Whether you’re running a busy print shop or managing design assets for multiple clients, efficiency matters. Repetitive edits, brand inconsistencies, and backlogged approvals slow everything down.
However, there is a solution. And that is smart templates.
Smart templates are more than just editable files—they’re scalable, brand-safe design tools that streamline production for you, your team, and your customers.
In this post, we’ll explore what smart templates are, why designers love them, and how they help print businesses improve margins and deliver a better experience.
What Are Smart Templates?
Smart templates are pre-designed layouts embedded with editable fields such as text, logos, images, and contact details. They allow users to customize content within clearly defined rules set by the designer.
Editable, Not Breakable: Unlike static designs or open files, smart templates lock down structure, fonts, and brand elements. Customers can update the content—but not the structure or core layout.
Always on Brand: Because designers define the boundaries, every edit stays within your brand guidelines.
Ideal for Repeat Products: From business cards to brochures, these templates are perfect for products that need regular updates across teams or locations.
Benefits for Designers: Speed and Consistency
Smart templates aren’t about replacing designers—they’re about maximizing their skills, when they’re needed most.
Fewer One-Off Requests: No more tweaking phone numbers or changing logos ten times a day. Templates let users make simple edits themselves, freeing your designers from repetitive admin.
Protect Brand Guidelines: Designers control the layout, fonts, spacing, and colors—ensuring every version looks polished and on-brand, no matter who’s using it.
Focus on Creative Work: Less versioning means more time for strategic design. Instead of doing minor updates, your team can focus on high-impact creative that drives results.
Benefits for Customers: Easy Customization
Smart templates turn your print platform into a self-service tool that customers actually enjoy using.
No Design Skills Needed: Customers can personalize templates with just a few clicks—swapping text, images, or contact details without opening design software or sending emails.
Greater Engagement and Confidence: Seeing a live preview before ordering builds confidence and reduces back-and-forth. Customers feel in control of the process, which leads to better satisfaction and loyalty.
Faster Order-to-Print Time: Customization, proofing and approval happen in minutes—not days. That means orders hit production faster and arrive sooner.
Implementing Templates into Your Workflow
Bringing smart templates into your business doesn’t have to be complex. Here’s how to make it work:
Use a Web-to-Print Platform with a Built-In Template Editor: Look for systems that support dynamic templates, live previews, and variable data fields. Bonus points for mobile optimization and CRM integration.
Offer Role-Based Access: Give marketing managers full control, while branch teams or sales reps get restricted access. That way, the right people make the right edits—without compromising the design.
Build Templates for High-Volume Products: Focus first on your most frequently ordered items: business cards, flyers, signage, and promo materials. Once live, templates can save hours of admin time every week.
How Templates Improve Profit Margins
Smart templates aren’t just a workflow upgrade—they’re margin boosters.
Faster Turnaround = More Volume: Self-serve customization means you can process more jobs, more quickly, without needing extra staff.
Reduce Overhead on Design Support: By automating low-value edits, you cut down the hours spent on manual design changes. That reduces costs and frees up your team to focus on revenue-driving work.
Upsell Editable Portals to B2B Clients: Smart templates are especially valuable for clients with multiple users or locations. Offer them branded portals with pre-approved templates—it’s a powerful upsell that creates recurring revenue.
It’s Time to Think Smart
Smart templates don’t just streamline print production—they future-proof it. For designers, they protect creative standards and eliminate repetitive work. For customers, they offer flexibility, confidence, and speed. And for your business, they unlock efficiency, scalability, and profit.
If you’re still sending PDFs back and forth or manually editing orders, it’s time to make the switch.
Discover More
To learn how Infigo could transform your workflows, download our guide Workflow Bottlenecks: The Hidden Cost in Print Operations and How to Fix Them now.