About this documentation

This user documentation covers introduction, configuration and use of PLANPOINT 7.0.

Getting started

Getting started with configuring PLANPOINT is following a few simple steps. The complexity of the products that are to be configured adds to complexity and number of items, of course.

In order to create and plan a newspaper or magazine in PLANPOINT, a number of configuration tasks must be performed in a specific sequence. The following text is intended only as a rough outline of these steps.

Please consult the individual work steps in the corresponding chapters of this manual for a more detailed explanation of each function, menu and tool mentioned in the list.

1. Set up the page layouts in the Page Layout editor menu. This function applies to all products to be planned and paginated. The page layout defines the size of the page, margins and number of columns.

2. A new Product (newspaper, magazine) is defined. The product defines the title from bookingsystem with zones and sections to be available for planning. You may also add values for the same product to integrate to the editorial system where values may differ from booking system.

3. When the Product has been created, all the product specific data is entered into other Administration menus:

   • Editorial Department, defining page folio attributes to be brought to the editorial system.

   • Departments, defining the parameter for each type of page, unique or for a number of pages. You would probably need a department describing “Frontpage” as unique, another department “Real Estate” used for a number of pages in the newspaper. The department defines which placements is designated for page, desired maximum ad filling percentage, placement algorithms and Indesign template. Finally a default Editorial Department is added to the department.

   • Classified category, defines which classified placements and subplacements belong to a classified section. The preferred sort order and the classified headers are defined.

4. After you have input the base data, you can Create Publication for one or more
   days in the Product panel menu. Here you can assign the required Publication Zones and Sections for the intended publication date or select a previously saved Publication Template to start planning quicker.

5. Now you can begin working on the pub dates available in the Product panel.

6. If you have not assigned a pre-configured Template to the publication date, upon selecting the issue date you want to work with, you then begin assigning the necessary Departments and/or Editorial Departments.

7. After the pages are defined with their corresponding placement information, you can start placing ads. PLANPOINT does not stipulate a mandatory sequence therefore you can autofloat or manually place ROP ads or classifieds pending availability in the respective tab panels.

8. If you need to create variations (adding or removing pages) on the planning to accommodate breaking news events or late arriving ad materials, then once again from the Product panel you Create from current plan different Product versions which stores a history of the plan possibilities with Restore points should the page count ultimately not change.

9. Throughout the course of your planning, you perform a number of Release plan functions to transfer the designated news pages to the editorial department for further editing.

Starting the Application

Login

Access to PLANPOINT is provided through an Internet URL address. This address should be provided by your system administrator and entered in the address field of your web browser.

The address points your browser to the PLANPOINT server. First time you access the server, the browser will automatically start downloading the PLANPOINT application to your computer.

Installing Java

PLANPOINT requires Java to run. Java is a set of instructions that expand the capabilities of your web browser. In most cases PLANPOINT will install the correct version of Java automatically. However local security rules and issues may prevent this. If you experience problems installing Java please contact your system administrator.

You can read more about Java here: Java Runtime Environment

Login window

Once all application codes are loaded, a login window, similar to the window shown below, will appear.

Use the Name and the Password fields to enter a correct identification.

Open

User Name
Enter a valid username here.

Password
Enter the associated password here. For security reasons, the password will be displayed as dots when typing.

If the checkbox “Remember Password” is shown you can check this and your password will be auto completed at next login.

Hit the Login button or press [Enter] to activate the login procedure. If the username and password is correct PLANPOINT proceeds to the main workspace window. Otherwise, the user is informed that there is an error in the entries.

Logout

Closing or exiting PLANPOINT is only a matter of navigating to the General menu in the upper left-hand corner of the application and selecting Close ADPOINT or mouse-clicking the [ X ] in the upper right-hand corner of the window as is standard functionality in most programs.

Open

Workspace

This chapter explains how the PLANPOINT module has been laid out to provide fast and accurate tools for optimal productivity.

Panels

• Product panel shows the products and productions that are currently in the planning phase.

• Page panel shows the pages of the selected production/zone/section. This is the active working panel for a PLANPOINT user.

• ROP panel shows the “run-of-paper” ad bookings for the publication date. The selection of ads varies according to the selections you make in the other panels and in the Filter Modification controls.

