Digital Media Scheduling

Digital Plan Lines

MEplan supports multiple digital calculation models, which are configurable within the system’s configuration settings. The available visible calculable fields depend on the digital calculation model configured in the system. Calculation models support inclusive and exclusive setups where the non-media fees are either subtracted or added to the media costs. Other configurations such as cost inclusive impute and split parent by month when applied will effectively change the schedules' calculations and layout respectively.

Non-Media Plan Lines

It is recommended that all non-media fees are configured before creating media plan lines on a digital schedule. When navigating into a schedule, the user is presented with the available non-media tabs on the left-hand side of the screen.

To create a non-media fee, select the relevant tab (Ad Serving, Tech Serving, Management Fee, Brand Safety, AdOps) and capture the required information, including:

Medium Type
Description
Vendor
Any additional required fields

Select the Save icon ( ) once the information has been completed.

Non-media totals are displayed on their respective tabs. Values are visible in both Planned and Actual states.

Non-Media Fee Rules and Behaviour

When configuring non-media fees, note the following:

Non-media fees can be calculated as a Rate, Percentage, or Flat fee.
Descriptions should be clear and meaningful, as they are referenced on related media lines.
The Vendor represents the supplier rendering the service and receiving payment.
Supported Buying Types include:
- Rate: Requires a value in the Rate field
- Percentage: Requires a value in the Planned Percentage field
- Flat: Requires a value in the Rate field
Servable Medium defines the medium being served by the vendor.
Servable Vendor defines the media vendor being served.
Scheduling is always loaded using the vendor’s currency.

The non-media tab reflects the true non-media values, while the media tab displays estimated deductions until full calculations are completed.

Non-media calculations consider all applicable non-media fees when determining final media spend and goals.

Media Plan Lines

To create a media plan line, navigate to the Media tab on the schedule and complete the relevant fields, such as:

Medium Type
Platform
Medium Unit
Buying Method
Budget and Rate values

If non-media fee setups exist, they will be available for selection on the media line. Depending on system configuration, these fees may be auto-selected or require manual selection by the user.

Media Fee Calculation Definitions

When scheduling digital media, the following values apply:

Budget Total: Gross amount payable by the client, inclusive of agency commission and non-media fees
Budget Goal: Quantity derived from the Budget Total (e.g. impressions, clicks)
Cost Less Agency Commission: Budget Total minus agency commission configured in NAV
Goal Less Agency Commission: Adjusted goal based on the reduced cost
Total Cost / Total Goal: Final values after all deductions, representing the true media planning values

Scheduling is performed using the vendor’s currency.

Plan Line Warnings for Negative Values: If the cumulative value of non-media fees exceeds the media line’s Budget Total, a blue warning indicator will appear. This warning alerts the user to review and adjust the entered values before saving or continuing. Negative or unrealistic values indicate that the non-media configuration is not aligned with the selected buying method or budget.

Non-Media Setups and Servable Buying Methods

This section outlines advanced non-media configurations used for brand safety, viewability, and third- and fourth-party services.

MEvision Buying Method Setup

Additional buying method configurations exist in MEvision to support non-media fees loaded as Rate buying types when linked to 1:1 ratio buying methods such as CPC, CPL, and CPE. The Default Estimated Impressions value must be configured on the Buying Methods table in MEvision.

Digital Non-Media Setups in MEvision

Non-media setups can be created on the Customer Card using the 3rd & 4th Party Servers table.

Here, users can specify the Servable Buying Method. When the Buying Type is set to Rate, the default Buying Method configured in MEvision is available for selection.

Once configured in MEvision, non-media setups automatically appear in MEPlan within the relevant tabs.

Digital Non-Media Setups in MEPlan

When creating non-media setups directly in MEplan, the Servable Buying Method column becomes available when the Buying Type is set to Rate. The selectable buying method defaults to the configuration defined in NAV.

Creating Media Lines with Estimated Impressions

When creating media lines using 1:1 ratio buying methods (e.g. CPC, CPE), the Estimated Impressions field becomes editable.

Entering Estimated Impressions creates an additional Buying Method linked to the default Estimated Impressions Buying Method and recalculates all linked non-media fees accordingly.

Linking a Non-Media line with the default Buying Method (CPM) specified to a Media line where Estimated Impressions is filled in, results in calculating the Non-Media value off the estimated impressions.

For example: If you have a Non-Media line set up with a Rate of 0.1 and link it to the Media line with Estimated Impressions of 100 000. The Calculation will be the Rate of 0.1 divided by 1000 and then multiplied by the number of impressions.

Calculation: Rate (0.1 per 1000) 0.1 / 1000 x 100 000 (No. Impressions) = R10

Removing or zeroing Estimated Impressions reverses this behaviour and recalculates non-media values to zero.

Linking a Non-Media line with the default Buying Method specified to a media line where estimated impressions is not filled in, results in a zero Non-Media value for the linked Non-Media.

If the Estimated Impressions are zeroed out on the Media line, the additional Buying Method will be deleted off of the Buying Methods table and adding the Estimated Impressions on the media line after it was saved, creates the additional buying method and re-calculates the Non-media calculations dependant on estimated impressions.

