Ad Agency Project Management – 3 Ways Our Advantage Software Can help Your Agency!

Advantage Software is designed by agencies, for agencies.  You’ll find customizable desktops, menus and applications that conform to your agency brand or individual preferences.

Innovative and flexible ad agency software applications meet the needs of mid to large-size agencies with multiple offices or profit centers but also serve smaller agencies with easy-to-use features and efficient design. 

Role-based methodology and extensive collaboration tools ensure that everyone benefits; making your agency more efficient, productive and profitable.  Extend connectivity beyond typical boundaries with tools such as Webvantage Mobile and the Client Portal!

3 Ways Our Advantage Software Project Management Software Can Help Your Agency

1.  A good Agency Project Management system includes Resource Management tools that allow you to see into the future and predict both short-term and long-term staffing needs.

2.  A good Agency Project Management system provides accurate task lists and project timelines and calendars without making your project manager a data entry clerk.  It automates the task routing through intelligent workflow templates that you define.

3.  Agency Project Management systems that centralize all information, communications and documents allow companies to stay informed, up-to-the-minute on important events, changes, or problems that may affect the timing or accuracy of the finished product.

If you would like more information about Advantage Software Project Management software, please call us at 800.841.2078 or contact our Regional Sales Managers:  Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com .  We look forward to working with your agency soon!

 

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Ad Agency Software from Advantage Software Delivers Major Project Management and Production Upgrades in Webvantage v3.20!

There is more exciting news for Ad Agency Project Management and Production users with the latest Webvantage Agency Management Software v3.20 upgrade from Advantage Software!

We added a number of Agency Project Management Maintenance applications to Webvantage which can be controlled by security but allow Project Managers to manage maintenance items from Webvantage!

All of these agency software items can be exported to Excel for reporting:

• Alert Assignment Maintenance – Required to use the new Alert Assignments feature.  This application is used to create States and Workflow Templates used for Alert Assignment routing;
• Alert Groups
• Phase
• Status
• Tasks and Task Templates
• Roles
• Project Schedule Settings

Other items of interest to the agency Project Management and Production users of the software include:

• Purchase Order Search – added filter options to omit Voided Purchase Orders or Closed Purchase orders from the search results
• Job Jacket Event Scheduling – added filters for Cutoff dates and Event ID’s
• Estimates – added new signature option for 5 client signatures
• Project Viewpoint Hours Viewpoint – added the Job Description and Job Component Description

Webvantage is an extremely powerful, reliable, robust and scalable web-based version of our Advantage Software.

We'll be covering more details from our Webvantage v3.20 release soon.  If you would like more information about Webvantage, our web-based ad agency software program, please call us at 800.841.2078 or contact our Regional Sales Managers:  Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com.  We look forward to working with your agency soon!

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Ad Agency Finance & Accounting Webvantage Software from The Advantage Software Company Includes Nice v3.20 Financial Enhancements!

The Advantage Software Company has released Webvantage v3.20 with some very nice enhancements and upgrades for all ad agency departments and roles!

Today, we wanted to share with our accounting and financial agency software team members some of the specific enhancements that we think you will really enjoy!

Billing Approval Batch Options in Webvantage

We added additional options for selected billing for approval to match new options in the Billing Command Center.  These include:

• Select Jobs with Unbilled or Other Charges (means that jobs will be displayed if they have unbilled charges or have been advance billed or have an approved estimate or open purchase orders).
• Select Jobs with Unbilled Charges Only (limits selection to jobs that have unbilled or un-reconciled charges).
• Select All Open Jobs (includes all open jobs for a complete review).

Accounts Receivable Statements

We added the ability to “check all or uncheck all” to email or print!

Employee Utilization Dashboard

These dashboards provide interactive, visual information on Employee Productivity and Realization billability, including a simple Fee Analysis view. They are locked by default (activate in System Locking) and include security for each option (productivity vs. realization).

We'll be covering more details from our Webvantage v3.20 release soon.  If you would like more information about Webvantage, our web-based ad agency software program, please call us at 800.841.2078 or contact our Regional Sales Managers:  Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com.  We look forward to working with your agency soon!

Technorati Tags: ad agency software,ad agency project management software,advantage ad agency software,pr agency software,ad agency business management software,agency digital management software,webvantage software upgrade

Advantage Software Company - Ad Agency Software: Advantage Ad Agency Software Releases New Webvantage Web-based Agency Software Version

Advantage Software Company - Ad Agency Software: Advantage Ad Agency Software Releases New Webvantage Web-based Agency Software Version

Advantage Ad Agency Software Releases New Webvantage Web-based Agency Software Version

The Advantage Software Company has just released v3.20 for our Webvantage software that includes some really exciting upgrades and updates to our web-based agency software!

The Alerts application has been enhanced to include many new features that are designed to improve communications but also facilitate issue routing. Below is a list of key changes:

• Added Alert Assignments, which are used for issue and task routing. This feature can be used to supplement regular project schedules, but can also be used to automate issue tracking on digital or other programming projects.

• Alert Assignments may be filtered to view the current employee (logged in) or all employees for complete visibility into the assignments made at all levels, to all employees.

• Redesigned the Alert page to bring comments onto the first tab.

• Changed the comment option so that it is a 'popup' and is easier to access and add new comments.