• Classified panel shows the available classified ad bookings for the publication date. The selection of ads varies according to the selections you make in the other panels and in the Filter Modification controls.

• Fillers panel displays the available and administrated filler material.

• Dashboard panel provides a calculated report of all imported ROP and classified ad bookings for the active publication date.

Each of the above mentioned Panels is described in greater functional detail in forthcoming chapters.

Order panel ROP

Booking data is displayed as text only or as icons with a larger preview – each booking represented by one row. In list view you can click on the column header to sort list on this column, click again to toggle descending/ascending.

As in ADPOINT user can access different column definitions, showing the data that is relevant to the immediate workflow focus.

Order panel Classified

Booking data is displayed as text only – in the classified tab the bookings are grouped by classification and subclassifications.

Filler panel

Fillers are non booked assets that can be placed on pages to add information or as, the name of tab  suggests, to fill space between ads. Fillers can be presented as a list or as icons with larger preview in the same way as ROP.

Navigating plans

When Planning module is open the production panel will show coming productions by default grouped on product. Production will show up with publication date, a name may have been added to this as well.

Clicking on the production unfolds the zones and the sections that are configured for the selected production. The Pages panel populates showing the pages of each section/zone in individual rows. The scroll bar allows  you to scroll to the end.

When you select a section in the production the pages format differently, showing the pages of the section in as many rows as requires – depending on zoom level.

Zooming is handled with the little slider just below the scrollbar.

1. Folio/Absolute/Both:
   Shows page number restarting with 1 for each section (folio) or the the absolute page number in production

2. Show the editorial department on/off:
   Editorial department is used as info to planner and can also be sent to editorial system to trigger folio information on page.

3. Show the Planner on/off
   Pages can be locked for a designated Planner – only planner can make changes to page. 

4. Show Separation icons & action on/off
   Separations xtender has more function, Shows color available on page but also hold a button to enter into page details view and an arrow up to reset advanced filtering

5. Show Note on/off
   Notes for planners info

6. Show release time on/off
   Timestamp when individual page was last released to editorial. 

7. Show preview
   Shows/hides preview of ads

8. Show Iconbar
   The iconbar over each ad shows information about ad status ready or not, if a premium placement, if ad has placement instructions, if insertion is killed after ad placed on page and if ad is awaiting financial approval 

9. Release time
   Last release time to editorial. If followed by a star not all pages are released.

Selecting pages

Select a page clicking anywhere on page. Multiple pages can be selected by dragging mouse over the desire pages. Pages can only be selected in pairs in this way. You can also select individual pages by pressing Control and selecting the desire pages.

Commands and functions

The commands and functions available at any given time is depending on the selection made – and where the mouse is placed on page. You access available commands with right click:

1. Right click on page 
   
   

    

   1. Lock page(s) will lock content and page from editing

   2. Clean page(s) clears all content on page

   3. Repositon opens a submenu allowing you to choose a placement algorithm to and reposition ads with this

   4. Autofloat ROP and classified – see more about autofloat in separate forthcoming description

   5. Create reserved are changes cursor to a drawing tool, draw a reserved area to block ads from placing and for info.

   6. Justify column will distribute ads to fill the entire column.
      
      

2. Right click on placed ad
   
   

    

   1. Unplace selected ad(s)

   2. Lock ad on page locks the individual ad(s) on page and prevent repositioning

   3. Free place allows you to place ad not snapping to columns
      
      

3. Right click below page in “status area”
   
   

   
   This open a very long list of commands related to the production you are working on. A number of these are greyed depending on configuration and state of plan/selection. 

    

   1. Release plan will send current plan to editorial system for the selected page(s)

   2. Open to print. Will send a pdf registered form Indesign to page to preconfigured target(s).

   3. Start work and lock is set when you open the page in Indesign. Can be done manually as well

   4. Lock pages, prevents editing

   5. Set departmen, opens a dialog from where you can set department on selected pages

   6. Insert page(s), before or after. Opens a dialog to specify insert of first and following pages.

   7. Save publication templates, opens a dialog where you can save new or override existing publcation template.

   8. Change planner, opens a dialog with available planners to set for page(s)

   9. Float ROP and classified, see section about autofloat.

Function Menus

To facilitate your work with PLANPOINT, various keyboard commands are available as default settings and identified below where applicable.

