Method for tracking shipments during their generation and device for generating a plurality of shipments

Abstract

Method for tracking shipments produced by one or more processing plants (100, 102) comprising the following steps: Providing (S100) a plurality of original orders, each of which comprises a plurality of shipments to be generated; depending on predetermined characteristics of the shipments, generating (S102) at least one processing order (111, 111a, 111b), wherein the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) comprises at least one shipment to be generated from different original orders; and Processing (S106) of the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) by the one or more processing plants (100, 102) in order to generate the respective shipments from the original orders; characterized by the fact that Each shipment to be generated in the original orders is uniquely assigned to the corresponding shipment in the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) (S104) in order to enable the tracking (S108-S114) of a shipment from the original order during its processing, based on the assignment. wherein the processing of a processing order (111, 111a, 111b) includes printing the shipment and subsequent processing of the shipment, wherein in the event that the printing or subsequent processing of the shipment is faulty, a reprint of the shipment is carried out, wherein the identification assigned to the faulty shipment is appropriately assigned to the reprint of the new shipment, so that the unique assignment of the new shipment to the corresponding shipment in the original order is maintained.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for tracking shipments during their production by one or more processing plants, and to a device for producing a plurality of shipments. In particular, the present invention relates to an approach for tracking individual shipments from one or more orders, which, in order to optimize processing by one or more processing plants, have been distributed into one or more processing orders for processing by the processing plant.

[0002] Paper handling systems known in the prior art are used to generate a mailing consisting of one or more printed pages, starting from provided input data. This is achieved, for example, by printing the corresponding individual sheets, which are then enveloped and sorted, possibly with additional enclosures, before being forwarded to a recipient. A service provider, a so-called mailroom service, can operate one or more such processing systems to handle orders placed by different customers. These orders include the necessary information for the service provider to generate the mailings. The service provider receives this information from the customer, for example, in electronic form, generates the mailings, and prepares them for dispatch to the recipient. The orders received from one or more customers contain different mailings, i.e.,Mailings that differ in terms of imprint, number of sheets, and similar characteristics can be processed by the service provider. This allows them to be grouped together for processing by a single system that is either well-suited for handling these orders or can be adjusted accordingly. Other orders are also grouped together and made available to the processing system, which is then adjusted as needed, or these other orders are made available to a different, more suitable processing system. This ensures optimal utilization of the processing systems. Furthermore, it may be possible to group and process orders from different customers who specify the same destination area, e.g., the same postal code area, thus eliminating the need for sorting after enveloping.

[0003] Therefore, to optimize the processing and shipping of mailings, it is desirable to consolidate orders received from various customers whenever possible. The printers used in the aforementioned processing facilities enable full-color printing, allowing mailings from different customers to be combined on a single roll. This enables the production of the corresponding letterheads for each customer, as required. Similarly, when printing envelopes, it is possible to print company logos or advertising on a white envelope and, as part of order processing, to produce the necessary envelopes along with the individual sheets. This simplifies logistics for the service provider, as only white paper and white envelopes need to be kept in stock. Further savings potential arises in the production and / or...Production of the shipments themselves is advantageous when a large number of shipments can be processed consecutively without significant changeover times. For example, shipments with large quantities can be combined across multiple orders in a single processing operation. The need to separate orders usually arises from the technical capabilities of the machines used in the processing plant. Further significant savings potential results from optimizing postage costs through appropriate order sorting and by selecting a suitable supplier, possibly based on daily updated regulations.

