Changes from Natural Log DOS
Here is a summary of the differences between Natural Log DOS and Natural Log Windows:
Speed
Windows-based programs are inherently slower than DOS programs. NL-Windows runs as efficiently as any Windows-based program. If you are dissatisfied with the speed or operation, you must get a faster computer and local-area-network [if operating across a network]. A 1.8 gHz computer is the absolute minimum for reasonable speed. You should also end all unnecessary Windows processes running in the background.
Windows Graphical Interface
Mouse-driven Windows Cut-and-Paste and Drag-and-Drop functions are supported. Generally, right clicking on an item will cause a popup menu to appear allowing cut, copy and pasting in text boxes.
Documents
Order Confirmations, Production Orders, Logs, Invoices, and Statements are much more user-configurable. You can select the print fonts and font size to be used for each document.
NL Windows also allows you to print a graphic logo on Order Confirmations, Invoices, and Statements.
All documents may be printed to any Windows-compatible printer or to an Adobe Acrobat PDF file for easy e-mailing. Order confirmations, invoices, and statements can be e-mailed directly from NL8 [provided you have appropriate e-mail functions available from the computer on which NL8 is installed.]
User Passwords
An unlimited number of users can be created, each with their own password.
Each user can have full read-write access, read-only access [to allow viewing but not editing data], or can be allowed or denied access to each individual section of NL.
Users can be restricted to accessing accounts belonging to a specific account rep [salesman] so you can set up your salespeople as users and restrict them to only accessing their accounts and broadcast orders and also allow or deny them the right to enter and edit data.
You can also allow account reps to directly enter broadcast orders but require single or multiple levels of station management and/or traffic director approval before the orders will be logged.
Customers
An unlimited number of customers can be maintained in NL-Windows, NL-DOS was limited to 10,000.
Customers may not be deleted but can have their account closed when no longer needed.
Customers can be assigned to an agency. Agencies can be set up in NL8 so you only have to enter their information once, then whenever you enter a new customer for that agency, the information is recalled so it need not be reentered for each new sponsor for that agency.
The NL8 administrator can set up default customer data values appropriate to their situation.
Broadcast Orders
An unlimited number of broadcast orders can now be saved in the NL system, NL-DOS was limited to 1000 active orders. Old orders are no longer deleted until the holding period expires. After orders have logged at least 1 item, they can no longer be manually deleted, you must change the end-date to stop them from running.
Orders can now be linked to special events templates and automatically run only when the special event is scheduled.
Automatic front-loading is now supported. Multiple-item macro scheduling [such as program opener & sponsorship items linked together] is now supported.
You may now specify a required break position for an ordered item such as first-in-break, last-in-break, book-ends, etc.
Order confirmations are viewed on-screen prior to printing. Bulk contracts may be entered to track the customer's fulfillment of his long term buying commitment.
The NL8 administrator can set up default broadcast order data values appropriate to their situation.
You can allow account reps to directly enter broadcast orders but require multi-level management and/or traffic director approval before the orders will be logged.
Copy Manager
NL-DOS used numeric cart numbers to identify an audio cut to be logged. NL-Windows uses CopyID's for the same purpose but these CopyID's can be numbers and/or letters up to 20 characters in length so long as each CopyID is unique with the Natural Log copy manager. These CopyID's correspond to the audio cut as it is identified in the automation system. You must still comply with your automation system's cut numbering requirements. Scott Studios™ and MediaTouch™ users need to see the specific sections of Chapter 10 of the NL-Windows user manual regarding CopyID's and "categories" in these systems.
The NL-DOS copy conversion table is no longer used so users need to enter the CopyID exactly as it should appear for their automation system, including any letter prefixes. NL8 will accept any combination of letters and/or numbers up to 20 characters to create a unique CopyID.
In NL-DOS, each station had its own copy list. In NL-Windows, there is a single unified copy list available to orders for any station(s). After data import from NL-DOS, you need to use non-duplicated CopyID's. When NL-Windows imports copy data from a 2 station NL-DOS system, if it sees duplicated CopyID's, it appends a special code to make the 2nd station's CopyID unique. This special code is automatically stripped out when the log is sent to automation so there is no need to change your CopyID's in automation.