• Added the ability to edit the Category, Priority, Due Date, Due Time, Subject and Body on Manual Alerts and Alert Assignments. Automatic commenting keeps an audit trail of what was edited and when.

• Filters have been replaced with easy-to-use buttons that instantly filter for the type of Alert or Alert Assignment you're searching for.

• Group By options have been changed to group by main Alert levels and include alerts at most main levels and below (client, job, job component and task).

• Added the ability to exclude attachments from the email generated, at the Alert level.

• Added the ability to upload the documents sent with Alerts to the Document Manager at the same time the Alert is sent.

• Added option to send or not send a copy to the Sender at the Alert level (defaults to last selection by user).
• Changed "Sent" box to display the Alert for the Sender regardless of whether or not they are a recipient.
• Added 'paging' to the Alerts main pages to speed up page loading for users with a large number of alerts (all inboxes).
• Added Task Assignments list and link to Assignment Alert to the Task Alert Detail page.
• Added Job Alert View filter to hide or show completed Alert Assignments.
• Added the ability to print the Alert as a report.
• Added the ability to create a report based on the Alert View (complete grid utilizing all filters and criteria) by exporting to Excel.
• Modified all Print/Send features to utilize the new Alert options. Allows for any report to be sent as either an Alert or an Alert Assignment. Changed Print icon to read "Print/Send".
• Added the ability to Group Alerts by Due Date and Priority in both the Alert Main View and the Alert Desktop Object.

We'll be covering more details from our Webvantage v3.20 release soon.  If you would like more information about Webvantage, our web-based ad agency software program, please call us at 800.841.2078 or contact our Regional Sales Managers:  Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com.  We look forward to working with your agency soon!

Ad Agency Digital Asset Management – Advantage Software to the Rescue!

Advertising agency clients of all sizes are embracing our Advantage software and technology with questions like, “What exactly is Digital Asset Management?”

Digital asset management (DAM) consists of management tasks and decisions surrounding the ingestion, annotation, cataloguing, storage, retrieval and distribution of digital assets. Digital photographs, animations, videos and music are samples of media asset management (a sub-category of DAM.

Digital asset management systems includes computer software and/or hardware systems that aid in the process of digital asset management.

The term "digital asset management" (DAM) also refers to the protocol for downloading, renaming, backing up, rating, grouping, archiving, optimizing, maintaining, thinning, and exporting files.

The term "media asset management" (MAM) is a sub-category of "Digital Asset Management," mainly for audio, video and other media content. Generally the "asset" being managed is collected and stored in a digital format.

Advantage includes a built-in and fully integrated document and digital asset manager. You can now upload and track documents or creative assets by simply linking to key levels within Advantage. A folder system is created and maintained automatically. Metadata is created and attached to each document, making it searchable as well as exportable.

Search for all assets by client, product, campaign, job, etc. Additionally, a complete audit trail of document transactions by job illustrates why it may have gone over budget!  Security may be applied to protect confidential documents such as contracts, so that all information can be safely stored in the system.

If you would like more information about the Advantage Software Digital Asset Management program, please call us at 800.841.2078 or contact our Regional Sales Managers:  Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com.  We look forward to working with your agency soon!

Technorati Tags: ad agency digital asset management,digital asset management software,ad agency project management software,agency digital management software

In-House Ad Agency Software from Advantage Software is a Totally Custom Experience

Advantage Software provides your In-House Agency with all the tools needed to automate and optimize the work you do!

Project Management for In-House Agencies

· Job Jacket - Creative Briefs, Specifications, Work Orders & Change Orders

· Digital Project Issue Tracking

· Project Schedules & Timelines

· Estimates & Vendor Quote Requests

· Purchase Orders

Resource & Workload Management for In-House Agencies

· Calendar

· Workload Projections

· Resource Management

· Task Management

· Time Entry

· Expense Reports

Media Buying & Reconciliation for In-House Agencies

· Media Estimates

· Media Orders - Newspaper, Inserts, Direct Mail, Magazine, Out of Home, Internet & Broadcast

· Publication Specifications

· Media Calendar

Communications, Collaboration & Information

· Role-based Dashboards

· Alerts & Workflow-based Assignments

· Client Portal

· Extensive Reporting

Document & File Management for In-House Agencies

· Documents, Files, Assets & Links

Accounting & Finance for In-House Agencies

· Complete Financial System

· Budgets & Forecasts

· A/P, A/R, Billing

· Bank Reconciliation

· General Ledger - with Import/Export Capabilities

Management Information Reports for In-House Agencies

· Executive Dashboard

· Project Statistics

· Productivity Analysis

· Job Cost Analysis

Contact Ellen Coulter with questions or to schedule an online demonstration by calling 800-841-2078 x414, emailing ecoulter@gotoadvantage.com and visiting us online www.gotoadvantage.com .

Technorati Tags: in-house agency software,in-house advertising agency software,in-house ad agency software,in-house agency project management,advantage software

In-House Advertising Agencies Require Unique Software from The Advantage Software Company

There is a growing trend with large companies and corporations across America – In-house advertising agencies of some form are surfacing inside these companies.

Some recent reports show that a staggering 43% of large American companies have some type of in-house advertising agency.  Some in-house is just creative, or media buying, or project management, or a combination of everything.