[0004] Fig. Figure 1 schematically depicts a so-called mailroom, operated by a service provider, comprising a first processing unit 100 and a second processing unit 102, each containing a printer 100a, 102a, and an inserter 100b, 102b. The processing units 100, 102 produce mailings that are forwarded to the respective recipients 104a, 104b, for example, by a supplier who receives the mailings produced by units 100, 102 and delivers them to the recipients 104a, 104b. The mailroom service provider receives orders from its customers 106a, 106b, 106c to produce mailings, with such mailings typically comprising one or more printed sheets to be sent in an envelope to the recipients 104a and 104b.The orders from customers 106a and 106c contain the necessary information for producing the individual sheets, as well as information about the destination, the envelopes to be used, and similar details. The service provider receives the orders at a control unit 108, which includes a processing unit 108 (e.g., a computer) and a database 110. The received orders are checked and, with a view to optimizing their processing and dispatch, are combined into one or more mixed print jobs 111, which are optimized, for example, with regard to processing and / or postage. For example, a first mixed print job for processing mailings can be generated by the first processing unit 100, and a second mixed print job for processing the mailings contained therein can be generated by the second processing unit 102.Alternatively, a common mixed print job can be created for a certain number of orders, the data of which is passed on either to the first processing unit 100 or to the second processing unit 102, depending on the desired optimization.

[0005] In the respective processing units 100 and 102, the mailing, in particular its individual sheets, is produced by printers 100a and 102a based on the data assigned to the mailings in the mixed print job. The produced sheets are then transferred to inserters 100b and 102b, who insert the printed sheets, possibly along with any additional enclosures attached before insertion, into an envelope. The completed mailing is then transferred to a supplier for delivery to the recipient 104a and 104b. Based on the information in the print job, it may also be possible to print an envelope individually for a mailing and provide it to the inserter along with the individual sheets to be inserted.In the event of an error during envelope stuffing, as indicated by arrows 112a and 112b, a reprint of one or more of the mailings may be necessary, for example, if the printing, stuffing, or any other processing following the printing was faulty, so that the mailing was not produced completely or correctly and therefore cannot be passed on to the recipient.

[0006] The combined print jobs can, for example, contain an initial combined print job with multiple mailings from different customers, each requiring a specific envelope size that can be processed by an inserter in machine 100. A second combined print job might contain several mailings from the same customers, but requiring a smaller envelope format. This job can either be processed by machine 100 after it has been reconfigured, or, if multiple machines are available, it can be forwarded to machine 102, which can handle this envelope size. Instead of generating two combined print jobs, the orders received from one or more customers can also be combined into a single, combined print job. The data from this job is then forwarded to the appropriate machines 100 and 102, depending on the envelope size.

[0007] Thus, in the manner described above, optimized processing and / or optimized shipping of shipments originating from orders of one or more customers can be achieved.

[0008] However, the mixing of shipments from different customer orders described above makes it difficult for a service provider to inform a client about the status of an order, especially information regarding the progress in the production of individual shipments, their completion and their quality.

[0009] WO 02 / 019 182 A2 describes a document production process in which print data is transmitted from a computer to a printing device for printing onto a recording medium. Before and / or after printing, the recording medium is fed to at least one processing station, which has a control device at a checkpoint. Control data is sent from the control device to a monitoring device via a computer network. To monitor the process, the monitoring device interacts with a database in which the control data is recorded. An operator file is created, containing data about each operator assigned to the printing device and / or processing station.Based on the control data, a log file is generated containing both the machine-generated control data and data about the operator assigned to the monitored device and / or its control unit.

[0010] US 2004 / 0211330A1 describes a method for processing print jobs on a printer for N-printing. The various print jobs are grouped into batches based on factors such as size, thickness, color, or binding type of the printouts to be produced. Within a batch, the print jobs are sorted, processed, and sent to the printer for N-printing.

[0011] US Patent 2001 / 0055123A1 describes a production and finishing system, specifically a printing and finishing system, for the electronic management and control of a wide range of finishing processes characterized by inputs from multiple production operations and equipment. These inputs can be applied differently to workpieces depending on the job, and these workpieces can vary considerably even between different jobs. A particular focus is placed on printing and the further processing of printed documents. The described approach is especially applicable to many operations where processes for manufacturing workpieces are managed separately from processes for finishing and packaging those workpieces.

[0012] Based on this, the present invention aims to provide a method for tracking shipments generated by one or more processing plants, in which no shipments are passed on to a recipient that were not fully or correctly generated, and to create a device controlled according to the method for generating a plurality of shipments.

