A variable data printing (VDP) method is disclosed. The method takes advantage of the capacity of a print shop to increase overall throughput of a VDP production. The shop management software running on a server provides the ability for a print shop operator to divide the VDP production and submit it to multiple printers so that each printer prints different pieces of the production. In one method, the operator enters a division rule to divide the VDP production based on the variable data. In another method, the server automatically determines how to divide the VDP production based on performance of the printers and other the volume of the VDP production.