Upgrading from Natural Log 8? What’s New In Natural Log 9
This is a quick overview of some of the new features found in Natural Log 9. The look of the program
remains the same. Click links below for quick info on some new features.
Station Setup:
Receive automatic notifications of software updates and messages from the publisher.
Automatic observation of Daylight Savings time to create 2 am log hour on these dates.
Add Custom fields to Customers, Orders and Copy.
Orders and Copy:
New sorting options for Order-Lines and Order-Confirmations
Ability to mass-change all Order-Line data fields
Apply ‘Other Discount’ or ‘Trade Credit’ based on % of Invoice, or flat $ amount per invoice.
Copy ID can now be duplicated or Renamed
Copy can now be multi-selected to add to Rotator
Templates
Color coding is now available in Log Templates
Logs
Generate next day’s log from existing log without having to exit log
Color coding is available in logs to indicate full breaks, available breaks and overfilled breaks.
Product protection conflicts are now color coded
Verify Logged-vs-Ordered Items after log is generated
Email Logged Times directly to customer from log
Network spots schedules can be imported from Premier Radio Networks (prior to generating log)
Billing
Pre-Billing cycle is now available
Electronic notary stamp/signature images may be inserted into Certification of Invoice/Affidavits
Invoices can be exported to Quickbooks
Invoices can be exported to Excel
Accounts Receivable
Deposit Slips can now be printed from Natural Log (in Quickbooks format)
Unpaid invoices can be attached to statements when printed or emailed
Reports
Memorized reports can be assigned to report groups
Reports can be exported to XML or to MS Excel.
Users now have the ability to restrict days of week on inventory reports
Customer selection tab on reports can now be sorted by CustID or Sponsor Name
New Order Line Pre-emptibility Report specifies orders by pre-emption level and spots per day
Log report can now be sorted by Length
Reports now also support duplex (2-sided) and color text printing if your printer supports them
Optional eOrder System allows for remote entry of orders via any internet enabled device.
Activate eOrder
eOrder - Accessing eOrder online
eOrder - Importing an Order at the station
Users can elect to receive automatic notifications of software patches and updates and messages
from the software publisher on startup.
This is selected at: Setup/Administrator Controls/Program Options/Global Options.
Check the check box for each option you would like to enable.
Automatic Observation of Daylight Savings Time
Select this at Setup/Administrator Controls/Station Settings-Document Formats
Users have the ability to add custom fields to Customers, Orders and Copy.
This is selected at: Setup/Administrator Controls/Default Data Values/Custom Data Fields.
Select [Customers], [Orders] or [Copy Mgr] tab and then click [Add Field].
Users have the ability to sort order-lines by additional fields.
Open Order and click on the Schedule tab. Select the [Sort By] dropdown and make selection.
Users have the ability to sort Order Confirmation by Order Line ID or Run Dates
Setup/Administrator Controls/Station Settings-Document Formats. Select Confirmation.
Select [Sort OrderLines By] dropdown and make desired selection.
Users have the ability to mass-change all Order-Line data fields. Changes can be applied to any
selected Order-Lines.
From schedule tab, select order lines to change. Right click and select [Mass Change Selected OrderLines]
Click Yes to Continue. Make changes only to desired fields to change and click [Save].
Users have the ability to apply ‘Other Discount’ or ‘Trade Credit’ based on % of Invoice, or flat $
amount per invoice.
On Invoice Instructions tab of order:
Enter % discount desired or enter $ per invoice discount desired in either Discounts Allowd or Apply
Trade Credit fields.
Copy ID can now be Duplicated or Renamed.
Open existing Copy ID.
Click [File].
Select [Duplicate Copy]. Enter duplicated Copy ID name and click [OK]
OR
Select Rename Copy. Enter new name of Copy ID and click [OK]
Copy can be multi-selected to add to Rotator.
Create Rotator and open rotator to Edit.
Click [Add Multiple Equal Rotating Items]
[Select All] or select desired copies that you need to rotate by clicking checkbox next to each copy.
Click Save.
All selected copies have now been added to the rotator, and set to rotate equally.
Close the Rotator, and select it as the Copy ID to be played on the desired order-line.
All items under Copy Rotator Contents will now rotate equally when the order-line is logged.
Color coding is now available in Log Templates to designate breaks, stand alones and network avails.
Open log template. Click [Editor Settings][Color Coding] and make selections.
Ability to create new log by clicking [Next] in Log Editor from existing log.
Open existing log. If you have not yet generated the next day’s log, click the next date button,
designated by the arrow and date.
If log does not exist, you will be prompted to generate a new log for that day. Click [Yes].
Color coding is now available in Logs to designate breaks that are full, over-filled or under-filled.