[0013] This problem is solved by a method according to claim 1 or 2, and by a device according to claim 20.

[0014] The present invention provides a method for tracking shipments during their production by one or more processing plants, comprising the following steps: Providing a plurality of original orders, each of which comprises a plurality of shipments to be generated; depending on predetermined characteristics of the shipments, generating at least one processing order, wherein the processing order comprises at least one shipment to be generated from different original orders; and Processing the processing order by one or more processing plants in order to generate the respective shipments from the original orders; where each shipment to be generated is uniquely assigned in the original orders of the corresponding shipment in the processing order in order to enable the tracking of a shipment from the original order during its processing, based on the assignment.

[0015] The present invention provides a method for tracking shipments during their production by one or more processing plants, comprising the following steps: Providing at least one original order that includes a plurality of shipments to be generated; depending on predetermined characteristics of the shipments, generating a plurality of processing orders, each of which includes at least one shipment to be generated from the original order; and Processing of the processing orders by one or more processing plants in order to generate the respective shipments from the original order; where each shipment to be generated in the original order is uniquely assigned to the corresponding shipment in one of the processing orders in order to enable the tracking of a shipment from the original order during its processing, based on the assignment.

[0016] The present invention provides a device for generating a plurality of shipments, comprising: one or more processing plants; and a control system that is effective in operating one or more processing plants according to a method according to embodiments of the invention.

[0017] The present invention provides a computer-readable medium with a program code that includes instructions which, when the program code is executed by a computer, perform a method according to embodiments of the invention.

[0018] Further embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a well-known mailroom operated by a service provider or service provider; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a mailroom according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 a flowchart of the process according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 an example of the assignment of references between original jobs and mixed print jobs, where Fig. 4(a) shows an example of a shipment list for the original orders, and wherein Fig. 4(b) shows a shipment list for the mixed print jobs; Fig. 5 examples of assigning shipments in the original orders to shipments in the mixed print jobs, where Fig. 5(a) the shipment list from Fig. 4(a) shows, which has been supplemented by an identification list and a reference list, and wherein Fig. 5(b) shows the correspondingly supplemented shipment list for the mixed print jobs; and Fig. 6 a schematic representation of a mailroom according to a further embodiment of the invention.

[0020] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein identical or equivalently acting elements in the drawings are provided with the same reference numeral.

[0021] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a mailroom, such as one provided by a service provider, similar to the one in Fig. The arrangement shown in Figure 1. According to the invention, the orders provided by customers 106a-106c are received at the controller 108, and dispatch lists of the corresponding orders are provided to the database 110, as illustrated by arrows 114a-114d. The processing unit 109 of the controller 108 generates the mixed print job 111, and a dispatch list for the mixed print job 111 is provided to the database 110, as indicated by arrow 116. The above in connection with the Fig. The gap described in Section 1, which arises from the distribution of shipments from various customer orders into one or more mixed print jobs, is avoided according to the invention by uniquely assigning each shipment to be produced in the incoming orders to a corresponding shipment in a mixed print job or processing order 111. This is achieved, for example, through references between the incoming orders and the associated shipment, as well as the optimized processing unit, for instance, using a modified shipment number that is recorded in a reference table and assigned to the original order via the reference table. This assignment between the shipment from the original order and the shipment in the mixed print job makes it possible to map the current processing status to the original order with shipment-level accuracy at any time.Even if shipments from different orders from the same customer are packed into one envelope, this is detected and can be taken into account in the corresponding feedback. If shipments are tracked all the way to the recipient, or if the production of individual shipments is delayed due to reprints, this is also detected and reflected accordingly in the progress report.

[0022] For the service provider, this opens up the possibility of further savings, as optimal distribution of received shipments to the processing facilities is now easily possible, since customers can always be informed about the progress, thus creating the possibility of passing on the savings achieved through optimization to the clients.

