Fiery FreeForm Create

Overview

Fiery FreeForm Create makes personalization fast, free, and easy.

Fiery FreeForm Create is a free, stand-alone variable data creation application for external and embedded Fiery servers.

Quickly and simply personalize existing files for free in an intuitive interface and add variable elements such as text, images, and barcodes with just a few clicks. It’s ideal for applications such as business cards, diplomas, calendars, postcards, booklets, direct mail, labels, parking passes, newsletters, and so much more

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What makes Fiery FreeForm Create different?

Fiery FreeForm Create is unique among available variable data authoring tools on the market, providing a powerful, easy-to-use solution for businesses looking to personalize documents efficiently without incurring extra costs or needing specialized software.

Free and stand-alone

• Unlike many other VDP tools that require paid subscriptions or additional plugins, Fiery FreeForm Create is a free, stand-alone application.
• Fiery FreeForm Create enables sales by making it easy for PSPs, in-plants, or packaging producers to create and sell personalized print to their customers, making their business communications more targeted and impactful.
• It provides a zero-cost investment to try simple VDP applications and build up skills and experience with an easy-to-use tool.

Efficient file processing

• Compared to many mail merge or VDP applications, Fiery FreeForm Create produces optimized, smaller files that reduce processing time by up to 80%, leveraging exclusive Fiery technology for faster page processing.
• This includes techniques to accelerate color management, data compression, and rendering, making it highly efficient for handling large volumes of personalized content, especially in print environments.

User-friendly interface

• Intuitive, drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy for users with no advanced VDP knowledge to create personalized files quickly and efficiently.
• The visual preview allows users to see how variable content will look on the final document, which reduces errors and enhances the creative process​.

Integration with Fiery workflows

• FreeForm Create integrates seamlessly with other Fiery tools like Fiery Command WorkStation, Fiery Impose, and Fiery JobFlow*, increasing efficiency throughout the production process.

*Requires FreeForm Create 1.5 or newer, a Fiery server running FS400 or newer software, and the paid version of Fiery JobFlow

What’s New

New features in Fiery FreeForm Create 1.5

Rich text editor

A new rich text editor provides complete control over variable text appearance.

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Multi-up master support

Did your client provide you with a multi-up master? It’s no problem with Fiery FreeForm Create! See how easy it is to personalize your multi-up files.

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Integration with Fiery JobFlow

Create automated VDP workflows using Fiery JobFlow. Requires the paid version of Fiery JobFlow and a Fiery server running FS400 or newer software.

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Colored barcode support

Create eye catching colored barcodes, perfect for adding emphasis, or printing with specialty toners on colored media.

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Features

Jump to FreeForm Create quick tips.

Workflows

Two different workflows are available in FreeForm Create.

Variable data workflow
Add personalization to any existing PDF file with just a few clicks.

• Drag and drop interface
• Create source files using your design application of choice (Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Excel, etc)
• Variable fields can be text, images, or barcodes
• Change properties of variable fields, including font, size, orientation, color, arrangement, and more
• See a visual preview of each variable data record and filter records by parameters such as the longest or shortest name

File merge workflow
A visual interface for merging existing master and variable PDF documents together.

Printing from FreeForm Create
With both workflows, you can submit your personalized files directly to the Fiery server, use Fiery Presets, and perform other makeready tasks such as imposition. While access to a Fiery server is required to print FreeForm Create files, anyone can download the application. Files are generated in a proprietary format that can only be read by Fiery servers.

If you get print-ready files from customers, just ask them to download FreeForm Create so they can create their own personalized files and submit the final, packaged file to you for production.

Fiery FreeForm Plus

Customers with Fiery FS400 and newer servers, using Fiery FreeForm Create, generate Fiery FreeForm Plus files. These files can be submitted directly to the Fiery server from the FreeForm Create application, or saved as a standalone file package (.ffp).

