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Company: Adlink Data Communications (UK) Ltd
Project: Studio Management

http://www.studiomanagement.co.uk.

Dates: Dec 2007 to Feb 2008

How did the project start?

Adlink had already developed an online system which enabled advertising agencies' clients to login and view their current media schedules, request prices for and book adverts, as well as view reports on spend.
Our clients, including Admast Advertising, then required a more efficient method of managing their design studios. These requirements included tracking of artwork status, managing deadlines, ensuring all designers had up to date worksheets/schedules and dispatching artwork to publications.

What options did you consider?

As we had already developed the online portal detailed above, we decided that this new module should be included within this system.

What help and expertise did you receive?

We programmed the new studio module in-house while working closely with the media buyers and studio personnel at Admast. Adfast provided us with the correct file formats and api files and checked the output from the module once the programming had been completed.

Did you face any challenges or learn any lessons?

We had to ensure that the website was as easy/easier to use than the Adfast website itself. The main technical challenge was to convert the uploaded PDF file into a thumbnail to be displayed on the schedule and into a low res jpeg which could quickly be accessed instead of waiting for the original PDF to download from our server.

What are the outcomes and how has it improved your business?

Adlink has greatly improved our clients' ability to manage their studios, dispatch artwork quickly and accurately to the correct publication on time. Due to this and the other modules in the system Admast have won big clients including Lidl and Anglia Regional Co-operative Society.

What are your plans for the future?

We have plans to release the software to a wider market so other advertising agencies, their clients and direct advertisers can utilise the software to dispatch their artwork to over 1,800 publications. We also have plans to expand the studio management module to include print and website artwork management and dispatch.