In-house agencies have different needs than traditional advertising agencies when it comes to job titles, organization, project flow, and management.  So their software needs are different.  Here is where Advantage Software can step in and make a world of difference for In-house agencies.

We know In-House agencies!  Our In-House Agency suite of software products is totally focused on the way that In-House Agencies work.

Advantage Software’s president, Ellen Coulter, will be attending the In-House Agency Forum’s Annual Conference in October!  If you are attending this incredible meeting and would like to meet with Ellen, please contact her by email at ecoulter@gotoadvantage.com or by calling 1-800-841-2078 x414.  Ellen will be at the Advantage Software booth and information table during the show!

Software to Save Your Ad Agency Money & Resources!

The overall goal of the Agency Management System from The Advantage Software Company is to automate and streamline business processes within your agency.

Automation and streamlining of processes in any business can bring many benefits that include:

• Increased productivity and efficiency in every department

• Minimization of errors that cost time and money

• Increased access to management information to aid in making important decisions

• Added value to your clients which makes you more competitive

Advertising agencies often experience difficulties automating departments and bringing them together due to the nature of the business. With the focus on the client, internal procedures are often bypassed in lieu of getting jobs completed. To make things more difficult, systems available (such as Advantage) are constantly changing and growing. It is difficult to keep up. But the agency client also benefits when an agency takes steps to improve internally. Agencies know that they need re-structuring of procedures and further automation when they find themselves completing many tasks manually or more than once.

Before you can make recommendations as to what processes need to be automated and/or modified, it is important to review them in their current state. Review as many of your existing processes as possible and discuss your overall goals for improvement. If automation is in place, determine if the procedures are as efficient as they can be. If automation is lacking, determine if there is an application or feature available in Advantage that will bring significant benefits and will justify making a change.

We would like to talk with you about how our Agency Management System  and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools can help your agency. Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers: Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com . We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

Ad Agency Software - How to Handle Freelancers within Advantage Software

Advertising and PR agencies outsource quite a bit of work to freelancers of all types - creative, copy writing, accounting, video taping, production services, etc.  But you have to account for the freelancer's time and cost to give you a total job cost picture.

Our Advantage and Webvantage products from The Advantage Software Company give ad agencies options for easily tracking and recording expenses with your freelancing professionals.

Our first option is fairly straight-forward:  Enter the freelance time to the job through timesheets including a cost rate; post the freelancer’s accounts payable invoice to an operating expense account in accounts payable. The freelance costs will be reported as Direct Service Costs on the Client P&L report.

Our second option for recording freelance time and costs:  Enter the freelance time to the job through timesheets with NO cost rate; post the freelancer’s accounts payable invoice to a non-billable function on the job. The freelance costs will be reported as Direct Expenses on the Client P&L report.

And our third option for recording freelance time and costs:  Post the freelance invoice directly to the job with a markup if applicable. The freelance costs will be reported as a Cost of Sale on the Client P&L report.

We have developed our Advantage and Webvantage products to be entirely flexible for your agency's specific needs and reporting desires.

We invite you to join us for a free tour and online demonstration of our Project Management tools and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools. Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers: Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee -  mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com . We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

New Ad Agency Accounting Software Gives Ad Agency Billers More Control!

The Advantage Software Company has just released the Beta Version 3.20 of our Webvantage web-based agency management software with some powerful new features that will help increase workflow efficiencies for agency billing professionals!


In Phase II of the Billing Command Center, billing professionals now have a centralized location where they can review, adjust and bill media orders, as well as production jobs. The flexible media selection feature allows billers to select billing information at different levels of granularity, from all orders, to client, client/division, client/division/product, client purchase order, market, campaign, order number or even line number!

Billers can perform a variety of tasks from the Command Center, including income recognition and closing jobs without leaving the screen. By having all the information and tasks in one place, billers will experience a quick learning curve and become more efficient!

We invite you to join us for a free tour and online demonstration of our Billing Command Center and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools. Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers: Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com . We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

New Ad Agency Project Management Software Tool Gives Ad Agency Leaders Real-time, Online Dashboards on Agency Progress!

The Advantage Software Company has just released the Beta Version 3.20 of our Webvantage web-based ad agency management software with some powerful new features that will help increase workflow efficiencies and job turnaround times!

The new release underscores Advantage's commitment of pushing real time information to the web by introducing employee utilization dashboards. These new dashboards enable ad agency leaders and other key personnel to view employee productivity, realization (billability) and even client fee analysis by company/office and department at the macro and detail levels from a single, interactive browser-based application.

View things like direct and indirect time, goal vs. actual, direct time by client, billed and adjusted time by client, and much more, all without printing a single report.

“These new features provide information that enables agency leaders to analyze key utilization metrics quickly, through easy-to-read charts and graphs, so that they can adjust staffing or fees accordingly,” said Advantage Software Company President Ellen Coulter.

We invite you to join us for a free tour and online demonstration of our Ad Agency Project Management tools and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools. Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers: Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com  or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com . We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

New Ad Agency Project Management Tool Routes Assignments Outside of Your Main Workflow Schedule!

The Advantage Software Company has just released the Beta Version 3.20 of our Webvantage web-based agency management software with some powerful new features that will help increase workflow efficiencies and job turnaround times!