[0023] Thus, according to exemplary embodiments of the invention, the control unit 108 combines the received original orders or print orders from the perspective of optimizing processing, e.g. with regard to envelope size, postage, material and the like, in order to generate one or more new print orders, the so-called processing orders or mixed print orders.Both the original orders and the mixed print order contain shipments, with corresponding shipment lists being passed to control 108, as shown by arrows 114 and 116, and in control 108 the aforementioned allocation of shipments in the original orders and in the mixed print order takes place, so that via control 108 the shipments in the mixed orders, which can be tracked by control 108, can be assigned to the corresponding original orders, thereby enabling a determination of the progress with regard to the processing of the individual shipments.

[0024] The invention thus provides an approach that enables the traceability of customer orders even in multi-stage manufacturing processes involving reprinting and order optimization based on processing and shipping criteria. A particular advantage is that the progress of processing the original orders or print jobs can be readily determined, shipments from the original orders can be tracked, and the processing equipment can be optimized simultaneously, for example, with regard to material costs. Exemplary embodiments thus allow the number of shipments actually processed from the original order to be determined based on the unique assignment, enabling the reimbursement of postage or material costs to customers or precise billing only for those shipments that were actually produced.

[0025] According to another embodiment, shipments from one or more original orders can be combined, taking into account the specifications of a delivery service, in order to, for example, obtain a discount on postage for delivery to the recipients. For instance, shipments from one or more original orders can be grouped and processed together according to the destination areas (e.g., according to the postal codes or a portion thereof of the recipient addresses), so that the delivery service does not need to sort by delivery area, resulting in a discount on the postage for the shipments.Alternatively, shipments of the same size or weight can be combined, eliminating the need for sorting by size or weight at the delivery service. This also leads to a reduction in postage costs for the delivery provider due to the reduced processing effort. Because of the inventive allocation of the combined shipments to the shipments in the one or more original orders, the aforementioned discounts can now also be applied to each shipment in the original order.

[0026] This is based on Fig. The embodiment described in Section 2 was explained in connection with a mailroom service provider; however, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this field of application. Rather, the inventive approach can also be used when employing one or more processing systems within a company, for example, within a bank or an insurance company. In this case, the processing system or systems receive various internal company orders, which can be combined into a single print job to optimize the processing of the different internal orders, again with regard to the capabilities of the available processing systems and / or with regard to the target area to which the mailings are addressed.This also results in an optimization of resources for internal applications, while simultaneously making it possible to track individual shipments during processing despite the mixing of individual orders.

[0027] Based on the Fig. Section 3 describes an embodiment of the method according to the invention in more detail. In step S100, one or more orders 105a-105c, the so-called original orders, are received, each order defining a plurality of shipments to be produced and forwarded to a recipient 104a, 104b. The shipments contain data that defines the shipment to be produced and forwarded, for example, the data to be printed, information about the size of the individual sheets or envelopes to be used, imprints on the envelope, and the like.The shipments contained in the various original orders are provided to control 108 and in step S102 the received shipments from the original orders are combined into one or more mixed print jobs for optimization of the processing and / or dispatch of the same, whereby for the following description it is assumed that the shipments received from the received envelope orders are combined into a mixed print job.The shipment list relating to the mixed print job is provided to database 110, similar to the shipment lists relating to the original jobs, and furthermore, control 108 assigns the shipments in the original jobs to the shipments in the mixed print job, for example by assigning corresponding references or identifications to each shipment in the original job and by assigning a corresponding identification to the corresponding shipment in the mixed print job, as shown in step S104.

[0028] As an alternative to the procedure described above, it is possible, according to the exemplary implementations, to receive only one original order that includes several shipments to be generated, e.g., shipments of different sizes. In this case, the shipments are distributed and processed across several processing orders, e.g., depending on the size of the shipments. Again, the shipments are assigned to the shipments in the mixed processing orders in the manner described above.