Important to mention is that the main Menubar is shared with the ADPOINT and OUTPUTWORKFLOW applications. However, some menus are added or changed when the PLANPOINT module is in focus. Please refer to the ADPOINT documentation for the shared menus.

Please note, that some menu points may not be available to you depending on your access level in PLANPOINT.

General menu

Language menu

Admin menu

There are a few menu points for non-administrators:

Changes menu

Outputworkflow menu

PagePlanning menu

Ad menu

Panels menu

Functional Tab Panels

As first mentioned in the chapter on “Workspace”, the PLANPOINT module is comprised of Panels. Now we take a closer look at the primary functional tabs within those Panels that are used throughout active publication page planning.

If any of the below described Tabs are not visible in your PLANPOINT session, you can open one or all any time under the Panels function menu.

ROP Tab

The ROP tab panel is your central area of information in PLANPOINT, displaying the information associated with each ad for the active publication date selected in Production panel.

Through the ROP tab panel, you can review the available ad bookings and modify the listing according to your focus:

• Unplaced, Placed & All:

  • Default yellow buttons show all ROP ads for publication with button parameters, placed/unplaced – or all.

  • Advanced filtering: Clicking once again on a all ready yellow button enables dynamic filtering where ads are shown according to page selected, either placed or unplaced. Click on page(s) itself shows placed ads on page. Click on square with pagenumber below page shows unplaced ads defined for this page. Click on “desktop” between pages shows all unplaced.

• Filter modifiers

  • Zone and Placement. When the placed/unplaced buttons are yellow these are options are greyed. If enabled the options defines whether the advanced filtering applies to placements or booked zone on selected page. If disabled all placed / unplaced are shown.

  • Premium ads: Some placements from bookingsystem are concidered Premium, fx placement for one specific page where customer pays extra. Enable Premium ads to see only these.

  • Placement instructions: Enable to see ads that have placement instructions.

  • Standby Ads: Booked fillers to be placed when appropriate. (Not shown if not available)

Classified Tab

The Classified tab panel in PLANPOINT displays the booking information associated with each main and sub classified category for the current publication date.

As in the ROP tab panel, you can review the available classified ad bookings; filter to display only certain categories; as well as create, edit and delete filters. Detailed filters can be created and used to select specific ad material.

The classified ad tab directory is a hierarchical directory. The first row shows the main or parent category placement code and below it the sub-categories down to the individual ads. From the classified ad directory you can paginate single classes or ads that are combined in a random order.

The Filter modifiers work in the same way as in the ROP tab, see above.

Fillers Tab

The Fillers tab displays the library of administrated and available in-house ads for use during ROP planning and classified pagination. You can also place fillers manually at any time by dragging and dropping from the directory onto an active page in the Central panel.

For further information on Filler administration and placement/usage parameters, please refer to the Chapter “Managing Filler Assets in the Function Tab“.

Dashboard Tab

The Dashboard tab panel here displays the current booked ad volume for two zoned editions; “MAIN” and “R_ALBLAS”.

Some planning departments determine the number of pages required for an issue by analyzing the actual ad linage volume booked for that publication date or perhaps your advertising sales department requires a report from PLANPOINT that compares booked versus received orders.

Regardless of the internal processes in your environment, the Dashboard tab panel In PLANPOINT automatically provides this information at-a-glance plus it is automatically updated  as more ad bookings are imported by the background interface processes.

The content is wholly configurable based on availability in the PLANPOINT database tables therefore the information displayed is intended to reflect your individual requirements and needs.

Symbols and warnings

Icon Bar

Icon signals properties of the individual ad. Icon bar is shown when chosen in Toolbar or mouse over the ad on page.

🔴 Status of the ad is “Not ready for page”
🔵  Status of ad is “Ready for page”
H: Hold for order
P: Premium placement
R: Placement instructions
S: Size of admaterial is different from booking
K: Killed ad
L: Locked on page

Warning Stars

Blue, yellow and red stars warns user that content in pages have changed since last release of plan. When plan is released again warnings are reset.

