Standard Procedures · Workflow & Operations
Operation stage 1→2
Creating a Simple 3D Print Job Log
Keep each job, owner and result in one shared record.
The result
A shared queue that tells the next operator what to run, which setup to use and what happened to the last job.
Before you start
- One person responsible for the queue.
- A shared document or system accessible to the people who submit and operate jobs.
The essentials
Without a job log, print requests arrive by text, verbal handoff, or sticky note. Jobs collide. Priority is invisible. When something goes wrong, there's no record of what was queued, who requested it, or what material was loaded. A single shared spreadsheet fixes this.
Who it is for
Teams or individuals running 1–3 printers where jobs are assigned verbally or informally, with no written record of what's printing, what's queued, or what's been completed.
Follow the procedure
- 1.
Create a Google Sheet with seven columns
Job Name, Requester, File Name, Material, Estimated Print Time, Status (Queued / Printing / Done / Failed), and Notes.
- 2.
Name the file clearly and set access
Use a recognisable name such as Print Queue. Give the intended operators edit access and requesters the access they need. Avoid a public edit link.
- 3.
Set a rule: no file prints without a log entry
The log entry goes in before the print starts. Not after. This is the only habit that makes the system work.
- 4.
Designate one person to own the queue
They review priorities, archive completed jobs without deleting their history, and flag anything stalled.
- 5.
Log the setup used on every job
Record material type, colour and brand, plus the machine and profile version. This gives a failed print a starting point for investigation.
- 6.
Add a Status column with consistent values
Queued, Printing, Done, Failed. Four options only.
- 7.
Run it for two weeks before adding anything
Two weeks of clean data is worth more than a feature-heavy sheet nobody fills in.
If this happens
A request has no file version or material specified.
Leave it queued and obtain the missing information before printing.
Two jobs compete for the same machine.
Have the queue owner confirm priority and update the record so both requesters see the same decision.
A job fails or is cancelled.
Keep the entry, record the result and create a clearly identified retry rather than overwriting the history.
Check your result
- 01A colleague can find the next job without asking the original operator.
- 02A completed or failed job retains its file, material, profile and result.
- 03Only the intended operators can change the queue.
Check your understanding
Read the reasoning
The history is part of the handover. A failed job should be distinguishable from its retry, with enough context to investigate it.
STANDARD PRINT CO. Products That Help
Understand the process and the responsibilities around a printing program. Hands-on operation begins at Level 2.
Guides and operational references for teams building their first systems.
Make the queue visible to everyone
Your job log should record which slicer profile was used
More in Workflow & Operations
Background reading
The theory behind these procedures, in STANDARD Knowledge.