Here you assign criteria for scheduling spots. Each channel/context has its own set of rules.

See navigation and working with database records in the getting started section.

Field Descriptions

Real-time updates: enables/disables schedule processing. Leave this checked unless instructed by Support.

Skd Thru Date: the date you last extended your logs through.  This will automatically update every time you extend schedules for this channel.

Skd Lock Date: Lock schedules for logs that are ready to run.  This prevents anyone from doing any programming changes, adding schedule pages or running the autoreschedule of makegoods to the dates that are locked. This will make any spots to schedule on those days go to makegoods with a reason missed of 'date to schedule before today', or they will schedule on other days if the criteria is met. You can still assign fillers, assign copy, move spots around, etc.

A log that has been sent to automation should not be changed either, so locking will prevent any one from changing the log automatically with program changes, etc. (as listed above). Auto reconcile will not work properly if logs have been changed after being sent to automation. 

Pre-empt Priority:  Enter a number between 1-9 or a letter between a-z.  Summit will pre-empt lower priority spots with spots having this priority or higher.

Quick-skd Priority:  Enter a number between 1-9 or a letter between a-z.  Summit will only schedule these priority spots (and lower) if there is room in an avail/break, not trying to preempt any other spots..

Use break fill priorities: if avail fill priorities are defined in your programming, the scheduler will fill certain breaks before others.

Fill Breaks: Select to Schedule Avail/Breaks for Best rotation or Even fill by clicking in the appropriate box.

Break Length Fill: Select to Schedule Avail/Breaks with the longest, shortest or random length spots first in the cluster.

M/G Reschedule: Check the box if you want makegoods to reschedule outside their current billing month.  I.e. Next month.  This tells the system how to handle makegoods when running the Reschedule Makegoods program.

Skd Today:  Enter the time (in minutes) when you can start scheduling spots on today’s log.  This will allow program changes to today’s log.  Be very careful.

Chk Sepn:  Specifies the minimum run-time span for which the system will adhere to separation conflict specifications.  I.e. A spot with a run-time span shorter than what you define here will schedule in Avail/Breaks regardless of separation criteria.

Log Posting: If you choose to post logs, select whether or not you want to post all programming, paid programming only, and/or prevent log editing.

Implicit Priorities: If strict priority scheduling is not adequate, you can increase the priority range by using implicit priorities. If two spots have the same priority, the system can have priorities within priorities like this:

Select Rate if you want Summit to automatically pre-empt the spot that has a lower dollar value but the same priority level as another spot.
Select Span if you want Summit to automatically pre-empt the spot that has broader schedule criteria with a spot that has more restrictive scheduling criteria.
Select Rate, Span if you want Summit to look at the rate first then the span.
Select Span, Rate if you want Summit to look at the span first then the rate.

If package billing is defined for a schedule page, the system will use the internal rate for this function.

Rate Pct Increase: If you are using the rate implicit priority, but want a threshold rather than simply an absolute 'greater than', specify a whole number percent here.

Combo Lead Time: If you are scheduling combo spots (same time, multiple stations/channels), how much lead time do you need to re-sell time that is preempted by a single station buy? e.g. 48 hours. The system will not preempt a combo spot unless this much time remains to air.

Use break position filling: if break positions are defined on your schedule pages, the scheduler will rearrange breaks when printing logs and creating schedule files..

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Copyright © 2002-2003 Summit Software Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Last modified: Thursday July 22, 2004.