Regardless of the platform, and technology, or the exact order of machines that make up the line, the concept is usually the same. A platform provides the host the capability to decorate or otherwise process a product and allows this fulfilled item to be traced and routed back to the "control space" of the host system. A generic line control should provide the ability to control this flow of products and orders and interface with the world around it. This should be done in a manner that allows

• item-based tracking and reporting on production progress
• sufficient logging and triaging capability in case things go wrong
• managing the internal production queue to maintain efficient production levels
• various levels of access for different users
• flexibility in configuration for deployment in different environments with various hosts and even with different use of hardware
• creating a familiar look and feel over platforms to ease training and usage within the same environment