Copy scripts can be created in any Windows-based word processor, then copy-and-paste the script text into the script window of the NL8 Copy Manager.
There are new types of copy such as Copy-Schedules and Copy-Packets to help users deal with complex copy scheduling requirements.
Logs
Log formats are now called Log Templates in NL Windows. Program Blocks are now called Special-Events-Templates and can be pre-scheduled so there is no need to copy them into log formats to use them.
Individual Log Template line items, hours, or complete days can be copied from one Log Template and mass-pasted into on or more other Log Templates.
Drag-and-drop and cut-and-paste functions are available in the log editor. There is a user-configurable log editor screen..
Billing
Users can mass-charge multiple logs.
Users can cancel, correct, and reissue invoices in the billing section as long as the billing period has not been closed. Billing errors can be more easily investigated using the view-error-detail function on the main billing screen.
Electronic invoicing is supported for Encoda-SpotData clearinghouse. NL can also automatically e-mail invoices to customers in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
Invoices may be printed as they were in NL-DOS: "Detail", "Times-only", "Summary". NL Windows adds 2 new invoice types: "Times-Rates" and "Co-op Notarized Affidavit". The Co-Op invoice type breaks the broadcast items on an order's invoice/affidavit into individual sub-invoices for each different Co-Op.
Accounts Receivable
One of the major changes with NL Windows is the ability to edit or delete-and-reenter payment and adjustment transactions. NL-DOS required you to enter reversing entries if you discovered an error after a payment or adjustment was processed. In NL Windows you can always delete, delete-and-reenter, or edit a payment, adjustment, or invoice so long as the accounting period has not been closed.
Account statements may now be printed in "Open-Item' format or "Balance-Forward" format.
A minimum finance charge amount can be set to allow users to charge a flat late-fee even if small amounts are owed. Users can also specify whether finance charges are compounded. Users can define the description of the finance charge to be shown on the customers' account statement.
Finance charges are now posted and aged as separate invoices so the user can decide whether to post payments to finance charges or invoices first.
Reports
- All reports are viewed on-screen prior to being sent to the printer.
- All reports are user-configurable for sorting, grouping, subtotals, filtering, and columns to be displayed. After you configure a report to your liking, you can memorize the settings under a unique report name and instantly recall those report settings by selecting that report under memorized reports.
- All reports can be exported to text or delimited files for import into any other Windows program [such as spreadsheet, database, etc.]. They can be printed any Windows printer or to Adobe Acrobat PDF files for easy emailing.
- New reports include a Bulk-Contract-Fulfillment report, Log reports, and TaxDue reports. Some reports such as the Rates Reports have been reconfigured to make them more usable.
- The reports section may also be used to print mailing labels and envelopes for customers.
Data Backup
The Natural Log for Windows data file is very large. It should not be backed up to floppy discs due to the large number of discs needed and the consequential increased risk that 1 disc could go bad and cost you the entire backup. We highly recommend you backup to a tape backup system, a USB-flash drive, a Zip™ disc, or to CD using a 3rd party CD burning program.
Screen Browsers
User-configurable screen browsers allow you to look up customer accounts, broadcast orders, and copy. The customer edit screen brings together all information for that customer including unpaid items, broadcast orders, and copy.
Salesmen
In NL8, station ad salesmen are referred to as Account Reps. Account Reps can not be deleted but can be set as inactive when no longer needed.
Product Codes
In NL8, users can create an unlimited number of product codes to protect similar products' spots from being logged together.
Time Classes
In NL8, users can create an unlimited number of time-classes.
Agencies
Agencies can be set up in NL8 so you only have to enter their information once, then whenever you enter a new customer for that agency, the information is recalled so it need not be reentered for each new sponsor for that agency.
Utilities
There is an on-screen calendar [under the tools menu] that can be displayed as calendar month or broadcast month. Users can enter dated reminders that will pop up on the NL screen on a specific date. There is an activity log for each user, customer account, broadcast order, log, and invoice that records the changes entered, the user that made the changes, and the date/time of the change.
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