[0029] Furthermore, according to other embodiments, it may be possible to split a shipment from the original order during processing, for example, if the number of sheets in the shipment exceeds the number that the processing system can handle, such as the maximum number of sheets that a folding unit or collating station can process simultaneously. In such a case, the shipment in the mixed processing order is split into two or more shipments (partial shipments). The split shipments, like the undivided shipments, are assigned to their corresponding shipment in the original order (each partial shipment is assigned to the corresponding shipment in the original order).

[0030] Subsequently, in step S106, the mixed print job is processed by making the mixed print job available to one or more of the processing systems 100, 102 for the production of the individual shipments.

[0031] During the processing of a merged print job, a customer may request to be informed about the progress of their order or a shipment from an original order. A corresponding request is received in step S108. In response to this request, step S110 accesses control 108 to locate the corresponding shipment within the merged print job, based on the customer's information about the shipment in the original order. In step S112, the processing progress of this shipment is recorded and displayed to the requesting customer in step S114. The processing progress can indicate, for example, that processing of the shipment has not yet started, that the shipment is already being processed, or that processing has already been completed.Instead of inquiring about the processing status of individual items, the client can also request the processing progress of the entire order. The processing progress of the original order is obtained by tracking the processing progress of the corresponding items in the merged print order via the references assigned to it, summarizing the results, and transmitting this information to the client. From this information, the client can see which items have not yet been processed, which are currently being processed, and which have already been processed. For items currently being processed, the system can also indicate their stage of processing, such as whether they are currently being printed, inserted into envelopes, or leaving the inserter.

[0032] If further tracking is carried out up to the recipient, this information may also be passed on to the client.

[0033] Based on the Fig. Section 4 below provides a more detailed example of how references can be assigned between original orders and processing orders or mixed print orders. Fig. 4(a) shows an example of shipment lists that are transferred to database 110 for the original orders. The in Fig. 4(a) Shipment list 120 shown comprises a sub-list 122 concerning a first order (original order A) and the further sub-lists 124, 126, which contain the shipments of original orders B and C. Sub-lists 122-126 each list the corresponding shipments, which for the sake of simplicity are represented as shipments 1 to 3. Fig. Figure 4(b) shows the shipment list 128 for the mixed print jobs provided to the database 110 by the processing unit 109 of the controller 108. This list comprises a first sublist 130 for a first mixed print job and a second sublist 132 for a second mixed print job. Depending on the circumstances, as mentioned above, only one mixed print job may be generated, which then contains information for generating the shipments by different processing units. In this case, shipment list 128 contains only one sublist. The first mixed print job (processing job 1) contains shipments from the different original jobs that have been combined in this processing job 1 according to the criteria described above regarding optimal processing and / or optimal dispatch.The second processing order comprises shipments from the different original orders, which have been grouped according to other criteria. According to the invention, the lists 120 and 128 provided to database 110 are linked, as shown by arrows 134, so that the shipments contained in the corresponding processing orders 1 and 2 are assigned to the shipments in original orders A to C. The references are in . Fig. 4. This is schematically represented by arrows 1341 to 1349. Thus, for example, there is a clear assignment of shipment 1 in original order A to the corresponding shipment in processing order 1, as shown by arrow 1341. A similar assignment of the remaining shipments in the original orders is achieved in the same way.

[0034] Fig. Figure 5 shows examples of possible assignments of the shipments in the original orders to the shipments in the processing orders. Fig. Figure 5(a) shows the shipment list 120 stored in the database 110 for the original orders, which has been supplemented by an identification list according to a first embodiment or by a reference list according to a second embodiment. Fig. Figure 5(b) shows the correspondingly amended dispatch list 128 for the mixed print jobs. In Fig. 5(a) In accordance with the first embodiment, each shipment in the original orders received by the controller 108 is assigned a unique identifier, for example, the identification numbers 1 to 9. The controller 108 is configured to assign the identification numbers assigned to the shipments of the original orders to the corresponding shipments in the processing orders, based on the received original orders and the received mixed orders, as described in Fig. 5(b) is shown. This is done based on the Fig. 4. The arrows show the allocation of shipments in the original orders to the corresponding shipments in the processing orders.

