  • To learn about the different ways to import files, check out How to import files?.
  • If you need to check which file types are supported, see our article on supported file formats.

3. Generate your layouts

Once you have configured your settings and imported your files, you need to insert the files into the draft layout.

1. Select the files you want to include from the File manager in the Files tab.
2. Place them in the draft layout by dragging and dropping them into the Studio, or by clicking Insert.
3. Click Generate to create the final layouts based on your recipe's settings.

4. Preview your layout in the studio

The Studio, located in the center of the interface, provides a preview of the generated layouts. This is where you can verify how your files are arranged on the media and make any necessary adjustments.

For more details on using the Studio and layouts, see our article Layouts & Studio.

5. Generated layouts in the right panel

The layouts panel on the right displays the list of generated layouts.

• Review the generated layouts to ensure they meet your requirements.
• If changes are necessary, update the settings in the configuration panel on the left side generate again the layouts.

• Once the layouts are finalized, check the   Export Settings and click on the Print & Cut button to generate the print files and cut files.

  

    Info

  For more details on export settings and the available actions to export print and cut files, see our article on How to export print and cut files?

Next steps

Now that you are familiar with the basics, here are some additional topics to explore:

• Tiling tool: Learn how to divide large designs into smaller tiles for easier printing and assembly in our Tiling article.
• Cut driver configuration: Want to configure your cut drivers in more details? Check out our dedicated section.
• Check/Fix profiles: Want to know what check/fix profiles are and how they work in PrimeCenter? See this article.

Automated workflows

• Set up input folders for each recipe.
• Or configure a global hotfolder as a single entry point for all your recipes.
• Explore How to extract properties from file names? or learn about the Recipe management tab.