Base Product Configuration

In order to plan a newspaper or magazine with PLANPOINT, it is necessary to input certain base product information which defines the overall physical appearance of the newspaper or magazine and which also then serves as a trigger for PLANPOINT’s automated features to be activated during ROP ad placement and especially for use in classified pagination.

Before you start defining the product parameters, you must first define the Page Layout (column grids) as applicable for your newspaper and/or magazine.

Page Layout Editor

Click on Outputworkflow => Page Layout editor to create a new page layout. A window will then appear displaying a directory of all the page layouts.

The Page Layout describes the size, margins, columns and gutters on the page. Page Layouts must be defined before Products and Departments can be created.

The example shown below is for a basic Editorial tabloid product.

New creates an empty Page Layout.

Clone an existing to create a new Page Layout with minor changes.

Specify the Size of the page and the Margins.

Set number of Columns and the vertical Gutter between columns.

Set the preferred horizontal space between Ad placement(s) in Gutter between ads.

Finally confirm your additions or changes by clicking on the Apply button or green Save button which also closes the window.

Placement Administration

The information and values found in the Admin => Placement administration window are automatically added via the configured interface between PLANPOINT/ADPOINT and the ad booking system. Best practice dictates that the information appearing here is always imported through the ad interface but not manually input. The placements are registered for each Product.

The attribute Premium can be imported from bookingsystem but can also be added in Planpoint. When this is set all existing and future bookings with future insertions for the placement is updated with Premium flag.

Color can be set to make it easier to identify ads on pages.

Conversely it is possible to Remove entries if indeed the booking code is no longer used, however this should be first verified with the administrators of the ad order entry system.

Editorial Department Editor

Click on PagePlanning => Editorial Department editor to create a new editorial department.

Editorial departments define or describe the content of the planned news/editorial pages. Additionally, there may be a 1:1 relationship between the editorial designation and an ad placement request. This editorial:ad relationship is then associated in the Department Editor.

New creates an empty Editorial Department entry mask.

Clone an existing to create a new Editorial Department with minor changes.

Specify the parent which refers to the Product or Publication Title the editorial department is associated.

The code is typically a shortname referenced by or in the editorial system itself. PLANPOINT uses the code field within the Pages panel and the Department Editor.

The name is a comment or longname for the code.

Department Editor

Click on PagePlanning => Department editor to create a new department.

Departments are the “building blocks” with which you can describe the page plan. The department defines the characteristics regarding size, ads, ad placement of one or more pages.

Name

Departments are linked with the existence of a Product therefore a Product must first be administrated before you are able to create any Departments.

The Name is typically one which identifies the content of a page be it editorial or advertising related.

Page layout

The Page Layout refers to the previously configured column grid definitions (Editorial, Ads etc.).

Editorial department

Here you associate an already administrated Editorial Department with a Department. It is not necessary to have all of the Editorial Departments available at the time of creation as you can update the Departments as often as necessary or conditions change.

Editorial template

Here you associate an Adobe InDesign template name for Department. This name will be sent to editorial system with an .indd extension.

Layout template

Here you associate an Adobe InDesign template with a Department for usage during planning and on-the-fly page creation.

Intention

Identify pages and placements that are unique.

Placement matchings

The placement matchings are designated for the department in a placement priority order. On a page 3 for example you may have placement code 1P3. This goes in as first priority. You then want placement code TXT to go in as second priority.

As an example, if the Optimum ad filling is configured at 50% and there are 38% ads with 1P3 booked for the publication. PLANPOINT places all the 1P3 ads first and then 12% TXT on the page to fill the page according to the requirements

Classified

Here is where a Department is associated with a Parent or highest level Classified Category such as “Familienbericht” (Family Announcements).

Autoposition Algorithm

The PLANPOINT autoposition function places the ads with these algorithms. You can manually rearrange ads after autopositioning. You can also trigger autoplacement again by right-clicking the page and selecting the required algorithm.

Best practice dictates that the imported ad bookings contain specific information regarding page location placement. The precise placement criteria available, the more effectively the Autoposition algorithms will perform.