[0035] According to the second embodiment, each shipment in an original order is assigned a corresponding position in one of the processing orders, and the shipments in the processing orders are assigned the corresponding position in the original orders. For example, consider shipment 1 in original order A in shipment list 120. This shipment has the reference VA1.2, which means that this shipment corresponds to the shipment in processing order 1 at the second position. Corresponding references exist for the other shipments. Similarly, the second entry in processing order 1 of shipment list 128 contains the reference OA1.1, which means that shipment 1 at this position corresponds to the shipment at position 1 in original order 1.

[0036] Using the references described above, it is therefore possible to track the entire original order or individual shipments of the same, since the assignment is unambiguous via the lists shown and can be retrieved at any time.

[0037] Based on the Fig. 2 described an example in which several processing plants are provided for which a common mixed print job is supplied. Fig. Figure 6 shows another example of a mailroom service provider using a schematic diagram. Similar to the one in Fig. 1. Different orders 106a-106c are received at the control unit 108, and mixed print jobs 111a and 111b are generated via a corresponding processing station 109 according to predetermined criteria, as explained above. The dispatch lists for the original orders and for the mixed print jobs are passed to the database 110 via the device 109, as indicated by arrows 114 and 116. The dispatches in the different lists are then assigned to each other in the manner described above. In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, as mentioned, two mixed print jobs 118a and 118b are generated, which have been combined according to different criteria, for example, to ensure an optimal arrangement of the individual sheets to be produced on a paper web generated by the printer 100a of the processing system 100. The paper web can, for example, be supplied to the printer 100a in the form of a roll, which then prints the paper web according to the mixed print jobs. The paper web can then be supplied online or offline to the remaining components of the processing system, for example, the inserter 100b, which separates the individual sheets from the printed roll, assembles the individual sheets into the desired mailings, and inserts them into envelopes. Sorting can then be performed if desired.Alternatively, instead of the optimized arrangement of the individual sheets on a paper web, a single-sheet printer 100a can be controlled, so that the individual sheets produced are optimally provided to the subsequent processing systems in online operation.

[0038] At the in Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, as mentioned, two mixed print jobs 118a and 118b are generated. According to this embodiment, the first print job 118a is initially provided to the appropriately configured system 100, and the resulting mailings are forwarded to the recipient 104. After processing the first mixed print job 118a, the system 100 is reconfigured to process the mailings according to the mixed print job 118b, and this print job is then processed by the system 100. According to further embodiments, in which one or more additional processing systems are provided, the mixed print jobs 118a and 118b can also be processed in parallel.

[0039] As in Fig.As can also be seen in Figure 6, the control unit 108 also serves to control the individual components of the processing plant 100, as shown by the corresponding arrows.

[0040] Although some aspects have been described in connection with a device, it is understood that these aspects also constitute a description of the corresponding process, so that a block or component of a device can also be understood as a corresponding process step or as a feature of a process step. Similarly, aspects described in connection with or as a process step also constitute a description of a corresponding block, detail, or feature of a corresponding device.

[0041] The embodiments described above merely illustrate the principles of the present invention. It is understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be obvious to other people skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of protection set forth in the following claims and not by the specific details presented herein by way of description and explanation of the embodiments.

