Frequently Asked Questions

The what, why, and how of Partnering with Tharstern

Tharstern Desktop FAQs

Is Tharstern Desktop only for the print industry?

Broadly, yes. But we have companies who label themselves as being in the mailing, communication, and fulfillment industries, to name a few.

Does Tharstern Desktop come in other languages?

No, just English.

How is Tharstern Desktop licensed?

Tharstern is SaaS-based and our users pay monthly for their subscription. For our Desktop product, we have two subscription levels - Standard and Premium. See Tharstern Desktop plans

Do I have to buy a minimum amount of licenses?

For our Desktop product yes, there is a minimum of 5 user licenses.

Is Tharstern SaaS-based (Software as a Service)?

Yes, Tharstern is SaaS-based, with our users being billed monthly for their software subscription.

How much does Tharstern Desktop cost?

This can vary based on the level of specialist functionality you require and the level of automation and integration you want to achieve. Because every company has varying needs we will tailor a package to suit your individual business needs and budget after an initial call with our team.

Do I own the software once I’ve installed it?

No, you have to pay a monthly subscription fee to continue your use of the software. But the data within it is yours and you own that. You are free to take that out whenever you want it and we don’t have access to it unless granted by the customer.

Is Tharstern Desktop just for litho printers?

No, one of our USPs is that we support all the major disciplines of print within the same software system, which is great for our customers because they can have different types of machines and still use one system. If they want to diversify in the future, we’ve got them covered.

Can I use Tharstern Desktop on a Mac?

Sales, CSRs and estimating teams can use any device they like to create and track quotes, RFQs, and orders, including Macs. For other MIS functionality such as job management and reporting, you can use an application such as Parallels software to create a windows environment on a Mac.

Can I access Tharstern Desktop on my smartphone or tablet?

Yes, dependent on your role. We've developed multiple interfaces to our desktop software to cater to the requirements of different roles within a printing company. Sales, CSR, and estimating teams can create and track quotes, RFQs, and orders on any device, in any location. Shop floor technicians can use tablets to record production operations, and warehouse staff can use barcode scanners or smartphones to carry out warehousing activities.  Other functionality such as job management and reporting does need a PC to use. 

Can Tharstern help small print companies?

Yes absolutely! We have many small print customers who have chosen Tharstern. You can compare our products by company size, sector and available features to find the best solution for your business here.

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Tharstern Cloud FAQs

How is Tharstern Cloud licensed?

Tharstern is SaaS-based and our users pay monthly for their subscription. For our Cloud product, we have adopted a usage-based model, so you only pay for what you use. See Tharstern Cloud pricing

Do I have to buy a minimum amount of licenses?

For our Cloud product no, because pricing is based on usage and not user licenses.

How much does Tharstern Cloud cost?

Pricing is usage-based and details can be found on the Tharstern Cloud pricing page along with a handy calculator to estimate your cost.

Can I use Tharstern Cloud on a Mac?

Yes. Tharstern Cloud is a browser-based application meaning you can use it on any device with a web browser.

Can I use Tharstern Cloud on my smartphone or tablet?

Yes, you can use Tharstern Cloud on your smartphone or tablet, though we don't recommend using it on anything smaller than a tablet because the nature of an MIS solution means there is a lot of data to display, and this may be hard to read on a small screen.

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General Tharstern FAQs

Is Tharstern software only for the print industry?

Broadly, yes. But we have companies who label themselves as being in the mailing, communication, and fulfillment industries, to name a few.

Is Tharstern a UK company?

Our headquarters are based in Colne, Lancashire, in the UK. However, we also have staff in the USA with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia and we have distributors of our software in Australia and New Zealand.

Where did the name Tharstern come from?

This is actually a funny story. There is no Ms or Mr Tharstern, it’s not the name of anybody or anything, it’s not an abbreviation or two words joined together. It was actually from an off the shelf company package which our founding owner, Keith Harrison, chose. He was an accountant and was notoriously tight. He bought an off the shelf package that already had a name which most people decide to change. However, Keith refused to pay the small fee to change the name and so Tharstern it was. 39 years later it’s a bit late to change it, but we wouldn’t want to anyway! We’ve all grown to love it.

Is Tharstern developed in the UK?

Yes, we have a team of developers at our UK headquarters in Colne. We also have a team of remote developers whom we use from time to time.

Which countries do you sell Tharstern in?

We sell Tharstern in a number of different countries including the UK and Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa but we’re happy to speak to companies in other countries provided that they are comfortable with the software only being available in English.

Are your employees from a print background?

All of our customer-facing team are from either a print background, a technical background or both. We also have lots of technical people such as our team of developers and integration specialists. You can check out our meet the team page to find out more about our people as they discuss their role at Tharstern and their previous experience in the industry!

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Print MIS FAQs

What is Print Estimating Software?

Print estimating software helps you create more accurate print estimates, much faster. It calculates all the costs associated with producing a job, before applying your chosen markup, ensuring every print job is profitable - even the most complex ones.

Why do I need a print MIS?

An MIS will sit at the heart of your business and help you gather accurate information, improve business processes, increase efficiency, build customer relationships and make it easier to run all the departments in your print business from one place.

Why should my MIS have an API?

If your MIS has a built-in API, you’ll be better able to customize your system and will never be restricted to who you can work with. Using the API to integrate your MIS with other vendors makes it easier to share data between applications, improves the quality of your information and future-proofs your investment.

What is print automation?

Print automation is about removing unnecessary manual work and touchpoints from production processes, and freeing up time that could be spent on more complex jobs. Utilizing technology and creating automated workflows also helps to speed up estimating and job lifecycles.

What is a print workflow?

A print workflow is a process through which your jobs flow – from the initial quote through to production and delivery. Print Workflows can be manual or they can be automated using technology.

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