ACT 4

Generate Export File

The Maxagrid Advanced Revenue Management System application has the facility to automate the updating of sold counts. For Marketron Act4 systems, an Oversold Report must be created and saved as a store file. The Oversold file then serves as an import file for the Advanced Revenue Management System application to refresh Maxagrid sold counts. The Marketron Act4 Oversold file has 2 basic formats.

Units-based
Time-based

The following pages display the format possibilities. A station should produce that data format in which sales staff typically sell or monitor the inventory.

Units-based file

KAAA-FM OVERSOLD REPORT AS OF 01/07/98 AT 12:38A PAGE# 1 UNITS * * * * * * * * * U N I T S * * * * * * * * * --AVAILABLE--- -ORIG- SOLD BUMPED PCT AVAIL- --PRIORITIES-- 60 30 INV SOLD ABLE 6- 6 7- 7 BUMPED SPOT PRIORITIES EXCLUDED - FROM: 8 TO: 63 SCHEDULED SPOT PRIORITIES EXCLUDED - FROM: 8 TO: 63 INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AVAILS -

REGULAR KAAA-FM TRAFFIC SPONSOR RADIO ANARCHY ADJ ROTTEN DAY *SURF REPORT* *SONG OF THE DAY* RATE CARD#: 2 M-SU 5:00A-6:00A 01/05 MON 6 0 13 8 1 61% 5 5 0 01/06 TUE 6 0 13 7 0 53% 6 3 0 01/07 WED 7 0 13 6 0 46% 7 1 1 01/08 THU 10 0 13 3 0 23% 10 0 0 01/09 FRI 6 0 13 7 0 53% 6 3 0 01/10 SAT 7 0 11 4 0 36% 7 1 0 01/11 SUN 8 0 11 3 0 27% 8 0 0 AVG$/SPT 8 5 0 TOTAL 50 0 0 0 87 38 1 43% 49 13 1 RATE CARD#: 2 M-SU 6:00A-10:00A 01/05 MON 22 0 48 26 54% 22 6 0 01/06 TUE 17 0 48 31 64% 17 9 0 01/07 WED 21 0 48 27 56% 21 5 0 01/08 THU 16 0 48 32 66% 16 5 1 01/09 FRI 14 0 48 34 70% 14 5 0 01/10 SAT 18 0 39 21 53% 18 3 1 01/11 SUN 25 0 40 15 37% 25 4 0 AVG$/SPT 48 9 0 TOTAL 133 0 0 0 319 186 0 58% 133 37 2 RATE CARD#: 2 M-SU 10:00A-3:00P 01/05 MON 17 0 50 33 0 66% 17 8 0 01/06 TUE 16 0 50 34 0 68% 16 8 1 01/07 WED 8 0 50 42 0 84% 8 15 0 01/08 THU 18 0 50 32 0 64% 18 5 0 01/09 FRI 20 0 50 30 0 60% 20 4 0 01/10 SAT 9 0 50 41 0 82% 9 5 0 01/11 SUN 21 0 50 30 1 60% 20 8 1 AVG$/SPT 61 12 0 TOTAL 109 0 0 0 350 242 1 69% 108 53 2 RATE CARD#: 2 M-SU 3:00P - 7:00P 01/05 MON 17 0 40 23 0 57% 17 6 0 01/06 TUE 11 0 40 29 0 72% 11 6 0 01/07 WED 2 0 40 38 0 95% 2 13 0 01/08 THU 18 0 40 23 1 57% 17 3 0 01/09 FRI 11 0 40 30 1 75% 10 1 0 01/10 SAT 16 0 40 25 1 62% 15 1 0 01/11 SUN 21 0 40 19 0 47% 21 6 0 AVG$/SPT 55 7 TOTAL 96 0 0 0 280 187 3 66% 93 36 0 RATE CARD#: 2 M-SU 7P - 12M 01/05 MON 30 0 53 23 43% 30 5 0 01/06 TUE 28 0 53 25 47% 28 6 1 01/07 WED 23 0 53 30 56% 23 6 1 01/08 THU 24 0 53 29 54% 24 3 0

Time-based file

No example on file.