Claims

[1] Method for tracking shipments produced by one or more processing plants (100, 102) comprising the following steps: Providing (S100) a plurality of original orders, each of which comprises a plurality of shipments to be generated; depending on predetermined characteristics of the shipments, generating (S102) at least one processing order (111, 111a, 111b), wherein the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) comprises at least one shipment to be generated from different original orders; and Processing (S106) of the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) by the one or more processing plants (100, 102) in order to generate the respective shipments from the original orders; characterized by , that Each shipment to be generated in the original orders is uniquely assigned to the corresponding shipment in the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) (S104) in order to enable the tracking (S108-S114) of a shipment from the original order during its processing, based on the assignment. wherein the processing of a processing order (111, 111a, 111b) includes printing the shipment and subsequent processing of the shipment, wherein in the event that the printing or subsequent processing of the shipment is faulty, a reprint of the shipment is carried out, wherein the identification assigned to the faulty shipment is appropriately assigned to the reprint of the new shipment, so that the unique assignment of the new shipment to the corresponding shipment in the original order is maintained. [2] Method for tracking shipments produced by one or more processing plants (100, 102) comprising the following steps: Provision (S100) of at least one original order that includes a plurality of shipments to be generated; Depending on predetermined characteristics of the shipments, generating (S102) a plurality of processing orders (111, 111a, 111b), each of the processing orders (111, 111a, 111b) comprising at least one shipment to be generated from the original order; and Processing (S106) the processing orders (111, 111a, 111b) by the one or more processing plants (100, 102) in order to generate the respective shipments from the original order; characterized by , that Each shipment to be generated in the original order is uniquely assigned to the corresponding shipment in one of the processing orders (111, 111a, 111b) (S104) in order to enable the tracking (S108-S114) of a shipment from the original order during its processing, based on the assignment. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assignment comprises: Assigning a unique identifier to each consignment in an original order, and assigning the unique identifier to the corresponding consignment in a processing order (111, 111a, 111b), [4] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assignment comprises: Assigning a first unique identifier to each consignment in an original order, wherein the first unique identifier identifies the consignment corresponding to a consignment in the original order in a processing order (111, 111a, 111b), and / or assigning a second unique identifier to each consignment in a processing order (111, 111a, 111b), wherein the second unique identifier identifies the consignment corresponding to a consignment in the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) in an original order. [5] Method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the identification is printed on the shipment produced during processing, or wherein the identification is assigned to a shipment ID that is associated with the shipment produced by processing. [6] Method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the assignment comprises storing the original order, the processing order (111, 111a, 111b) and the identifications in a controller (108), wherein the controller (108) is accessed for tracking a shipment. [7] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tracking of a shipment indicates whether its processing has begun, whether it is being processed, or whether its processing has been completed. [8] Method according to claim 7, wherein a processing progress is displayed during the processing of the shipment (S114). [9] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each shipment defines one or more printed sheets to be produced, with each printed sheet being assigned a dimension and printing data. [10] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a processing order (111, 111a, 111b) is generated such that a processing plant (100, 102) used to generate the shipments operates optimally. [11] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein consignments from the original order of the same size, same postage, same material and / or same destination area are combined into a processing order (111, 111a, 111b). [12] Method according to claim 11, wherein generating a processing order (111, 111a, 111b) comprises generating multiple print streams to produce printed sheets for the shipments such that the printed sheets are optimally arranged on a paper web provided to the processing plant (100, 102), or that the printed sheets are produced by a single printer in an optimal sequence for processing by the processing plant (100, 102). [13] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the processing of a processing order (111, 111a, 111b) comprises printing, enveloping, sorting and / or franking. [14] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the number of shipments actually processed from the original order is determined based on the unique assignment. [15] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein a plurality of processing plants (100, 102) are provided to process two or more processing jobs (111, 111a, 111b) in parallel. [16] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the processing plant (100, 102) is operated by a service provider who receives the original orders from different clients. [17] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein a plurality of original orders are provided, wherein one or more processing orders (111, 111a, 111b) are generated, and wherein a processing order (111, 111a, 111b) comprises shipments for processing by one or more processing plants (100, 102). [18] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein generating a processing order (111, 111a, 111b) comprises splitting one or more shipments from an original order into several partial shipments, wherein the several partial shipments are uniquely assigned to the corresponding shipment in the original order. [19] Computer-readable medium with program code comprising instructions which, when the program code is executed by a computer, perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 18. [20] Device for generating multiple shipments, comprising: one or more processing plants (100, 102); and a control system (108) that is effective in operating the one or more processing plants (100, 102) according to the method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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