Creating an additional Buying Method line for the default Estimated Impressions Buying Method updates the media parent line with the Estimated Impressions and calculates all Non-Media with the newly calculated values.

Deleting the additional Buying Method line with the default buying Method, clears the Estimated impressions on the media line and Re-calculates all associated Non-Media to that line.

Media Child Lines

Estimated impressions for the child lines are split based on the Total Goal of the Additional Buying Method matching the default Estimated Impression buying Method. The split also adheres to the number of days per month.

The Estimated Impressions View Type is not editable. Modifying the Planned Goal / Rate of the Media Child, adjusts the estimated impressions accordingly and proportionality. The total Planned Estimated Impressions will sum to the ‘Total Goal’ of the additional buying method the calculation is based off of.

Capturing an Actual on the Media child line will calculate the remaining child lines projected actuals as a ratio of the planned values. The related Non-Media should also calculate accordingly.

Non-Media Child Lines

Non-media child line values are calculated using the estimated impressions of linked media child lines and the parent non-media rate.

Non-Media child lines of type Rate with a Buying Method specified has its child values calculated based off the Estimated Impressions of the Media Child lines its linked to and the Rate of the parent of the Non-Media parent. The rate is the rate per 1000 (Rate based on base qty of the buying method).

For example, if you take 3369 impressions from the Media child line and multiply that by the Rate of the Non-Media Parent and then divide by 1000 the total will be a value of 0.3369 rounded to 0.34 for that particular Non-Media child.

Actualised non-media values remain locked and are not affected by subsequent media changes.

A warning will appear on the Non-Media child if one of the Media lines has zero impressions

Media parent lines cannot be modified once linked non-media lines are committed

Scheduling with Phases and Monthly Splits

Phases

Campaign phases can be configured in the System Configurations table and selected on the schedule header using the Planning Phase field. Each phase may have its own schedule header and date range.

Split Parent by Month

When enabled on the Customer Card, plan lines automatically split by month for the duration of the schedule. This setting can be enabled or disabled via the plan’s configuration settings.

Exporting Digital Schedules with Phases

Digital schedules can be exported by selecting the required schedule headers and choosing Schedule Export. Exports are consolidated by phase and ordered according to the system configuration.

Mandatory Fields and Validation

Below is a list of the fields that exist and where they are mapped to in the system. The type of field (Free Text/Look up) is also identified as well as the associated calculation should it be a calculated field.

Mandatory fields are defined by layout configuration and highlighted in red. If required fields are missing, the system displays a warning upon saving.

Certain fields such as Start and End Dates populate automatically based on the schedule's dates as well as Campaign Objective and Target Market if populated on plan creation.

Estimated Impressions automatically populates if the CPM buying method is used and is free text if any other buying method is used. This field is also mandatory depending on the medium type which is a configuration done on the Medium Type card in MEvision.

Field Name	Free Text Field	Lookup Field	Mandatory	Additional Notes
Vendor
Platform
Target Market				- Can be populated from the plan
Detailed Target Market
Geography
Campaign Objective				- Can be populated from the plan
Creative Detail (Format)
Placement (Medium Unit)
Start & End Dates				- Adopt the dates of the schedule header
Buying Method/Type
Budget Total Cost				- Cannot be zero - Inclusive Config Calc = Media + Non-media fees, incl. Agency comm. - Exclusive Config Calc = Media fees only
Total Cost				- Net Media excl. Non-media fees. - Inclusive Config Calc = Budget Total Cost – Agency Comm – Total Non-media fees
Frequency
Estimated Impressions	If CPM is not used		Depends on Medium Type
Reach			All mediums except Search	- Calc = No of Impressions / Frequency
CPM (Rate/Unit)				- Rate is captured and calculates the Quantity (Goal / KPI) - No. of impressions is calculated if buying method is CPM. Other buying methods must be manually filled in
CTR				- Value = %
Total Goal (Clicks)				- If buying method is CPC then goal = clicks - Rate is captured and Quantity is calculated (Goal / KPI)
CPC (Rate/Unit)				- Rate is captured and Quantity is calculated (Goal / KPI)
ETR/VTR (Budget Goal)				- Value = % - Appears on additional buying methods table
Engagements/Video Views (Budget Goal)				- If buying method is CPE then goal = Engagements - If buying method is CPV then goal = Views - Rate is captured and Quantity is calculated (Goal / KPI) - Number for impressions must be manually filled in if required
CPE/CPV (Rate/Unit)				- Rate is captured and Quantity is calculated (Goal / KPI) - Number of impressions is calculated if buying method is CPM - All other buying methods must be manually filled in

Media Scheduling Calculations and Rules

This section outlines the MEvision configurations that control how media calculations are applied in MEplan, with a specific focus on the Impressions Mandatory setting and its impact on Estimated Impressions, Reach, and Buying Method behaviour.

NAV Setups

An Impressions Mandatory checkbox is available on the Medium Type card in MEvision. This configuration determines whether Estimated Impressions and Reach must be captured when scheduling media.

All Medium Types require Impressions Mandatory to be enabled, with the exception of Search.

