When orders that produce spots are created in VT, you choose Copy records or Copy Plans to be used on the Spot Pattern dialogs. Do not confuse the Copy record with the actual text of the announcement to be aired. In VT, the actual text of the announcement is called Script.
The Copy record contains information such as Copy Name, Tape Number, Spot Length, physical Cart number, Start Date, End Date, Co-op name, Talent name, Irritation level, Notary requirement, Product Code, Log Description and Permit/Prohibit Definitions. All of these entry items are geared towards getting the right cart number onto the log or into an automation system at the correct time. Copy records have a lot of power and flexibility to make order entry and invoicing easier.
Copy Rotation Plans are simply a group of Copy records arranged in a specific rotation sequence called a Plan. When orders are entered in VT, you can designate a single Copy record or a Copy Rotation Plan. When VT assigns copy to a spot, the Copy Plan is examined to see which Copy should be assigned to the spot. After this is done, the plan is advanced to the next plan position that will be used the next time you assign copy.
When spots are initially scheduled to logs, they do not "arrive" with Copy (or the cart number that is part of the copy). The process of assigning copy places the copy records on the spots. When a plan is present on the Spot Pattern Definition of the order, the first plan item (all are copy records) is used for the first spot that is assigned copy. The plan is then advanced (or rotated) so the next plan item in the sequence is ready when copy is assigned to the next spot.
Eventually all plan items will be used once if enough spots are assigned copy. VT then starts the plan over and repeats the pattern again. Iteration refers to the number of times a copy record in a plan position will be played before moving to the next plan item. The default iteration is 1 for all plan items.
A single Copy record is designed to manage a single Cart number. A single Cart is intended to represent a single audio announcement or spot. For example, if the advertiser has three different audio announcements running, that should call for three Copy records possibly used in a single Copy Rotation Plan. Although it is possible to "trick" VT by producing one Copy record with one Cart but actually recording multiple spots on a single cart, it is then impossible for VT (or any system) to track which specific spot played at any particular time. That means Tape Numbers (if used) and possible client or agency instructions for airplay rotation cannot be guaranteed for an affidavit of performance.
Co-op names and complete Scripts of the produced commercials can be attached to copy to assist advertisers. These are used as an aid in meeting standard requirements for recovering cooperative advertising revenue (Co-op).
VT makes it easy by printing billing information obtained from the invoices that includes the number of times the co-op spots ran, when they ran and at what rate. If you enter the Script for the advertisement, VT can automatically produce standard ANA/RAB (Association of National Advertisers - Radio Advertising Bureau) approved tearsheets.