Open a log. Click [Editor Settings][Color Coding] and make selections
Product Code Conflicts now show up as color coded warning, similar to Time Errors.
Note: Product Code Conflicts should only occur if you manually edit the log. Natural Log will not place
items that violate your Product Code protections. The color-coding can warn you if you manually place
items that have a conflict.
Verify logged-vs-ordered items after the log has been generated.
This will allow you to easily add new orders to the log if they were entered after the log was generated.
From the log, click [Tools][Verify Logged-vs-Ordered Items]
NL will check for any discrepancies on logged items vs ordered items and display these.
Select Item and click [Add Missing Items to Log’s Bumped List]. You can then add the item from the
Bumps onto the log as desired.
Email Logged times directly from log when generated
Logged times can now be emailed directly from the log to customers that require this.
On the Approvals/Memos tab of the Order, enter Logged times email address.
After log is generated, click [Tools][Email Logged Times].
Times will be listed for orders that have the Logged Times eMail entered.
Select desired items to send and click [Send].
Network Spot Schedules can be imported from Premiere Radio Networks
This must be done prior to generating the day’s log
Go to Traffic/Network Spot Scheduler.
Click the [Import] button
Log in with your Premiere Radio Networks User Name and Password
Pre-Billing is now available to generate Summary Invoices in advance for customers requiring them
Open the Invoice Instructions tab of the order. Select one of the Pre-Billing options under the Billing
Cycle dropdown. Options are Prebill-Broadcast Month, Prebill- Calendar Month, or Prebill –Weekly.
Enter the remainder of order as scheduled.
To generate the Pre-Bill Invoice, go to [Billing][Prebill Invoices]
Select the invoice settings at the top of the screen to obtain an invoice list. You can select the Station(s),
billing period, and account rep to be displayed. This invoice list allows you to see the customers who have a
prebill cycle selected on their order for the selected billing period. Click on the [Final Invoices] button at the
top of the screen to finalize and print these invoices.
Once all the logs have been finalized for the month, NL9 allows you to go back into the Prebill screen to
print the actual run times for the Prebill invoices that you created for that month. These As-Run invoices
will be in whatever invoice type you specified on the order.
Open the Prebill screen, choose the correct month, Status Final then [Get Invoices]. The invoice numbers
will remain the same. To print one As-Run invoice, open the Prebill Invoice & click [Edit][View Prebill Invoice
Actual Runtimes].
To batch print multiple As-Run invoices, select any you want to print then click [File] [Print] [As-Run for
Prebill Invoices].
Electronic notary stamp/signature images may be inserted into Certification of
Invoice/Affidavits
This is set up at: Setup/Administrator Controls/Station Settings-Document Formats.
Select Invoice, and then Right Click in the desired Text field. Then select [Insert Image]
Browse to the desired image to select and then click [Open] to insert the image.
Invoices can be exported to Quickbooks for selected Revenue Types.
Select the Revenue Types that you want Exported to Quickbooks. This is done under
Setup/Revenue Types.
Open selected Revenue Type. Select Yes or No for Export to Quickbooks and click [Save]
After invoices are generated, click [Billing][Export to Quickbooks]
Make desired selections and click [Get Invoices]
Desired Invoices will be displayed for your review. If Invoice list is correct, and you would like to generate
the .iif file to export to Quickbooks, click the [Quickbooks] button at the top left.
Review the warning and click [Yes] if you would like to proceed.
Your export results window will then be displayed.
Invoices can be exported to Excel
Note: This does require Excel to be installed on the same machine as Natural Log 9.
Open the desired invoice. Click [File][Export Invoice] and make desired selection.
Deposit slips can be printed in Quickbooks format.
Select [Accounts Receivable][Deposits] from main menu.
Click [New Deposit]
Select Desired Items to Deposit
Click [Save/Print Deposit]
You can then Export or Print the Deposit.
Option to print/attach unpaid invoices when printing or emailing statements
Accounts Receivable/Statement Generator/Customer Statements
Click the checkbox at the bottom of the General tab for ‘Attach Unpaid Invoices’
Any unpaid invoices will be included when printed or emailed for selected customers
Memorized reports can be assigned to report groups
Create report and click Memorize button. When saving report, you can select a Group to assign the
report to, by clicking dropdown for [Assign Report to Group]
You can then view Reports by Group, by going to Reports/ Memorized Reports and making the selection
under ‘Show Report Groups’
Reports can be exported to XML or to MS Excel.
Note: Excel must in installed on the same computer as NL to retain the formatting in Excel.
Open desired Report. From the File menu, click [Export Report Data]
You can then select the desired format in the ‘Save as Type’ dropdown.