Alert Assignments is a new feature that enables agency project managers to quickly assign and track workflow details outside of the main schedule. You can use Alert Assignments with built-in, user-defined workflow to 'route' tasks and issues automatically to team members.

Project managers can spend more time managing and less time entering data!

Alert Assignments allows you to gain complete visibility into all projects from a single, interactive view. Task and issue routing are automatic based on the state assigned by each team member and the workflow defined.

This feature can be used to track any task or issue that requires routing, accompanying documents or collaboration, including the creative and production processes, contract or RFP participation, and issue tracking on digital or other programming projects.

This slick feature speeds time to market and tracks progress, but eliminates the need to update every interaction in the project management schedule manually. In other words, you get more work done…with fantastic tracking and accountability…in less time!

We invite you to join us for a free tour and online demonstration of our Project Management tools and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools. Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers: Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com . We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

Ad Agency Project Management Software Eliminates Multiple Manual Systems

Project management capabilities at your agency help you manage information and communications.  Your clients demand it.  A successful launch and management of a client campaign demands it.  Yet project management is many times an elusive goal that we chase because "we're way too busy."

Now imagine a single source for tracking everything from the creative process to job specifications, work orders, change orders, cost estimates, schedules, events, alertassociated documents and more. View media calendars and schedules online. And, view project and media budgets compared to actuals from a single online desktop object.  Pretty cool, huh!

The Advantage Software Company has developed one of the most flexible and powerful project management software suites that virtually eliminates multiple manual systems and brings important time-saving information to the fingertips of every staff member.

It all starts with our unique Job Jacket templates which you design to go with "your" workflow, based on the type of work being done. From there, add your own creative briefs, job specifications, work orders and changes orders based on your company's specific requirements. Budgets and media are managed along with projects from the browser-based interfaces that allow you to work from anywhere, anytime. Media is full-featured and completely integrated providing streamlined and managed control.

Project Management Key Features:

• Campaigns for tracking individual budgets for both production and media projects.
• The Job Jacket is the central point for all activities. Create your own job "templates" that allow you to open and track jobs based on the type of work being done. Store multiple versions and revisions and access all job-related information from a single screen.
• Job Orders include the creative brief, production specifications, media specifications, work orders, change orders and schedule information on a single report which may be distributed electronically.
• Creative Briefs store the creative instructions in your format for centralized access.
• Job Specifications provide staff members and vendors with detailed specifications about the project.
• Job Versions allow you to track Work Orders or Change Orders as they occur in the workflow process.
• Document Attachments allow you to attach and track documents, files and other digital assets.
• Alerts, topic management and Wiki-type features provide communication and collaboration tools to organize and track information that include your internal and client comments.
• Project Scheduling streamlines the traffic process with dozens of time-saving features designed to automate this important aspect of your business.
• Estimating helps you create more accurate client estimates using advanced features such as vendor pricing sheets; vendor quote/bid requests and estimating based on job history. Track an unlimited number of vendor bids for comprehensive comparison and analysis.
• Purchase Order Tracking enables you to control and track costs assocated with project vendors as well as house vendors. Purchase Order Approval ensures control.

We invite you to join us for a free tour and online demonstration of our Project Management tools and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools. Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers: Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com . We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

Ad Agency Payables & Receivables Software Breakthrough!

Hello Ad Agency Software users!  Saving time and providing quick access to accurate information are the goals of every accounting department. The Advantage Software Company has simplified the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable processes for your advertising, PR and creative agency!

You can now focus, not on data entry, but on what’s more important: better management of your own time and your agency’s cash flow.

Accounts Payable Key Features:

• Real-time processing for all records. Full audit trail of transactions.
• Importing of Accounts Payable and Income Only records.
• Easy entry, multiple disbursements in a single record, GL account defaults, and controls that ensure accuracy.
• Purchase Order and Insertion Order matching and auto-load features.
• Alerts and controls that help you manage costs that exceed purchase orders and approved estimates.
• Access to related information directly from the payable record including payments, disbursements and related GL entries.

• Automate approvals and store an electronic copy of the paper invoice with every record.
• Check Writing is very capable in helping you select exactly what to pay. Select payables by vendor, media type, client and "paid by client" status. View payable history and disbursements directly from the check writing approval windows. Process electronic transfers and manual invoices from one versatile application.
• Void Checks tracks all activity and places payables back to their original state in one step.
• Protect yourself by sending Positive Pay information to your bank electronically.
• Vendor Queries provide yet another way for you to view accounts payable details and status from a single location. Multiple drill-downs to all levels of detail plus matching reports give you everything you need to get instant, accurate information.
• Bank Reconciliation is completely automated and even integrated with all transactions including cleared records from your bank.

Accounts Receivable Key Features:

• Real-time processing for all records. Full audit trail of transactions.
• Flexible and simple data entry allows you to quickly post cash to client invoices or on account.
• Modifications are done without removing or reversing the original check.

• Track both client and other cash receipts in a single application.
• Client AR Queries provide a way for you to view payment history and open invoices from a single location. Multiple drill-downs to all levels of detail plus matching reports give you everything you need to get instant, accurate information.
• AR Statements may be sent to clients electronically with a single click.
• Multiple reports and browser-based Desktop Objects provide valuable information to accounting, account service and other staff members instantly.

