Work with Ad Server Templates

Viktorija
Viktorija
  • Updated

Adform provides a way to use templates to create media plans, insertion orders, and for including large amounts of data. For Ad Server functions, Adform provides three types of Ad Server templates:

  • Media Plan Export Template: Specify items to include in a basic media plan export template.

  • Insertion Order Export Template: Specify items to include in a basic insertion order export template.

  • Custom Template: Make custom media plan and insertion order templates to use with your corporate Excel spreadsheet (with logos, corporate colors, and so forth) based on the required Adform variable codes. You can then share these with stakeholders and clients.

Note

Adform also has a fourth type of template for creating domain block and allow lists. For more information, see Use Domain Templates for RTB.

Once you create or upload any template, it appears in the Active templates list in the Template Library.

You can filter the template lists in the Template Library by template Type or sort the list by Name or Type in ascending or descending order. If you wish, you can search for a template by name.

Create Media Plan Export Templates

After you create media plan templates, you can export your media plans and send them by email to a client from the Line Items list.

To create a media plan template to export:

  1. In the left sidebar, click Inventory > Domain and App Templates.

  2. Click Create template > Media Plan Export Template.

  3. In the Media Plan Export Template page, name the template. (Edit the default name to be a relevant one for your use.)

  4. Select the tables to include in the template. (You can select more than one.)

    If you wish, adjust the name for each table and specify whether it should be on a separate sheet in the Excel file.

    Note

    You can add multiple versions of tables. To do so, point to the table’s name and click add.png.

    You can include one or more custom text sections. If you do so, you can specify a section title and static text.

  5. In each section for a table, to include a field, select the checkbox next to the field’s name. (You can select All to include all fields.)

    Note

    If you include the Line Items table, you can apply a schedule: Schedule by Week, Schedule by Day, or Schedule by Month. By default, there is no schedule.

  6. To add a custom field to a table, click Add table field, type a name for the field, and click Add.

  7. To adjust the name of any standard field, point to the field, click edit30x30.png, edit the name, and click green_checkmark.png.

  8. To reorder fields or tables, drag draggable30x30.png up or down in the list.

  9. Click Save.

Create Insertion Order Export Template

After creating an insertion order export template, you can export an Excel spreadsheet of line items. With the insertion order export template you can include active direct line items and active, paused, and finished programmatic line items.

To create an insertion order template to export:

  1. In the left sidebar, click Inventory > Domain and App Templates.

  2. Click Create template > Insertion Order Export Template.

  3. In the Insertion Order Export Template page, name the template. (Edit the default name to be a relevant one for your use.)

  4. Select the tables to include in the template. (You can select more than one.)

    If you wish, adjust the name for each table and specify whether it should be on a separate sheet in the Excel file.

    Note

    You can add multiple versions of tables. To do so, point to the table’s name and click add.png.

    You can include one or more custom text sections. If you do so, you can specify a section title and static text.

  5. In each section for a table, to include a field, select the checkbox next to the field’s name. (You can select All to include all fields.)

    Note

    If you include the Line Items table, you can apply a schedule: Schedule by Week, Schedule by Day, or Schedule by Month. By default, there is no schedule.

  6. To add a custom field to a table, click Add table field, type a name for the field, and click Add.

  7. To adjust the name of any standard field, point to the field, click edit30x30.png, edit the name, and click green_checkmark.png.

  8. To reorder fields or tables, drag draggable30x30.png up or down in the list.

  9. Click Save.

Create Custom Media Plan Export Template

You can create an Excel spreadsheet with information about your media plan (such as line items, budgets, and fees) or a spreadsheet as a basis for adding many line items and upload it as a custom template.

With a custom template, you can specify the style, fonts, logos, and calculations for media. For example, after you create a custom media plan template, you can export your media plan and send it by email to your client from the Line Items list.

Alternatively, Adform provides several example templates that you can use to adjust for your own purposes. You can change the order of tables and columns in the example templates and duplicate any table or field.

To download an example template:

  1. In the left sidebar, click Inventory > Domain and App Templates.

  2. Click Create template > Custom Template.

  3. In the Create new custom template page, in the Template examples section, click Creative Specification.xlsx, Extended Media Plan.xlsx, or Standard Media Plan.xlsx.

  4. In your system's Save dialog box, if you wish, rename the file.

  5. Locate and open the folder for saving the file and click Save.

Once you have an example template, you can open it in Excel and customize it for your use. You can also create a spreadsheet to use as a template file by using the following instructions.

