The pricing tables and several of the pricing algorithms are based on the relationships between the components in the print shop.
The component relations are:
Sheet stock: Presses, Plate sizes, Bindery Equipment
Envelopes: Presses, Plate sizes, Bindery Equipment
Presses: Sheet stock weight, Sheet stock size, Envelope type, Plate sizes
Bindery Equipment: Sheet stock weight, Sheet stock size, Envelope type
Pre-Press Equipment: Sheet stock weight, Sheet stock size, Envelope type
For example the relationship between some sheet stock and the paper cutter changes as the stock gets heavier and larger. If your paper cutter can cut 500 sheets of 20# Bond with one lift of the blade you know that it will take two lifts to cut 1000 sheets. So if you charge 1.00 for each lift of the cutter you will charge 2.00 to cut 1000 sheets of 20# Bond. But what will you charge to cut 1000 sheets of 90# Index. The lift size for 90# Index may be 250 sheets. So it will take four lifts to cut the 1000 sheets.
The lift size for the various paper types is in the paper to bindery table. That is one of the relationship tables. In addition to the papers weight or thickness we need to consider the paper size. The charge for cutting an 8.5 x 11 sheet may be 1.00 but how about the cost of cutting a 23 x 35 piece of paper. Depending on the type of cutter you have, the larger sheet could be more difficult to position for the cut so you would charge more for each cut. Maybe you would charge 1.25 for each cut to compensate for the additional time required to actually make the cut from start to finish.
In addition to that some operations make require some setup time which may vary with the type and size of the stock. The setup time parameter can be set for every type of stock and every size for every type.
This may sound like a worth while but very time consuming task, but to accommodate the setup within the program the tables will allow large groups to be set at one time then the exceptions within the group can be dealt with individually. So the actual setup is really not bad at all. Also the setup tables are very easy to get to from anywhere in the process.
When you run some type/size of stock on press "A" it will run at maximum speed. But if you go to a larger stock size you may need to slow down the press. Therefor your charge per 1000 will be greater for the larger stock on press A. Press B may not exhibit the need to slow the press down for larger stock. So the charge per 1000 will be the same for the larger stock. You have the ability in the relations tables to define the press speed for each type and size of stock relative to the press.