We invite you to join us for a free tour and online demonstration of Payables & Receivables and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools. Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers: Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com. We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

Flexible Ad Agency Software with Online Client Billing!

All ad agencies, pr agencies, creative agencies and other advertising organizations know the frustrations with billing your clients.  The paper trail can be lost, abused, and destroyed.  It makes everybody frustrated, especially your clients!

At The Advantage Software Company we have developed an Online Billing Solution within our software programs that can virtually eliminate costly and embarrassing mistakes and hassles when it comes to correctly billing your clients. 

We simply call this robust software feature, Client Billing.

Streamline the billing process and get a handle on income while you deliver custom invoice formats and statements to your clients electronically. Start with Online Billing Approval where project details are viewed and billing instructions are issued electronically!

The Billing Command Center provides a unique, single-source interface for viewing, analyzing, selecting, processing and delivering client billing. The entire billling process including reconcilation and job closing is streamlined and consolidated through this application.

Client Billing Key Features from our Advantage Software include:

• Online Billing Approvals are a great alternative to the traditional paper trail created with production billing. Account executives play a larger role in the billing process by communicating with billers online as the first step in the billing process.
• Billing Reports are available in dozens of formats where both production and media details may be analyzed in-depth before adjustments are made and invoices are processed. This same information is available in Online Billing Approvals!
• Adjustments and Transfers are used to view Online Billing Approval details and make appropriate adjustments before billing is processed. These tools allow adjustments to client billing while maintaining job costs and a complete audit trail of transactions.
• Easily transfer job time across companies, and hard costs across offices.
• Advance Billing includes multiple income recognition and reconciliation options to completely automate that process and give complete control over the results. Job forecasts play a role in helping you determine percent complete and that monthly reconciliation figure.
• Media is advance billed by default but may be post billed as an alternative. Media accrual and reconciliation is automatic! You'll be able to provide your clients with information about media purchases compared to actuals with variances.
• Invoicing is as flexible as you can imagine with our standard and custom invoice options; provide the formats your clients demand without re-typing or manipulating them manually. View draft invoices first, then automatically email them in PDF format.
• Statements of open receivables may be generated automatically and emailed to your clients with a single click.

We invite you to join us for a free tour and online demonstration of Client Billing and our suite of powerful Advantage Software tools.  Please call us today at (800) 841-2078 or email our Regional Sales Managers:  Dominique Lacerte - dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee - mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com.  We look forward to serving your agency needs soon!

Better Ad Agency Software for Client Budgeting & Forecasting

One of our best features in both the Advantage and Webvantage Agency Software programs from The Advantage Software Company is our better client budgeting and forecasting program. This amazing tool helps you to eliminate manual tasks like spreadsheets once and for all!

Client Budgeting & Forecasting are creative and powerful parts of our Advantage and Webvantage Agency Software programs!

Advertisers are looking for cost efficiencies in the advertising budget, and you have been asked to manage more with fewer resources. Stay on top of your company’s profitability and financial goals with Advantage’s client budgeting and forecasting tools.

Project profit for the year with incomparable ease and accuracy! Create and manage your client budgets using this comprehensive tool and eliminate manual spreadsheets once and for all. Historical data is available with a single click to aid in formulating more accurate budgets. Time-saving features make anything else seem obsolete! Flexible reporting and online ‘Desktop’ objects bring it all together for the final analysis.

Client Budget & Forecasting Key Features from Advantage Software:

• Create unlimited budget variations.
• Create budgets in summary or detail for all income and cost types.
• Use special tools designed to simplify and expedite data entry.
• Track revisions and approvals.
• Report and analyze client budgets or forecasts vs. actual data in a variety of ways.
• Use Agency Builder and Budget Viewpoint Desktop Objects to monitor your goals with up-to-the-second accuracy.

If you would like more information about Advantage and Webvantage Software, please contact us at 800-841-2078 or email Dominique Lacerte dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com.

Advantage Software Online Time & Expense Entry Agency Software

Would the ability to enter job and project time and expenses quickly pique your curiosity?  What if every member of your agency could enter these from anywhere in the world?  Would that really pique your interest?

Web-based ad agency software from Advantage Software gives you freedom, empowerment, and flexibility  to correctly and accurately upload employee time spent on projects as well as actual expenses.  Then pull a report instantly!  Talk about simplicity for obtaining instant profitability reports on client projects!

We make it easy to track your most important asset. You can enter your time daily or weekly using your weekly template or your task list. Automatic features and defaults cut down on clicks and ensure accurate and timely results. Time is immediately posted to your job or fee account and compared to budget or project estimate. Variances are reported to account executives immediately! Advantage tracks missing time and sends e-mail reminders to keep you on schedule, and unapproved time is reported before it becomes a problem.

Expense Reports are entered online for billable or non-billable expenses, cash reimbursement and even expenses associated with a company credit card. View the status of your expense submissions any time.

Click here to view more details about this wildly-popular component of our Advantage Software suite of ad agency software products!  Plus you can call us at Toll Free at 800.841.2078 to request a free tour of our software!

Ad Agency Software Electronic Job Jacket

Paper can be our worst enemy in a busy advertising, pr and creative agency.  "I thought that Mary had that Job Ticket...I met with her yesterday and she left with it in her stack of papers!"  We've seen and heard that situation many times.

