The 'Assign Space' module allows to automatically book events derived from a certain order line. Options present in this module are automatically retrieved from the order rules and parameters, and are distributed as shown below:
BASIC OPTIONS
(Base options are always displayed)
Start and End date - Specify the period for which scheduled events will be viewed or modified.
Start & End Time - Set the time frame on which the order line has been scheduled. For instance, 'Start=06:00:00' and 'End=05:59:59' means that the search will be carried out on the entire day starting at the 06:00:00 and finishing at the same hour of the day after.
Max Daily Run - Specify the maximum times the event can be schedule on any one particular day.
ADVANCED OPTIONS
(Advanced options are hidden by default but can be displayed by pressing the [Show/Hide options] button)
Priority - It is the priority that will be assigned to scheduled events, this value is based on the active scheduling type:
•1,2 : Jingles
•3 : Top
•500 : Default (i.e. Air Sales will use its own criteria for scheduling).
•997 : Bottom
•998 : Integration Filler
•999 : Split Filler
Event Options - Indicate if the scheduling will be performed on all selected days (i.e. none), or on alternate, even or odd days.
Days - Use it to narrow the scheduling to certain week days.
Notes - Insert any additional text that will be available for consultation from, for example, the Strategic Editor module.
Scheduling Method - There are six available scheduling rules:
•Priority: The event will be scheduled consistently in the same segment position, the space will be assigned based on the user-defined parameters
•Rotation: The event will be scheduled across different segment positions in rotating basis across all selected segments.
•Optimization: The event will be scheduled based on the 'emptiness' of the segment, thus optimizing the space utilization by filling the segments where it is most needed.
•Fixed time: The event will be scheduled at the same time (up to 25 different times) if space is available, else the event will be skipped. The difference between this scheduling type and the Priority scheduling is that it allows to specify the exact space needed whereas in Priority the space is assigned based on the user-defined parameters.
•Please note that the fixed-times are specified when using the assign spaces function (times used on the last scheduling operation are remembered).
•Rotation Tables: The event will be scheduled based on pre-configured tables that identify specific times, blocks and days of the week when the commercial event should be scheduled. Rotation table are created under the Etere Configuration | Air Sales Parameters | Rotation Tables section.
•Customized Rotation: The event will be scheduled using a customized rotation table.
NB: The Priority, Rotation, and Optimization methods are based on the blocks & segments structure selection, whereas the Fixed-times is based on -up to 25- fixed times, and the Rotation-tables methods are based on specific rotation table.
Blocks and Segments - Select the blocks on which you want to perform the search, besides selecting blocks one-by-one, it is possible to make right click and select the option 'select all'.
Split - Here will be displayed all the split networks enabled in the line's parameters, it will be possible to select the split networks on which the order line will be either viewed or modified.
Assign spaces
Once you have finished setting these options, you can proceed to assign the commercial event in question to available spaces by pressing the 'Assign Spaces' button. The program now effects the automatic scheduling of the commercial event in question based on the user-defined rules and parameters. It could be that the number of potential reserved spaces (assigned spaces) exceeds the number of runs requested. If this is the case, the program will alert you and ask if you wish to proceed filling all potential spaces based on the user-defined rules.
Once the space scheduling process is complete, the number of events been scheduled (and how many are still available) will be updated in the Order Lines List on the s tab: