When you’re ready to move forward with your print production workflow, you can create a print job to generate a production-ready file.
There are three ways to retrieve the print production file from Printlane:
1. Export manually from Printlane Studio
In the overview of designs, click the Download button next to the design you want to export. This will generate a file based on the export settings of the template the design is based on.
If you need to change the export settings for this specific design, click the button with the Cog icon in the overview of designs. This allows you to modify the export settings for that particular design.
To change the export settings for all future designs based on the same template, you need to update the export settings in the template itself. Learn more about this process in this article.
2. Export using a direct link
When the Printlane Designer is integrated into your online store, it automatically adds a unique reference to each created design in the order line items. This reference follows this format: 45.3618204e-f166-4a53-8a7f-0ce2828b17ca.
You can use this reference to directly download the design using the following URL structure:
https://export.printlane.com/:storeId/:designReference
To use this link, replace :storeId with your Printlane Store ID, which you can find on the Settings page, and replace :designReference with the reference from the order line item. For example:
https://export.printlane.com/589adada754c20089ed6cfd8/45.3618204e-f166-4a53-8a7f-0ce2828b17ca
Opening this link will download the file, just like clicking the Download button in Printlane Studio. This method is useful if you need a direct link to export a design without user interaction.
Warning: To prevent unauthorized access to print production files, you must be be logged in to Printlane. If you’re not authenticated, the direct link will redirect you to the login page.
This method allows you to add direct links to order detail pages, order confirmation emails, or other automated workflows—eliminating the need to manually find and download the design in Printlane Studio.
3. Export using the Printlane API
The third option for exporting designs is integrating with the Printlane API. This enables you to automate the retrieval of print production files as soon as an order is placed.
Here are some possible actions you can take after downloading the print production file:
Upload to an FTP server
Save to a hot folder
Send the file to printing software
Generate a packing slip
Although this method requires API integration, it provides the highest level of flexibility, allowing you to fully automate the export process and seamlessly integrate print production files into your workflow.
For more details on how to connect with the API, refer to this article.