Advantage Software works the way you work.  Teams of people working together on several projects needed a single resource for accessing centralized data for each project.  We invented the Electronic Job Jacket to meet the needs of all team members...conveniently from your desktop or mobile device!

The Electronic Job Jacket works just like you work...but without paper!  You can easily and conveniently tie together all of the aspects of one of your client's projects:

• Job templates - easy to replicate similar jobs for the same client
• Alerts and documents - easily upload and attach documents and email communcations
• Creative brief - it's easily accessible from the electronic job jacket
• Job specifications - everybody can see every project job spec list
• Work orders and change orders - everything is conveniently found in one place
• Project schedule - easily assign, track and complete your tasks for each project
• Purchase orders - never lose paper again!
• Media orders - everything located in one central electronic job jacket

Our electronic job tickets eliminates multiple manual systems and brings important time-saving information to the fingertips of each staff member!  If you would like to see a demonstration of our electronic job jacket, please click here or call us at (800) 841-2078.  We look forward to serving you!

Ad Agency Software from Advantage Let's You Know if It's Time to Add Staff!

New projects can pile up quickly. When considering additional staff, determining when and who to hire are critical decisions. Do you need freelance talent for short term bottlenecks, or full time staff to manage permanent growth?

Advantage provides accurate, real-time information on workload requirements and employee utilization allowing you to project future staffing needs - without extensive data entry!

• Project Schedules: Plan and forecast workload using Project Schedules to manage approved and estimated work. The intelligent “Employee Finder” automatically analyzes existing workload and recommends the best candidate for project tasks.

• Workload Management: Assign staff members to projects by team or role with complete visibility into individual availability. Workload ‘Alerts’ provide warnings on over or under-utilized employees.

• Productivity Dashboards: Get the ‘big picture’ on current and future hiring needs using productivity dashboard tools that provide key metrics instantly. Workload projections provide information as to whether to add full time or freelance staff.

The Advantage Software Company is the leading provider of advertising workflow automation and media buying tools for advertising agencies and in-house marketing departments. For over 30 years Advantage has led the industry with a wide range of solutions including browser-based solutions that accommodate both PC and Mac workstations. Call us at 1-800-841-2078!

Ad Agency Software with 1,000+ Custom Reports!

A busy advertising agency, PR agency, marketing agency or creative agency needs the ability to create custom reports on all aspects of the agency:  clients, jobs, project progress, financial and accounting, profitability, employees, and every other line item!

Our Advantage Software family of web-based agency programs is complemented with the ability to generate 1,000+ custom reports on the fly!  Our clients love this wonderful capability.

Reporting options include flexible formatting of forms such as job orders, creative briefs, spec sheets, work orders, change orders, client invoices and estimates as well as vendor forms like purchase orders and media orders. The popular Auto-Email PDF feature delivers custom forms to your clients or vendors with a single click!

Choose from a wide variety of reporting methods which include the ability to run reports from anywhere via a web browser. Create custom reports using a variety of easy-to-use reporting tools and export to Excel as an option. Our library consists of over 1000 reports, designed by and for agencies. Our goal is to help you eliminate manual processing of information!

Our incredible implementation and support teams give you up-close and personal assistance to help you quickly learn the reporting techniques.  And we're always a quick phone call away!

For a free online tour and demonstration, please call us at 800-841-2078 or email Dominique Lacerte at dlacerte@gotoadvantage.com or Mike McGee at mailto:mmcgee@gotoadvantage.com  We look forward to showing you the best Agency Software around!

Ad Agency Software - Advantage Software Products

Total Agency Management means the right mix of browser-based and other tools that maximize productivity, efficiency and profitability. It means something for every agency associate in every role, including your clients. And it means a partnership with industry professionals that help to ensure your success.  We're all about providing ad agency software tools and resources for maximum profits!

Our products are organized into two different packages: Advantage Enterprise and Workflow Partner. Choose the one that best fits your needs as an agency. But all product packages include the same robust products described below.

Advantage

The Advantage Desktop is where you’ll find robust workflow, media and accounting/financial applications. Get a handle on everything from client budgets and forecasts, project management, media estimating and buying, and client billing while improving basics like accounts payables, check writing, cash receipts and even general ledger. You’ll find all our applications contain advanced features designed to streamline and simplify even the most tedious tasks.

Webvantage

The Webvantage Desktop delivers “need to know now” information and key applications to the fingertips of every staff member through a web browser. Immediately see alerts and communications from staff members and clients. View task lists, job status, calendars, media schedules, financial status and other key indicators without running a single report or sitting through a meeting. Open jobs, create estimates, manage schedules, assign resources, enter time, submit expenses, upload and track documents and files, collaborate and communicate from this easy-to-use portal.

Webvantage Mobile

Webvantage Mobile provides access to key applications through mobile devices such as Smartphones and Pocket PCs including Apple iPhone and Blackberry. Access and collaborate on important alerts, access and update your task list, enter your time and even input expense reports from anywhere, anytime. Webvantage Mobile provides the ultimate in accessibility.

Client Portal

The Client Portal is a browser-based application designed especially for your clients. Communicate and collaborate with your clients through alerts; deliver everything from project estimates, media estimates, art work and copy to invoices, invoice back up and A/R statements—track all comments and approvals. In addition to alerts, share project lists, project calendars and media calendars electronically.
Contact us today for a free tour of our software and see how "We work the way you work!"

Advantage Software - Tuesday, May 25th TASC 2010 Schedule

TASC Schedule for Tuesday, May 25th in Orlando!

7-8:30 AM BREAKFAST


8:30-9:45 AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

 
TRACK 1 - CLIENT BUDGETING & FORECASTING
 
 
TRACK 2 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN A DIGITAL AGENCY OR DIGITAL DEPARTMENT


TRACK 3 - ARE YOUR PROFITABLE?


TRACK 4 - SPECIALTY MEDIA BUYING


TRACK 5 - DEPLOYMENT & BEST PRACTICES


9:45-10:15AM BREAK


10:15-11:30AM MORNING SESSIONS CONTINUE


TRACK 1 - CASH MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES


TRACK 2 - WEBVANTAGE ESTIMATING & VENDOR QUOTES - TRAINING & WORKSHOP


TRACK 3 - NETWORKING:  STAYING CONNECTED TO YOUR PEERS...


TRACK 4:  REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF THE LATEST MEDIA EDI TOOLS


TRACK 5:  NETWORK & SQL SECURITY


11:30AM - 1:00PM  LUNCH


1:00PM - 2:15PM  AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS


TRACK 1 - LAUNCHING THE BILLING COMMAND CENTER


TRACK 2 - PROJECT SCHEDULING & WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT:  SETUP & BEST PRACTICES FOR IMPLEMENTATION


TRACK 3:  THE EXECUTIVE DESKTOP


TRACK 4 - MEDIA INTEGRATIONS & IMPORTS


TRACK 5 - VIRTUALIZATION IN THE ENTERPRISE


2:15PM - 2:45PM  BREAK


2:45PM - 4:15PM  AFTERNOON BREAK SESSIONS CONTINUE


TRACK 1 - EXPLORING NEW & ADVANCE FEATURES IN ACCOUNTING/FINANCE


TRACK 2 - EFFECTIVELY UTILIZING PROJECT SCHEDULES & ACCESSING INFORMATION:  MAKE IT REAL!


TRACK 3 - EMPOWERING YOUR TALENT


TRACK 4 - MEDIA AUTOMATION MAXIMIZED


TRACK 5 - TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSION PANEL

Advantage Software - TASC Orlando Meeting Agenda for Monday, May 24!

MONDAY, MAY 24


7:00 - 8:30 AM BREAKFAST

8:30 - 9:00 AM  GENERAL SESSIONS

Advantage Advisory Council:  Are You Empowered?

9:00 - 10:00 AM EMPOWERING PERFORMANCE IN EVERY ROLE

Wow, what a year! Come and hear how the “Transformation” of the industry is affecting us all and requiring your agency to ”Transform” to effectively respond and re-position to meet the demands for the future. You’ll also gain insight in to understanding how your individual contribution can have a significant impact on the agency’s performance and your own personal growth. This session will provide an overview of the all that this year’s conference has in store.  (Nancy Hill, CEO, AAAA’s)

10:00 - 10:30 AM BREAK

10:30 - 12 NOON    ADVANTAGE & WEBVANTAGE - “We Work The Way Yo Work”

See the latest Advantage and Webvantage features and technologies which allow you to automate and optimize operations based on your own winning strategies. All possible because of the built-in flexibility and robust nature of the features you’ve helped design.  Advantage has drilled-down to address unique areas of your business and created software solutions that you can implement now without sacrificing your own distinctive workflow processes. We’ll touch on all the latest features and will cover them in more detail during the break-out sessions.

12:00 - 1:15 PM LUNCH

1:15 - 2:30 PM     HOW TO AFFECT CHANGE - A PANEL DISCUSSION

Hear from agency professionals on how to make a difference in your “individual” role by identifying areas that may need improvement, formulating a plan, presenting and implementing key strategies Hear real-life tips, strategies from panel members in accounting/finance, production, project management, media, agency leader and technology.

2:30 - 3:00 PM BREAK

3-4:15 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

TRACK 1 - DELIVERING VALUE IN AN ACCOUNTING ROLE

Learn to become more effective in your agency. You’ll receive tips from agency professionals and Advantage staff members on topics such as: 
Providing Management with Key Decision-Making Tools! Includes an overview of key reports. 
Going Paperless! It is possible.
Gaining efficiencies, which allows staff to focus on improving results! Includes tips for a Quick Close.

TRACK 2 - THE TRULY ELECTRONIC JOB JACKET

Cabot Brothers from Marlin Company teams up with Advantage to show how the Job Jacket and related workflow steps can be customized to work the way you do, and can fully replace other processes that hinder productivity and the dissemination of information.  Includes new Campaigns and further integration of Job Jackets and Media.

TRACK 3 - SURVIVAL STRATEGIES, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Jerry Gibbons, Principal, A-Team Advisors, along with agency professionals will share what key strategies have been taken to survive the economic downturn.
Warning signs
Financial fine-tuning
Barometers / Ratios
Managing Revenue
Compensation models

TRACK 4 - THE BANNER IS ALIVE

Digital display media is growing up; data proves that display ads work, rich media and online video is allowing agencies to flex their creative muscles in new & exciting ways. But just because it’s growing up, doesn’t mean it’s growing easy!