Users now have the ability to restrict days of week on inventory reports
Under Reports/Inventory Reports, select the Report menu and then [Customize Report Format][Daypart
Columns]
Then make desired selections in Daypart Columns under WeekDays dropdown.
Customer selection tab on reports can now be sorted by CustID or Sponsor Name
Open desired report. Click on Customers tab.
Click dropdown for Sort List. You can then selec to sort by Sponsor, Billing Name or CustID.
New Order Line Pre-emptibility Report specifies orders by pre-emption level and spots
per day:
Reports/ Order Reports/ Order-Line Preemptiblity Report.
Log report can now be sorted by Length.
Open Log Report and click on Sort tab to select Length option.
Reports now also support duplex (2-sided) and color text printing if your printer supports
these options.
Natural Log 9 eOrder – Free 30 day trial - Subscription based option
NL9 eOrder allows for remote order entry on any internet enabled device. You must first activate this
on your main database. After activation, users with proper permissions and login information can log in
via any internet enabled device to enter a new order and submit for download. The order can then be
downloaded at the station. It will then be reviewed and either Accepted or Rejected by the traffic
director.
Your database is always retained on your local drive or local server. Only a portion is uploaded for use
with eOrder. eOrder does not replace your Natural Log installation; it simplifies order entry with a
simple off-site order entry process for your account reps.
Note: You are required to have at least one user set up with a username and password prior to
activating eOrder. This is set up at Setup/Administrator Controls/User Permissions. The user must
have eOrder Onlince Access permission set to ‘Allow’. You can restrict users to view information for
only specific Account Reps via the User Permissions as well.
Enable your free 30 day trial of NL9 eOrder by going to
Setup/Administrator Controls/Program Options
On the Database Options tab, under Natural Log eOrder Online Systems, select
[Activate eOrder]
Enter your email address in the window and click OK
Once activated, you will be prompted to upload your database to eOrder.
Click Yes to upload. Once complete, you should receive the Data Uploaded window
You will now have a Database ID that is used for log in. This is shown as below:
Accessing eOrder after activation
You can access eOrder from Natural Log by clicking on
[Tools][Go to Natural Log eOrder System]
At the log in screen, enter your Database ID, Username and Password as set up in NL9
Remote users can access eOrder by going to:
www.nat-soft.com/eorder
eOrder Online
After Logging in, you will see the Home Screen. Any pending Messages or Reminders will display here.
Click Customers, Orders, Reports or Admin Panel to navigate eOrder.
Customers Tab display is below. Click a customer to open it, or click Add New Customer
We will open Abx Cablevision of Texas, Inc.
The Customer Information is now shown for Abx Cablevision. You can view Account Settings, Orders,
Accounts Receivable and Notes.
From the Orders tab, you can select Add New Order. Note: you can also add an order by clicking on the
Orders tab directly from the Home page of eOrder.
The Order Entry screen includes options for Order Information, Invoicing Instructions, Scheduling
Instructions and and Verify/Submit.
Select dropdown options where they are available, and enter text in appropriate text fields. You must
enter an order start and end date, and select at least one station for the order to run on.
The Invoicing Instructions tab allows you to select billing options
Note: If you select a Level or Variable package, you must click the blue Edit Package Price link to enter
package pricing information.
Click Save when complete
The Scheduling Instructions tab allows you to add orderlines and edit spot separation or product
protection.
Click [Add New Schedule Line] to add an order line.
Enter all required information for your new order line.
Note: Copy ID is not entered via eOrder. It must be entered after the order is downloaded at the station
Click Save when complete.
The Verify/Submit tab allows you to Submit the order, Email, Print or Download the confirmation or to
duplicate the order.
When you are ready to submit the order, click the [Submit Order] button.
This order has now been submitted. If you need to edit the order, click [Revise]
The order will now be available for download, review and approval at the station. If the order is
rejected, you can log back in to eOrder, and click [Revise] to make the required changes to the order
and then Submit again.
eOrder Import
eOrders entered online can be imported from your local installation of Natural Log 9.
Open NL9 and to to Traffic, Broadcast Order Browser. Click the eOrder button
Orders ready for download are displayed. Click the Download button
The order will be displayed. Review data on all order tabs.
You can not edit any information until the order is imported. Click Import Order if approved.
Imported orders can be viewed under
Traffic/ Broadcast Order Browser - Click View Orders on the left. Select Imported Orders
After importing an Order
Note: Be sure to change the Order Status on the General tab to OK. Orders will not log unless the Order
Status is listed as OK
Note: Copy ID is never entered via eOrder, so must be entered on any orderlines on the Schedule tab
after the order is imported.
Rejecting an Order
If you want to Reject the order, click Reject Order. You will then be able to notify the account rep of the
rejection.
You can then communicate the reason that the order was rejected so the account rep can revise the
order and re-submit.