To create an .xlsx file to upload as a template:

  1. In Excel (or compatible spreadsheet program), construct an XLS area.

    Use a special markup in your template to construct an XLS area in as Excel comment for the first area’s cell. This markup defines a top-level area starting from the cell with the markup comment and ending in the <AREA_LAST_CELL>. The markup looks like this: "jx:area(lastCell="<AREA_LAST_CELL>").

  2. Add content to the template: create tables, use formulas, and apply formatting to the constructed area.

    To get data from the media plan, use this syntax: "${parameter}". For example, use "${campaign.name}" to get the Campaign name.

  3. To iterate through a collection, use "jx:each" markup in a cell comment: "jx:each(items="<COLLECTION>" var="<COLLECTION_ITEM>" lastCell="<AREA_LAST_CELL>")". It has the following attributes:

    <COLLECTION>: Name of collection to iterate over. Supported values:

    - lines: selected line items.

    - fees: fees of selected line items.

    - tags: tags of selected line items.

    - line.tags: tags of current line item. Here "line" is a value of "var" in parent jx:each(items="lines" … ) comment markup.

    <COLLECTION_ITEM>: Name for referencing a current item in the collection.

    For example, to iterate over the fees, use "jx:each(items="fees" var="fee" lastCell="<AREA_LAST_CELL>")" in a cell comment. To list tags for line item, use "jx:each(items="line.tags" var="tag" lastCell="<LAST_CELL>").

    To display scheduler in line item table, you need to add this comment to the top cell of the header: "jx:scheduler(by="day" lastCell="<AREA_LAST_CELL>")".

  4. To total a column in a table, apply the SUM formula to the cell under the column.

  5. To display a scheduler in a line item table, add this comment to the top cell of the header: "jx:scheduler(by="day" lastCell="<LAST_CELL>")".

