anywhere else the screen will not be able to find it. If you are not using computer based audio (i.e. playing your spots of cart machines, mini-disc etc. live) then there is no need to save the completed audio in this folder. However be aware that if are planning to implement computer-based play out at a later stage you will need to go back and update all of your spots with their relevant filenames at that time--which may prove a big job depending upon the size of your advertising catalogue.

Before you assign any audio to spots you will need to set up the Play Out Re-Mapping. You will need someone with medium to high IT skills to do these next steps.

On the Production computer share the "c:\robot\traffic\completed production" folder (right click the folder, select properties > sharing).

On the Play Out (studio) computer using the windows explorer select Tools > Map Network drive and map the folder you shared above on your network as a single drive letter (e.g. "S:\").

Set the Play Out Re-Mapping drop down menu to the drive letter you selected. This means that when the play out software attempts to play a file it will look for it on the production machine using the networked drive; so make sure the production PC is always switched on.

You only need to do this set-up once.

Updating a Spot and Activating it into the Schedule

(You can update details of the audio spot at any time without changing its status, the instructions below assume that you are doing it all at once).

If you are using computer-based play out double-Click the relevant audio file (see picture at left). You will see the filename appear in the filename field with the mapped drive as its path. The Length will also be automatically calculated for you. If you are not using computer play out you can leave the filename field blank but you must still fill in the length field in seconds.


You can add details of any music you have used, which will later become part of an APRA music report for your audio spots. You do not have to fill in the APRA key; either if you do not wish to use APRA reporting or if you have used no music in the audio spot. Otherwise fill in the relevant fields and it will be added to the APRA log. If you are using computer play out the Total Len. and