ArtWork Generation from VU OS
Audience: Internal Teams, 3PLs, Production Facilities, Technical Partners
1. Overview
VU OS automates production workflows by systematically generating production-ready artwork for custom programs. Our platform delivers artwork files to nearly 200 facilities globally, collaborating with each partner to meet their specific format and specification requirements. This ensures that every file is ready for immediate downstream processing.
2. Artwork Delivery Methods
VU OS provides artwork through three primary channels to accommodate different technical environments:
Platform APIs: A robust set of APIs allows any 3PL or production facility to integrate their systems directly with VU OS to pull artwork on demand.
SFTP Server: We can connect to a secure SFTP server to place artwork files directly into a preferred location for easy retrieval and processing.
OMS Module: Artwork files can be accessed and downloaded directly from the Order Management System (OMS) interface within the VU OS platform.
3. The Artwork Generation Process
The end-to-end process begins with the customer's design on the e-commerce store and ends with a production-ready file.
Customer Design: A customer creates their design using the front-end customizer. This is done by interacting with pre-configured decoration zones on the product or by applying art templates.
Recipe ID Generation: Once the customer finishes their design and adds the product to their cart, a unique token, known as a recipeID, is generated. This recipeID contains a complete mapping of all design selections made by the user.
Order Capture: After the customer completes the checkout and the order is paid for, VU OS captures the order from the e-commerce platform.
Artwork Generation: The artwork generation process is triggered as soon as the order enters VU OS. The system uses the recipeID to create the final artwork file according to the pre-configured specifications and format required by the designated production facility.
Artwork Availability: The final artwork file is then made available for access through the configured delivery methods (API, SFTP, and OMS).
4. Accessing Artwork and Data via API
For partners looking to integrate directly, our platform APIs are the most efficient method for pulling artwork and order data.
A. Order APIs (for Artwork and Order Travelers)
The Order APIs are used to retrieve artwork files and their corresponding Order Travelers.
Get a Specific Order: Use a known Order# or OrderID to query this endpoint. It will return the specific artwork and Order Traveler for that single order.
Get a List of Orders: This endpoint is useful for batch processing. You can query for a list of orders based on a status (e.g., "Ready for Production") or a specific tag. It will return artwork for all orders in the queried list.
In both cases, the API response will contain URLs for the artwork and Order Traveler files. A subsequent request must be made to download the actual files from these URLs.
B. Recipe API (for Customization Data)
For detailed customization data, the Recipe API can be queried using the recipeID obtained from the initial Order API request.
The Recipe API returns granular data, including:
Zone names and dimensions
Personalization text and font information
Details of all selectable product options
Note: The formatted Order Traveler often contains this same information, potentially eliminating the need for a secondary call to the Recipe API.
5. Custom Data Mapping & Documentation
If your workflow requires specific recipe data mapping (e.g., custom metadata for individual design elements), please contact your implementations specialist. They can assist in adding element-level metadata that will be returned via the Recipe API.
For complete technical details, please access the full VU OS Documentation Library HERE.
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