Frequently Asked Questions

What is AFP?

AFP stands for Advanced Function Presentation and is a coordinated set of document creation, viewing, archiving and printing hardware, software and services. AFP defines native text, image, graphics and bar code objects that can be combined to create page content and provides a means for managing fonts, overlays and other resource objects such as ICC profiles for color management. AFP can encapsulate other standard document formats such as TIFF, JPEG and PDF. AFP documents may be indexed to facilitate navigation in viewing and reconfiguration for complex production workflow.

Who uses AFP?

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AFP is generated by applications in the insurance, banking and mission critical industries who need to insure reliable reproduction across the print and viewing environments and complete page integrity in the production environment.
For more detail about AFP and the benefits it brings,  watch the next two videos: "Looking for the value of AFP?" and "What's a Presentation Architecture?"

Looking for the value of AFP?

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What is a Presentation Architecture?

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What's the difference between AFP and PDF?

While PDF has its origins in the graphic arts and ubiquitous desktop viewing, the emphasis for AFP is very high speed variable data printing. Fundamental to AFP is built in job ticketing with the FormDef and the Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS) which enables resource management, error recovery and consistent output across vendor products. However, as AFP grows and evolves, it is expanding its presence in the graphic arts and desktop viewing fields.

How do I get answers to technical questions about AFP?

If you have technical questions about AFP, there is now an AFP Forum where you can ask questions and get answers from other users who are knowledgeable about AFP. To join the conversation, register at afp-forums.org.

Please note: This is a moderated community platform, sponsored by the AFP Consortium. While the AFP Consortium sponsors this forum, the ideas and information exchanged are independent of the AFP Consortium and do not reflect the official policy or position of the AFP Consortium.