Every year here at StudioPlus, we try to roll out two major updates as well as a few smaller updates along the way. We recently released our 2017 version and it was a big one! Because it was such a large update, I’d like to take some time to break down a few of the new features that were introduced. Over the next few days, I’ll be discussing the major features and how they affect your system.

By now, all myStratus users and most of our Spectra Users should be upgraded to the 2017 version, so you should already have access to these new features. If you’re a current Spectra client who has NOT upgraded yet, you can find the download here.

Previously only available to Enterprise clients, I’m excited to introduce our StudioPlus Finale (pronounced fi-na-lee) app to all clients on the Professional version of both Spectra and myStratus Desktop in our 2017 release! We know how busy your studios can be, which is why I am thrilled to introduce another excellent feature to automate even more of your digital workflow!

So, what’s StudioPlus Finale and how does it work? Finale is a Render & Printer Server that you can set up on one workstation at your studio to automate any rendering jobs or print jobs. After you finish the initial set-up, Finale runs automatically based on specific statuses that you select.

In the past, after you had all your render profiles and printers set up, you’d have to manually render each individual batch of images. With StudioPlus Finale, that entire process is now automated! After the initial set up, all you must do is set your Session, Invoice, or Production order to a status you specify and off Finale goes with rendering and/or printing of your images. (Note: You don’t have to use Finale as a Print Server. If you don’t print images in-house, then simply use Finale as a Render Server, which will still save you countless hours of labor!)

To utilize StudioPlus Finale, there are a few new areas to be aware of:

Render Profiles 

The process of setting up your render profiles has not changed. However, if you want Finale to print any images, there’s a new setting found on the Output Options tab of your render profiles to Let StudioPlus Finale print these images. By checking this option, it lets Finale know that this profile needs to be rendered and printed.

Render Jobs 

Render Jobs are brand new in 2017 and operate as the “link” between Spectra/myStratus and StudioPlus Finale. You can set them up within the software at Maintenance > Digital > Render Jobs. These jobs have a very simple set up process and are designed to tell Finale exactly what render profile should run and when that profile needs to run.

StudioPlus Finale 

Finale operates as a separate application from Spectra/myStratus Desktop. You can find it by going to your Start Menu > StudioPlus Spectra or myStratus 2017 folder > StudioPlus Finale. You’ll be asked to log in just as normal.

Once logged in, check out the Settings button on the Ribbon to set Finale to auto log in and auto process jobs upon startup. Make sure you click the Start Processing button on the Ribbon to tell Finale you’re ready to go. You should always see a green bar across the bottom of your screen indicating that Finale is running and ready to process jobs.

Summary 

• Create a low-res version of each session image to be sent to your ecommerce site.
• Create a low-res version, with a watermark, of the client’s favorite image for social media.
• Create a high-res version of the images the client has ordered the rights to for either USB/CD delivery or electronic delivery.
• Create a high-res version of a spectacular image you’ve received a model release for.
• Create and print proof images of all the images within a session.
• Create and print hi-res versions of all the images the client has ordered, and send the images to separate printers based on size.
• And much more!

 “As a myStratus Enterprise client, we’ve been using StudioPlus Finale for several years. It has literally saved us hundreds of hours in labor expense and has helped us tremendously to process our orders in a fraction of the time that it would if we manually processed these orders. We use Finale to render out all our CD’s, to render out and upload all our images for electronic delivery, to render our images for specialty orders, and finally to render our out images for in-house printing. It’s been a powerful addition to our production department! We couldn’t live without it!” -Wayne Strobel, Life 365 Portraits 

We’re so excited to have this feature available to all Professional clients. I believe it will be a game-changer for many studios!

Click here to watch a training video on Finale

Click here to learn more about Finale

Click here to learn more about Render Jobs

Click here to learn more about Render Profiles

Click here to learn more about Printer Pools

Click here to learn more about Printers