There are several advantages to the FreeForm Plus format:

• Single file package: Fiery FS400 and newer servers recognize FreeForm Plus files as a single file package (the master and variable information is combined together). This makes it easier to perform actions like applying job properties. In contrast, Fiery FS350 and earlier servers interpret FreeForm Plus files with the master and variable content separate. For these servers, server presets are critical to ensuring job properties are applied equally to the master and variable content.
• Easier job submission: you can save time by automating FreeForm Plus job submission through Fiery Hot Folders (requires Fiery Command WorkStation 6.7 or newer and a Fiery FS400 or newer server), or you can drag-and-drop .ffp files into the Command WorkStation Held queue.

Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of Fiery FreeForm Plus.

Fiery FreeForm Create quick tips These short videos provide an overview of common features and functions in FreeForm Create.

Applications

These are just a few of the applications that you can personalize using FreeForm Create. Pre-programmed samples are embedded within the FreeForm Create application for many of the examples below. You can find the native files and other source information for all of these by downloading the Fiery FreeForm Kit.

For best results, we recommend you use Fiery FreeForm Create 1.5 or newer.

Application	Description	Additional resources
	NCR See how easy it is to create NCR forms (uncollated or pre-collated).	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Envelope See how easy it is to create personalized envelopes	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Personalized package Create a personalized tea box that includes the recipient’s name and a tracking barcode.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Restaurant postcard Create a postcard for a restaurant promoting takeout/delivery services with personalized text and barcodes.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Salon postcard Create a postcard for a salon promoting a grand re-opening with personalized text, barcodes, and images.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Statement Create a statement with spot colors and personalized text, images, and barcodes.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Ticket with clear toner Add variable content using clear toner as a security feature. Requires a supported Fiery Driven printer.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Ticket with two specialty colors Create a ticket that includes two different specialty colors in the master and variable content. Requires a supported Fiery Driven printer.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Business card Create business cards using variable text fields.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Product labels with barcodes Create product labels that include barcodes.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Diploma Easily create personalized diplomas using variable text fields	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Personalized calendar Use variable text and images to create personalized calendar for employees around the world	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Real estate postcard Use variable text, images, and barcodes to create personalized postcards.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Invitation flyer Use variable text fields to turn a static flyer into a personalized invitation.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Parking pass Add variable text fields to a parking pass for enhanced security.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Appointment reminder postcard Use variable text fields to create a personalized appointment reminder postcard.	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	Ticket Add variable text fields and a QR code to an event ticket for enhanced security	Watch the how-to video (English only)
	File merge newsletter Newsletter with personalized content for 3 different audiences. Use the file merge workflow to select the appropriate cover from the master, and merge the variable content into the final file.	Watch the how-to video (English only)

FreeForm Kit

Get started with VDP today using the Fiery FreeForm Kit and Fiery FreeForm Create

The Fiery FreeForm Kit is a set of resources designed to help you learn how to use the Fiery FreeForm Create application to it’s fullest potential. See examples of variable data documents, created using FreeForm Create, that utilize variable text, images, and barcodes. These examples serve as templates and can be used as customer samples to show what is possible with variable data printing, or to provide inspiration for the types of personalized applications that you can create for your customers

What’s in the Fiery FreeForm Kit?

• Source files for all of the examples mentioned in the Applications tab, including packaged InDesign files and images
• Master PDF and data source files for samples that utilize the FreeForm Create variable data workflow
• Master and variable PDFs for use with the file merge workflow
• Pre-programmed .ffp files that can be opened in FreeForm Create
• Overview guide with tips and tricks for Fiery FreeForm Create

Resources

View Fiery FreeForm Create specifications.

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Resources

• Fiery FreeForm Kit: download free sample files along with a overview guide with tips and tricks for using FreeForm Create (English only)
• Application examples and how-to videos: see step-by-step examples of how to use FreeForm Create for selected applications (English only)
• eLearning course: Take the free FreeForm Create online course at Fiery Learning (English only)
• Fiery Communities: Join the FreeForm Create group to interact with Fiery experts and your peers (free to join, registration is required)
• Fiery FreeForm Create flyer: Promote FreeForm Create to your customers
• VDP checklist: use this handy list to prepare your own personalized campaigns
• Prepare and print a personalized newsletter using Fiery FreeForm Create: Utilize Fiery FreeForm Create to create a personalized newsletter that includes variable images, text, and barcodes.