  6. Save the file as a .xlsx file.

Available Parameters

Base parameters

Date Of Creation: ${dateOfCreation}

Advertiser ID: ${campaign.advertiserId}

Advertiser Name: ${campaign.advertiser.name}

Campaign Name: ${campaign.name}

Campaign ID: ${campaign.id}

Campaign Status: ${campaign.campaignStatus}

Campaign Start Date: ${campaign.startDate}

Campaign End Date: ${campaign.endDate}

Order Name: ${order.name}

Order Start Date: ${order.startDate}

Order End Date: ${order.endDate}

Planner Name: ${campaign.manager.fullName}

Planner Email: ${campaign.manager.email}

Coplanner Name: ${campaign.coManager.fullName}

Coplanner Email: ${campaign.coManager.email}

Agency: ${agency.name}

Planner Phone Number: ${campaign.manager.phone}

Campaign Status: ${campaign.status}

Order Name: ${order.name}

Ad (Banner) Tag: ${tag.ad.adId}

Tag Landing Page URL: ${tag.ad.landingPageUrl}

Tag Size: ${tag.ad.size}

Tag Title: ${tag.ad.title}

Tag Created UTC: ${tag.createdUtc}

Tag Destination URL: ${tag.destinationUrl}

Tag Destination URLs: ${tag.destinationUrls}

Tag External Scripts: ${tag.externalScripts}

Tag Legacy ID: ${tag.legacyId}

Tag Modified UTC: ${tag.modifiedUtc}

Tag Name: ${tag.name}

Tag Preview URL: ${tag.previewUrl}

Tag Serving Method: ${tag.servingMethod}

Tag Format: ${tag.tagFormat}

Tag Tracking Pixels: ${tag.trackingPixels}

Tag UUID: ${tag.uuid}

Line item parameters

Media: ${line.mediaName}

Media ID: ${line.mediaId}

Media section: ${line.mediaSection}

Media Contact Name: ${line.contacts.name}

Media Contact Email: ${line.contacts.email}

Line Item ID: ${line.id}

Line Item Name: ${line.name}

Line Item Type: ${line.lineItemType}

Audience/Targeting: ${line.targeting}

Start Date: ${line.startDate}

End Date: ${line.endDate}

Volume: ${line.volume}

Buy Type: ${line.buyType}

Banner Sizes: ${line.geometry}

Gross Price: ${line.grossPrice}

Gross Amount: ${line.grossAmount}

Rebate %: ${line.totalDiscount}

Net Price: ${line.netPrice}

Net Amount: ${line.netAmount}

Agency Discount %: ${line.agencyCompensation}

Net Amount 2: ${line.netAmount2}

End Client Compensation: ${line.endClientCompensation}

Frequency Capping: ${line.frequencyCapping}

AdGap ID: ${line.adGapId}

Creative Type: ${line.creativeTypes}

Creative Spec Description: ${line.creativeSpecDescription}

Ad Tag Size: ${line.adSize}

Line Comment: ${line.lineComment}

Fees parameters

Name: ${fee.name}

Type: ${fee.type}

Hourly Rate / Insertion Fee: ${fee.billingRatePerHour}

Value: ${fee.volume}

Fee Percentage: ${fee.percentage}

Net Amount: ${fee.netAmount}

Net Amount 2: ${fee.netAmount2}

Apply to: ${fee.applyTo}

Is fee applied: ${fee.apply}

Budget overview parameters

Total Direct Lines: ${budget.direct.lines}

Planned Direct Impressions: ${budget.direct.impressionsVolume}

Planned Direct Conversions: ${budget.direct.conversionsVolume}

Planned Direct Clicks: ${budget.direct.clicksVolume}

Planned Direct Days: ${budget.direct.daysVolume}

Planned Direct Weeks: ${budget.direct.weeksVolume}

Planned Direct Months: ${budget.direct.monthsVolume}

Direct Gross Amount: ${budget.direct.grossAmount}

Direct Rebate: ${budget.direct.rebate}

Direct Net Amount: ${budget.direct.netAmount}

Direct Agency Discount: ${budget.direct.agencyDiscount}

Direct Net Amount 2: ${budget.direct.netAmount2}

VAT %: ${budget.vat}

Fee permission: ${budget.method}

Total Fees: ${budget.totalFee}

Total RTB line: ${budget.rtb.totalRtbLines}

RTB Allocated Budget Incl. Fees: ${budget.campaignRtbPlannedBudget}

Allocated RTB Budget: ${budget.rtb.totalMoneyBudget}

Allocated RTB Clicks: ${budget.rtb.totalClickBudget}

Allocated RTB Impressions: ${budget.rtb.totalImpressionsBudget}

Campaign Allocated Budget Incl. Fees: ${budget.campaignAllocatedBudget}

Total Campaign Budget: ${budget.campaignPlannedBudget}

Order Allocated Budget Incl. Fees: ${budget.orderBudget.allocatedInclFee}

Total Order Budget :${budget.orderBudget.plannedBudget}

To save an Excel (.xlsx) file as a custom template:

  1. In the left sidebar, click Inventory > Domain and App Templates.

  2. Click Create template > Custom Template.

  3. In the Create new custom template page, name the template. (Edit the default name to be a relevant one for your use.)

  4. Click upload.png.

  5. Locate and select the .xlsx file and click Open.

  6. Click Save.

You can use the created custom template to export line items from the line Items list.

Use Ad Server Templates

To use a template, you import or export data related to one or more line items for media or a publisher.

Note

While you can use a template to export data, you can’t upload that exported file as a template.

To export line item information:

  1. In the Line Item list, click Export.

  2. In the Export panel, click Media Plan.

    Note

    If you click Importable Excel File, you specify which attributes to include instead of using a template. (Adform includes all line items in the .xlsx file.) Click Export.

    Use this to export the line items for your agency's internal use.

  3. In the Media / Publisher list, specify the media or publisher.

    Note

    Adform exports only line items targeting the publisher, so you can send the .xlsx file to the publisher without editing it. With a custom template, the .xlsx file can be branded for your agency.

  4. In the Media Plan Export Template list, select a custom template.

  5. Click Export.

    Note

    You can click Send and then specify who should receive the .xlsx file.

Adjust Templates

You can edit a template or deactivate it.

Note

You can’t edit a custom template. You can download the existing template as an Excel file to adjust and upload it as another custom template. If you upload a more current custom template, consider deactivating the original custom template if you no longer need it.

To edit a template:

  1. In the left sidebar, click Inventory > Domain and App Templates.

  2. In the Active templates list, locate the template to edit.

  3. Click the template’s name.

  4. Adjust the template’s information.

  5. Click Save.

If you no longer need a template, you can deactivate it.

Note

You can't delete any template.

  1. In the left sidebar, click Inventory > Domain and App Templates.

  2. In the Active templates list, locate the template to deactivate.

  3. Point to the template’s row.

  4. On the right side of that row, click sheduled_reports_arrow.png > Deactivate.

In the Inactive template’s list, you can re-activate a deactivated template by clicking sheduled_reports_arrow.png > Activate.

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