Estimated Impressions – Mandatory Logic

When Search is selected as the Medium Type:

Estimated Impressions default to zero and are not mandatory.
Reach will therefore also be zero.

For all other Medium Types where Impressions Mandatory is set to true:

Estimated Impressions are mandatory, even if they are not system-calculated.
Once Estimated Impressions are manually entered, Reach will calculate automatically.

Estimated Impressions and Reach by Buying Method

When CPM is selected as the Buying Method:

Estimated Impressions and Reach are calculated automatically.
The Rate is entered manually and used to calculate the Quantity (Goal / KPI).

When any other Buying Method is selected (CPC, CPV, CPE, CPI, CPL):

Estimated Impressions and Reach do not calculate automatically.
Estimated Impressions must be entered manually.
Once Estimated Impressions are provided, Reach will calculate automatically.
These fields remain mandatory due to the NAV configuration described above.

Reach Calculation

Reach is calculated using the following formula:

Reach = Number of Impressions ÷ Frequency

Buying Methods Table and Rules

Buying Methods Table

The following Buying Methods are supported in both MEvision and MEplan:

Other
Flat Fee
Cost Per Click (CPC)
Cost Per Mille/Thousand (CPM)
Cost Per Engagement (CPE)
Cost Per View (CPV)
Cost Per Lead (CPL)
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
Cost Per Installation (CPI)

Buying Method Rules

CPE and CPV Mutual Exclusivity

CPE and CPV are mutually exclusive as primary Buying Methods:

If CPV is selected as the primary Buying Method on the parent line, CPE cannot be added as an additional Buying Method.
If CPE is selected as the primary Buying Method on the parent line, CPV cannot be added as an additional Buying Method.

CPA, CPI, and CPL Mutual Exclusivity

The following exclusivity rules apply:

If CPL is the primary Buying Method, CPA and CPI cannot be added.
If CPA is the primary Buying Method, CPI and CPL cannot be added.
If CPI is the primary Buying Method, CPL and CPA cannot be added.

7.4 Non-Media and Scheduling

Non-Media setup and scheduling behaviour remain unchanged. The system supports the following Non-Media types:

Ad Serving
Tech Serving
Management Fees
Brand Safety
AdOps

The following Buying Types are supported for Non-Media fees:

Flat
Percentage
Rate

7.4.1 NAV Non-Media Setups

Important: All Non-Media setups must be completed in NAV prior to creating a digital schedule (campaign) in MEPlan.

7.4.2 Agency Commission

Agency Commission is configured in NAV at Brand level:

Navigate to the Customer Card.
Select the relevant Brand.
Open Brand Coordination from the Navigate tab.
Set the Coordination Type to Agency Com.
Enter the Commission Percentage and Inception Date.
Optionally set an Expiry Date.

If the Medium Type field is left blank, the Agency Commission applies to all media, including Ad Serving, Tech Serving, and Management Fees.

7.4.3 Third- and Fourth-Party Servers

To automatically surface Ad Serving, Tech Serving, and related fees in MEPlan:

Navigate to the Customer Card in NAV.
Select 3rd and 4th Party Servers from the Home ribbon.
Configure Ad Serving, Tech Serving, and Fee records as required.

7.4.4 General Setup Rules and Variations

If no Brand is specified, the fee applies to all brands for the customer.
Serving Medium and Serving Medium Unit must be specified.
Serving Vendor (the vendor providing the service) must be selected.
Servable Medium (e.g. Social, Search) is optional; if left blank, the setup applies to all Medium Types.
An Inception Date is mandatory; plan lines must fall within the active date range.
Fees can be entered as either an Amount or Percentage, or completed in MEPlan.

If an Ad or Tech Serving vendor is not linked to the Ad/Tech Serving Master Medium Type Code, it will not be selectable in the Serving Vendor lookup.

NAV-based setups are automatically defaulted onto media lines in MEPlan. Where multiple valid setups exist, MEPlan selects the most relevant configuration based on defined parameters.

Example 1:
An Ad Serving setup is created with Search specified as the Servable Medium.
When a Search media line is scheduled in MEPlan, the corresponding Ad Serving fee is applied automatically.

Example 2:
An Ad Serving setup is created with Search as the Servable Medium and a specific Vendor.
When a Search media line is created in MEPlan using that vendor, the correct Ad Serving fee is automatically linked.

7.4.5 Management Fees

Management Fees are configured in the 3rd and 4th Party Servers table in NAV.

To create a Management Fee:

The associated Medium Type must be flagged as Is Management Fee on the Medium Type Card (General tab).
The Management Fee vendor must be linked to the same Medium Type on the Vendor Card.

Management Fee setups require:

Serving Medium
Serving Medium Unit
Serving Vendor
Amount or Percentage

If the Serving Medium is left blank, the Management Fee applies to all media in the MEPlan schedule. Alternatively, it can be restricted to specific Medium Types.

Once all MEVision NAV configurations are completed, they automatically integrate into MEPlan. When a new digital schedule is created, all applicable Non-Media setups appear in the relevant Non-Media tabs on the schedule.