In this session, Scott Portugal of TRAFFIQ will review the ecosystem and the players. He’ll discuss the tools that every sophisticated media team should be using, and conclude with a look at how display ad campaigns can leverage search-style tactics to ensure maximized return on ad spend.

TRACK 5 - TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

We’ll cover technology changes that have occurred since our last meeting. These exciting new changes include Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and SQL Server 2008 R2 among other items. We’ll explore how these changes will have an impact on you and Advantage. This session is appropriate for everyone interested in learning how current and future technology changes can impact Advantage.

6-9:00 PM   NETWORKING & COCKTAILS

Advantage Software Company Users Group Conferenece

The word for the Orlando weather next weekend at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is sunny and warm with highs in the upper 80's for our Users Group Conference!

Registration kicks off on Sunday afternoon at 3pm, May 23rd, with a wonderful welcome reception from 6-7:30pm.

Then the conference sessions, groups and workshops begin Monday morning, May 24th, and continue through 12 noon on Wednesday, May 26th!

Some of our breakout sessions include "Client Budgeting & Forecasting," "Specialty Media Buying," "Media EDI Tools," "Webvantage Estimating & Vendor Quotes," and "Project Management in a Digital Agency or Department."

Plus we have wonderful guest speakers appearing throughout the conference and plenty of time for networking and fun socializing around the Portofino Bay Hotel!

Follow us on our Twitter as we tweet "live" from the conference!

MAGNET Selects Advantage Software as Preferred Ad Agency Technology Partner!

Advantage Announces Strategic Partnership with the MAGNET Global Network.

The MAGNET Global Network, a collaborative network of top independent marketing and advertising agencies, selects Advantage as its strategic partner for agency management technology.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – April 13, 2010 – The Advantage Software Company announced a strategic partnership with the Magnet Global Network, a collaborative network of independent advertising and marketing communications agencies located across the globe. This partnership designates Advantage Enterprise as the preferred Agency Management and Automation platform for MAGNET member agencies in North America.

MAGNET member agencies in North America will be able to utilize Advantage Enterprise to successfully manage their day-to-day operations, including project management, project estimating and purchasing, time and expense reporting, job profitability, financial reporting, media estimating, ordering, billing and payment. Member agencies will also be able to extend their reach to their clients via Advantage’s client portal, a browser-based portal that enables clients to receive alerts, view calendars and send approvals.

Advantage’s mobile tools enable agency members using Apple iPhones, RIM Blackberrys, Smartphones and Pocket PCs powered by Windows Mobile to collaborate and interact with the system without being at their desks.

“Our member agencies are looking for strategic relationships with top vendors that enable our group to increase efficiency and leverage key technologies,” according to Cheri Gmiter, executive director of MAGNET Global. “We want to work with Advantage because the system combines ease-of-use, quality and cost-efficiency while providing our members with an enterprise class operational management system.”

“The MAGNET Global Network is one of the premier independent agency groups, and we look forward to working with the members to help them become more efficient in their workflow and operations, and ultimately, to expand their business operations,” said Ellen Coulter, president of The Advantage Software Company, Inc.

About MAGNET Global Network
Providing global experts and local expertise, MAGNET agencies work with more than 1,000 consumer, retail, business-to-business and industrial clients worldwide. Members share experience, knowledge and ideas with partner agencies domestically and internationally, collaborating on business opportunities and enhancing their ability to compete, serve clients and grow and raise their standard of work in the advertising agency business. Members must maintain a level of commitment to the Network and new agencies are carefully screened before membership is granted. Currently comprised of 37 agencies and affiliations, MAGNET is always seeking to add leading independent agencies throughout the world. For more information, visit http://www.magnetglobal.org/.

About Advantage
The Advantage Software Company is the leading provider of advertising workflow automation and media buying tools for advertising agencies and in-house marketing departments. For over 30 years Advantage has led the industry with a wide range of solutions including browser-based solutions that accommodate both PC and Mac workstations. Advantage has the largest and most active Users Group in the industry. Its members play an active role in the software enhancement process and are a continuous source of innovation. Visit http://www.gotoadvantage.com/.

Say "Hello" to the Advantage Software Company's Users Group!

 The Users Group has grown substantially since its formation in 1985. Every year hundreds of agency professionals gather at our annual conference for three days of idea sharing, intense workshops and professional networking. The annual conference and regular board meetings provide confirmation and direction on the dozens of enhancements that will result from the regular contact with the group.

The Users Group is run by an elected Advisory Council (AAC) who plan and direct the annual conference and periodic AAC meetings. The AAC members work very closely with Advantage staff members to ensure that enhancements are designed and implemented to meet client requirements.

Users Group members have access to their own ”Discussion” board where they can track status of enhancements, request new enhancements or conduct a dialog with other Advantage users, Users Group AAC members, or Advantage staff members.

Register for the Conference if you are a member. It not a member, contact us for information on how to join. 

Join us in 2010 for the Annual Users Group Conference!  May 23-26, 2010 at Portofino Bay Hotel in sunny Universal Orlando!

Network...learn...share...enjoy!