The following algorithms are available in PLANPOINT:

• Bottom block attempts to make a perfect square block of the ads available.

• Left and Right pyramid places the ads in a triangular shape.

• Left and Right stack places the ads vertically.

Optimum ad filling

The ad filling level is the desired ratio between ad and editorial content measured by a percentage figure. A value of 100 (%) means that the page can be completely filled with ads. Normally, there are predefined business rules that help determine the filling level value to be used based on the Department type.

Allow full pages

By checking this box, it designates in PLANPOINT that a full page ad is allowed for this specific Department type.

Classified Category Editor

Click on PagePlanning => Classified category editor to create a new classified category.

A Classified category is a “container” for ordering and administrating the individual classified categories into a placement tree.

The editor window is therefore used to create a Parent classified category, assign the sub categories or classes,  define the default placement and sorting order, and to attach a graphic header for autoplacement when paginating the classified ad orders.

Provide a Name for the classified category which is only used for internal purposes.

Assign the Titles or Products for which the classified category is valid. The [ > ] button adds the Title to the list while the [ < ] button removes it.

Under the Placement* drop down menu you find a list of possible parent classes. The available classes are representative of the ad orders that have been imported into PLANPOINT/ADPOINT. The names provided here are consequently a result of the naming convention used within the ad order entry system and cannot be changed on this level.

There are three Sort options available for the classified categories:

• Size (Booked) uses height first, then width

• MatSpecName as created for all imported ad bookings

• Caption references keywords from the ad order content itself

The Graphic headers refer to the art element associated for each category which is placed and visualized during pagination. Currently supported graphic file formats are PDF, EPS and JPG.

Best practice dictates that the graphic headers are stored and available on the PLANPOINT/ADPOINT server however they can be added directly from your computer’s desktop.

Click on Add file which opens an explorer type window which allows you to navigate to the source directory for the graphic header files. When located, simple click Open to add and begin the upload process as shown below.

A best practice naming convention for the headers is: [class name]_[number of columns], as in this example: schakeltjespagina_1

Lastly, the individual Sub category entries are added (or deleted) to complete the classified category pagination placement hierarchy.

• The Name refers to the Sub category content itself which is typically the same one used in the ad booking system.

• Placement2 is a value directly received from the ad bookings therefore you must select the required value that corresponds to the specific content at hand.

• Sort uses the same three values as the Parent category. The Sort order administrated on sub category level overrules the Parent Sort order if the values are different.

• Graphic headers uses the same functionality as previously described.

Product Administration

The Create Product menu is accessible via a right-mouse button click in the Product panel.

In the Product administration dialog, a Publication (e.g. Reformatorish Dagblad) is created along with its corresponding Zones and Sections.

A Zone is defined as an individually planned and produced edition of the newspaper which may contain both zoned or shared editorial and ad content. Content sharing and zoning is discussed in more detail within the Chapter “Zoning and Sharing”.

A Section refers to a physical book within a publication. The example below shows 6 Section possibilities (Accent, Dagkrant, Kruispunt etc.) which are available for planning on a selected publication date.

The Name is for the newspaper or magazine publication, e.g. “Reformatorish Dagblad”. This name is used by PLANPOINT for visualizing the planning hierarchy and publication dates as shown below:

The Code field typically is on a 1:1 level with the ad booking system. Therefore in the example shown above, “RDB” is the publication’s booking code in the ad order entry system.

Similarly, the Editorial Code is most often on a 1:1 level with the editorial system and can be utilized to associate different PLANPOINT Products with the same Editorial Code.

In the Zones section, the various editions of a publication are assigned a Name and Code value which is once again often closely associated with the values in the ad booking system.

Lastly, you specify the Sections => Name, Code and Department possibilities. Here the relationship is typically related to values or naming conventions used in the editorial system.

Then confirm your entries by clicking on the green Save button.

ROP Ad Placement

PLANPOINT uses dynamic run sheets to reflect the ads that have been assigned to a given page. Through flexible business rules, PLANPOINT automatically displays a run sheet for each page, based on placement codes from the ad booking system or information regarding guaranteed and preferred placements.

