Manufacturing
Data inventory template for a packaging or label converter
By SourceX Editorial · Updated
Short answer
A packaging converter data inventory lists, one row per record family, each system, the records it holds, the years still accessible, the key that links records together, such as spec, job or die number, and a flag for customer-owned artwork. The artwork flag matters most, because brand artwork and printed copy usually stay with the customer.
Key takeaways
- One row per record family per system keeps a converter inventory readable and easy to rank.
- Spec number, job number, die or plate number and roll or lot ID are the keys that link a converter's records.
- Flag customer-owned artwork, brand files, color standards and structural designs on every row where they appear.
- Count years still accessible, not years in business, especially across MIS or ERP migrations.
- The inventory needs metadata only; no exports or samples are required to fill it in.
What columns does a converter data inventory need?#
A converter data inventory needs columns that answer five questions for each record family: where it lives, what it is, how far back it goes, how it links to other records, and whether it contains customer-owned content. Add personal data, owner and notes columns so the IT lead can assign follow-up.
| Column | What to enter | Converter example |
|---|---|---|
| System | The application or location holding the records | Print MIS, ERP, prepress workflow, web inspection system |
| Record family | The type of record, in plain words | Job tickets, estimates, proofs and approvals, defect logs |
| Years accessible | First and last year you can still open or export | Current MIS plus the archived database from the prior MIS |
| Link key | The field that connects this record to others | Spec number, job number, die or plate number, roll ID |
| Customer-owned artwork flag | Yes, no or partial, with what it covers | Yes: brand artwork files and printed copy |
| Personal data | Whether records name individuals | Brand buyer names on approvals and emails |
| Owner and notes | Who can answer questions; known restrictions | Prepress manager; some customers bar third-party access |
Systems a converter usually lists#
Converters usually find records spread across more systems than expected, because estimating, prepress, the pressroom and quality each grew their own tools over time. A filled-in starting list looks like this.
If the plant runs flexo, digital and offset or gravure lines, list press data separately for each process, because the records and their completeness usually differ by line.
| System | Typical records | Link key | Artwork flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Print MIS or ERP | Estimates, orders, job tickets, invoices, material usage | Job number, customer spec | Partial: job descriptions name brands |
| Prepress and artwork approval | Artwork files, proofs, approval history, revision notes | Spec or item number | Yes |
| Plate and die management | Plate and die records, cutting die drawings, usage counts | Die or plate number | Partial: dielines may be customer-supplied |
| Press data collection | Makeready times, run speeds, waste, downtime reasons | Job number, press ID | No |
| Web inspection and QC | Defect images, defect logs, color readings | Roll or lot ID, job number | Partial: defect images show printed artwork |
| Customer service and complaints | Complaints, credits, corrective actions | Job number, lot ID | No, but may quote customer details |
- 01Your work records
- 02Personal details removed
- 03You approve the release
- 04Licensed to AI developers
Link keys: how a spec connects to a job and a complaint#
Link keys are the fields that let someone follow one product from its specification through every job, roll and complaint. In most converters the spec or item number ties the customer's requirements to artwork and dies, the job number ties a run to its ticket, makeready and waste, and the roll or lot ID ties finished goods to inspection results and complaints.
Linked records are worth far more than isolated ones, for internal analysis and for any AI use. A complaint that traces back to the job, the press, the die and the inspection log tells a full story of cause and correction; a complaint with only a customer name tells almost nothing.
Note in the inventory where a key breaks. A common break happens at an MIS migration, when old job numbers were not carried into the new system, or where web inspection logs use roll IDs that never reach the ERP.
How to flag customer-owned artwork and confidential specs#
Customer-owned artwork should be flagged wherever it appears, not only in the prepress system, because printed copy shows up in proofs, inspection images, approval emails and complaint photos. The flag tells everyone downstream that those records need removal or exclusion before any outside use.
Records without artwork, such as makeready times, run speeds, waste reasons and maintenance logs, describe the converter's own operations. These are the rows that usually remain once flagged content is set aside.
- Brand artwork, logos, printed copy and photography supplied by or made for the customer.
- Color standards and drawdowns tied to a brand's specification.
- Structural designs and dielines the customer supplied or paid for under its terms.
- Customer specifications, item numbers and pricing marked confidential under supply agreements.
- Regulated label content, such as ingredient or warning text, which belongs to the brand owner.
How to fill in the template without exporting anything#
The template is filled in from what people know, screenshots of system settings and short conversations with system owners, not from exports. Keeping it metadata-only avoids moving customer files and lets the owner see the whole picture before deciding anything.
- Step 1: list every system, including retired ones still holding archives.
- Step 2: ask each system's owner which record families it holds.
- Step 3: record the oldest and newest year still accessible for each family.
- Step 4: name the link key, and note where it breaks.
- Step 5: set the artwork and personal data flags.
- Step 6: note contracts, subscriptions or planned migrations that could affect access.
Illustrative: a label converter completes its first inventory#
Illustrative: a fictional pressure-sensitive label converter runs flexo and digital presses for food and household brands. Its print MIS holds estimates, job tickets and material usage, an artwork approval portal holds proofs and approval history, a web inspection system logs defects by roll, and complaints sit in a shared mailbox.
The IT lead completes the inventory over a few working sessions with the prepress, pressroom and quality managers. She finds that job numbers link the MIS to press data, but inspection logs carry only roll IDs, and that the previous MIS was retired with its database still on an old server. Artwork approvals and defect images are flagged as customer-owned content.
The owner now has a clear picture. Makeready, waste, downtime and color correction records across both MIS generations are the converter's own operating history, while artwork, approvals and inspection images stay out of any outside use. The old MIS server stays on until its database is archived.
What to do with the finished inventory#
A finished inventory supports several decisions at once: planning a system migration, preparing for a sale, and checking whether records could be licensed. Acquirers of converters ask many of the same questions, so the work is rarely wasted.
For licensing, the inventory feeds Supply, the first step of the SourceX five-step transaction, where SourceX reviews metadata only. Rows flagged for customer-owned artwork are excluded early, and the remaining record families move to the Rights review. The SourceX data inventory spreadsheet template and inventory builder use the same columns described here.
Frequently asked questions
Who should fill in the inventory at a converter?
Usually the IT lead or controller drafts it, with short input from the prepress, pressroom, quality and customer service managers. The owner reviews the artwork and personal data flags. One person should own the document so answers stay consistent and gaps are marked unknown rather than guessed.
Should retired systems be on the list?
Yes. Retired MIS databases, old prepress servers and archived inspection logs often hold the longest history in the plant. List them with their access status and any planned shutdown, because a server or subscription that is switched off can take years of records with it.
Do packaging EPR records belong in the inventory?
Include them if your plant keeps them. Extended producer responsibility laws place reporting duties on producers, often the brand owner, and converters are frequently asked for component weights and material specs. Those records describe the customer's packaging, so flag them as customer-related and check your supply agreements before any outside use.
How precise does the years column need to be?
First and last year is enough for a first pass. Add a note where history has gaps, such as a migration that carried over only open jobs or a policy that purged inspection images. Precision matters later, when someone plans exports; at the inventory stage, honest ranges beat guessed exact counts.
Does the artwork flag mean those records can never be used?
It means they cannot be used outside the business without checking the customer's rights and your agreements. In practice, most outside uses exclude flagged content entirely, or remove the artwork and keep only operating fields such as job timings and defect categories. Counsel can advise on specific agreements.
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