Traffic Nuances

A Marketron Act4 Traffic system may be DOS-based application.
An Oversold Report must be requested, then saved as a store file. The file is saved as a DOS Text file and typically is a file type of *.at4 extension.
The Oversold Report may have a limitation in the number of rate card combinations allowed per report. If a multitude of rate card combinations are desired, then the user must create more than one file. Each file would represent a unique configuration.
If multiple files are created to accommodate varying rate card configurations, then multiple passes of Traffic Loads are performed within Advanced Revenue Management System. The multiple pass process requires that upon the second and subsequent file loads, the option "Initialize to Traffic Model Prior to Load" must be unchecked.
Each time an end user requests an oversold report, the user must type in report options for the layout of the report. This can cause report layouts to vary in column positions. The Traffic Load based upon column positions processes traffic information. To accommodate the possibility of varying report layouts, the MXGW4TCB Traffic Load allows columns to "float". The float occurs many times when reports are request with or without reporting the units available in spot lengths. The following are example excerpts of floating columns.

Possible Report Layout (without available spots):

UNITS      * * * * * * * * * U N I T S       * * * * * * * * *
           -ORIG-  SOLD    BUMPED   PCT AVAIL-  --PRIORITIES--
            INV                    SOLD ABLE      6- 6    7- 7
 
RATE CARD#: 2       M-SU 5:00A-6:00A
01/05 MON    13       8       1     61%    5       5       0
01/06 TUE    13       7       0     53%    6       3       0
01/07 WED    13       6       0     46%    7       1       1
01/08 THU    13       3       0     23%   10       0       0
01/09 FRI    13       7       0     53%    6       3       0
01/10 SAT    11       4       0     36%    7       1       0
01/11 SUN    11       3       0     27%    8       0       0

Possible Report Layout (with available spots):

UNITS      * * * * * * * * * U N I T S       * * * * * * * * *
           --AVAILABLE---  -ORIG-  SOLD    BUMPED   PCT AVAIL-  --PRIORITIES--
           60  30           INV                    SOLD ABLE      6- 6    7- 7
 
RATE CARD#: 2       M-SU 5:00A-6:00A
01/05 MON   6   0            13       8       1     61%    5       5       0
01/06 TUE   6   0            13       7       0     53%    6       3       0
01/07 WED   7   0            13       6       0     46%    7       1       1
01/08 THU  10   0            13       3       0     23%   10       0       0
01/09 FRI   6   0            13       7       0     53%    6       3       0
01/10 SAT   7   0            11       4       0     36%    7       1       0
01/11 SUN   8   0            11       3       0     27%    8       0       0

Sometimes at the end of a *.at4 file is a Report Selectivity Legend. This is a summary of options chosen to produce the Oversold report. This is a good source of reference on how to create the Act4 Oversold file. Most likely, an end-user enters options at command-line prompts.

Report Selectivity Legend:

   TYPE OF REPORT -OVERSOLD

   TYPE OF BUY - RATE CARD

   INCLUDE -

        INVENTORY     (Y/N) :Y

        PRIORITIES    (Y/N) :Y

        BUMPED SPOTS  (Y/N) :Y

        ALL AVAILS USING PROSE TABLE DEFAULTS (Y/N) :Y

        CLOSED AVAILS (Y/N) :Y

        CASH           (Y/N) : Y

        TRADE          (Y/N) : N

        NON-COMMERCIAL (Y/N) : Y

        NETWORK        (Y/N) : N

        NO CHARGE SPOTS (Y/N) :Y

        DAILY LINES, WEEKLY LINES OR BOTH (DA/WE/BO) :
        BOTH SUPPRESS DAY TOTALS (Y/N) :N

        SHOW AVERAGE SPOT PRICE (Y/N) :Y

        SPOT LENGTHS TO HIGHLIGHT (START WITH THE HIGHEST) -

 FIRST *: 60       SECOND *: 30      THIRD *:  0         FOURTH *:  0

PRIORITIES TO HIGHLIGHT -

Min Max

First Set 6 6

Second Set 7 7

SHOW PRIORITIES BY PERCENT (Y/N) :N
SHOW AVAILS BY MINUTES OR UNITS (MI/UN) :UN
BUMPED SPOT PRIORITIES TO EXCLUDE - FROM * : 8 TO * :63
SCHEDULED SPOT PRIORITIES TO EXCLUDE - FROM * : 8 TO * :63

FROM DATE :01/05/98 # OF WEEKS : 10
DAYS (Y/N)- MO: Y TU:Y WE:Y TH:Y FR:Y SA:Y SU:Y
RATE CARD :2
START EACH WEEK ON A NEW PAGE (Y/N) :N

The text that identifies sections as being information unique to a traffic inventory item is the rate card description. Typically this is a string of text carrying days and begin/end times associated with the item.

RATE CARD#: 2 M-SU 7P - 12M

Rate card description.