To save time, and to ensure the highest level of page consistency, it is possible to float ads to pages automatically, in accordance with layout rules regarding ad stacking, maximum coverage and use of page templates. Through the department editor or on page, reserved areas can defined, to prevent ads from conflicting with preset editorial content.

PLANPOINT operators maintain full control over page content. Manual use of placement algorithms and access to application-assisted drag and drop placement of ads, ensure productivity and aesthetics remains perfectly balanced in PLANPOINT.

Filter modifiers

Filter  modifiers helps to focus on certain types of ads while planning.

• Unplaced shows the ads to be placed. Unplaced is default and shown yellow (locked). Dynamic listing is explained later.

• Placement and Zone are greyed when Placed/Unplaced is shown yellow.

• Premium  enabled will show only premium placement ads, meaning ads that needs special attention fx booked and paying for front page or other unique placement.

• Placement instructions will show ads where booker has entered an instruction on where the ad should be placed. “Good right before mid” cannot be autofloated with the requested result so these ads may be placed manually before other ads without instructions. Often placement instructions are used to instruct on order od ads, “1 of 4” if a customer runs several ads in same production.

• Custom filter can be applied on the fly. Right click on a value, fx a placement code SPORT in the ad list. Choose “Filter by this value” and only ads using this placementcode is in the list.
  
  

• User can open the filter by clicking the small  icon at the very top right corner of the tab.. The filter can edited or cleared when open as well.

Autofloat

In order to utilize PLANPOINT’s automated ad placement features, it is important to have defined all base publication information (see Chapter “Base Product Configuration”) and prepared a suitable Publication date using a predefined Template or manual setup of all placement relevant parameters.

Autofloat can be activated on different levels of the plan. Right click:

• Production: Autofloat will be executed on all pages of the production

• Zone: Autofloat on all pages of belonging to Zone

• Section: Autofloat on all pages in section

• Page(s): Autofloat to selected page(s)

Autofloat uses ads currently shown in ROP tab. The filter modifiers and advanced fillers is used to focus on specific ads, fx premium ads. Using autofloat will float only these.

Autofloat does not apply to locked pages and respects all ready placed ads.

Classified Ad Placement

Classified tab shares a lot of functionalities and features with the ROP tab. The filter modifiers are identical, please refer to description on ROP ad placement page.

Classified categories

In the classified tab the ads show grouped in categories and subcategories. The croups can be unfolded to see the content. Each category or subcategory header shows a summary of the number of ads and the ad millimeters they occupy.

The classified category list has 31 items and occupies 1860 ad millimeters. One full page in this page setup hold 2190 ad millimeters, so including headers there is almost a full page motor ads.

Ads can be dragged manually to the page which is relevant for fx. full page real estate ads where a certain manual sorting is required. I.e. this customer first this week, placing ads in sort order 1/4 to 4/4

Autofloat Classifieds

Autofloat of classifieds can be activated on different levels of the plan. Right click:

• Production: Autofloat will be executed on all pages of the production

• Zone: Autofloat on all pages of belonging to Zone

• Section: Autofloat on all pages in section

• Page(s): Autofloat to selected page(s)

• Single Classified category/subcategory:

  • Drag and drop a category for list to page and it will float to this page.

  • Or right click on category and “Autofloat”. This will float over multiple pages.

Autofloat uses ads currently shown in Classified tab. Ads will be floated to pages with departments which has corresponding classified categories assigned.

Autofloat does not apply to locked pages and respects all ready placed ads and reserved areas.

Headers

When floating the assigned headers and subcategory headers are placed on page. User can manually remove, replace or ad new header.

• Right click on ad and choose Place category header or  Place subcategory header. A dialog will appear to let you choose width of header. 

• Right click on existing header and choose Replace header – procedure as above.

Product Versions

One of the more advanced features of PLANPOINT is its ability to Create and Restore from previous versions of a publication date.

If during the course of your planning activities there arises a need to create a variation on the layout configuration, typically by adding or removing pages on a per physical book (Section) level, you first create a Production version from which all subsequent versions are then based.

You create the Production versions using the Product panel’s right-click context menu on the publication date you are working.

After execution, your new version appears as a (2) immediately after the publication date and any additional versions (3) increase the count as shown below.

Important to remember is that whatever changes you make in each version, will remain stored within that unique plan and be inherited by the next one including all page count changes, placed ads etc.

If you want to revert to a previous plan, use the Restore function, available via the context menu, which opens a window listing all of the available restoration points.

Check the version that should become the active plan and click Ok.

Your publication date is then restored to the saved reference point in time.

In a future PLANPOINT release, the Delete option will remove the checked version from the restore list and delete it from the database accordingly, however there are no negative ramifications if multiple versions exist thus offering the user a complete planning history.

Managing Filler Assets

The Fillers Tab panel as previously introduced in the Functional Tab Panels chapter is not only for displaying the available fillers or stoppers elements but also for administration purposes.

Upload assets / Check-in asset(s)

Fillers are imported into PLANPOINT by way of the context menu option Upload assets. The primary supported file format for production purposes is PDF however in the following screen captures a PNG is uploaded and administrated.

After selecting Upload assets the following Check-in asset(s) window opens in which you can assign some metadata for the filler relating to Categories, Valid from and Expires time periods, Customers (if relevant) and a Description.

Modify asset / Asset administration

Once the asset has been uploaded, it is immediately available for placement or you can continue administrating the filler via the right-click context menu Modify asset.

When modifying a filler asset, a new Asset administration window appears offering more information that you can configure per your requirements for limiting or broadening the usage and placement scope.

File name, Name, Type, and Intention are mandatory metadata fields as denoted by the ( * ) and are prefilled automatically upon upload. From there it is your decision if you need to fine-tune the usage definition.

In the Categories section, you can specify if the asset is for use as a Classified, ROP or both and as the example above illustrates additional Seasons or Themes Categories.

Please note that your options may differ as they are directly related to your Category id labels which you Create item through a context menu as shown in the screen capture to the right.

The Valid from and Expires fields enable you to define a specific period of time in which the filler can be used. A calendar pop-up window appears for your ease of selection.

Finally it is possible to specify which PLANPOINT Products the filler asset can be used.

To designate that the filler is to be used in only one Product, simply select the name in the left column and click Add to transfer it to the right column. If no Products exist in the right column then the filler is valid for all.

The same aforementioned procedure applies for the Departments. If the filler is to be only valid for placement on one or two Department types, then Add those from the left to the right column otherwise the filler can be placed on all pages irrespective of the Department assigned.

If either the Products or Departments usage rules change, you can Remove the parameters.

Glossary

Throughout this documentation we refer to several terms related to production planning in general and to PLANPOINT in particular. In this section, we’ll explain the meaning of these terms.

ADPOINT
Ad production and ad tracking runs in ADPOINT using the same bookings as PLANPOINT. Progress in ad production and the ad preview is real time reflected in PLANPOINT.

Booking (or Ad Insertion)
The job is booked in ad booking system. All relevant data regarding the planning and running the order are readily at hand in PLANPOINT including: job number, customer, publications and insertions, section, zone placement and more.

Department
Departments are the building blocks by which you define the overall ad and editorial appearance as well as content of a publication.

Editorial Department
Attribute to page to communicate with editorial system. Departments are defining the ad related parameters of page, Editorial department fx the type of content or the folio information to be generated.

Fillers
Fillers are not booked elements designated to fill gaps in plan. Fillers are registered and placed form the Fillers tab.

Page Layout
The Page Layout defines size columns and margins of the publication.

Product
The Product (or Title) refers to the different newspaper or magazine products produced by a publishing company.

Production
Production refers to the individual publication of  a product on a specific day.

Zone
A zone is a variation of the newspaper or magazine which is sold in a certain regional area. In many publishing companies, a zone is also commonly referred to as an edition.

Generally, zones have shared content pages (both editorial and ads) and pages that are unique for each localized edition (local pages). A complete edition can consist of one or several products: e.g. different zoned editions that are produced as both pre- and main press runs then combined together for distribution.

In some cases, different zones of a newspaper may be published for different periods of time, e.g. morning, noon and evening editions. Basically, this variation may also be viewed as a single edition with only updated news content pages.

The term sales zone that is often used in an ad booking system corresponds to the zone concept in PLANPOINT. In this sense, another common term for a sales zone is sales package.