With the evolution of print media and publishing and increasing integration with digital channels, it has never been more important to have a streamlined process so you can deliver your publication efficiently. It comes as no surprise, maybe, that flat planning software has become an essential tool for many modern publishers. Today, we'll explore how it works and how it can benefit your publication process in more detail.
No more spreadsheet-limited workflows
The publication process can be labour-intensive and, shockingly, still rather manual at many publishers. There are lots of repeat, manual tasks that accumulate time and the risk of errors. In today's world, these are simply unnecessary.
For example, your workflow might include drawing and labelling ad shapes on a spreadsheet (that depicts pages), adding supporting information, updating the tracker and then notifying others. Doing this once is very clunky and time consuming. But every time something changes, you must repeat these steps over and over. Now, the process is clunky. It's monotonous. Gradually, individuals disengage, only increasing the likelihood of further mistakes.
However, with suitable flat planning software, these bumps evaporate, mistakes are harder to make, and issues are caught earlier. The software becomes your safety net and does it all for you. This means your plan-to-print workflow can flow smoothly – every single time.
Increase transparency. Decrease bottlenecks.
Mastering a platform like Adobe InDesign, to the point where page plans can be built efficiently, entails a significant investment in time and skill. In many teams, the ability to produce page plans resides in just one or two individuals, effectively gatekeeping the plan. But the real challenge isn’t the complexity of the software; it’s the constant push and pull between Commercial and Editorial.
One side is supplying new ads (and changing them last minute!), while the other is shifting layouts to accommodate evolving editorial priorities. The publication is a moving target, and every adjustment has a ripple effect, creating bottlenecks that slow everything down. You can see how even a small, trivial task can be enough to interfere and significantly delay the whole process.
Flat planning software, like PlanDesk, increases the transparency of the workflow. Everyone who needs to see the plan or track changes can do so in real-time without chasing down updates or juggling multiple tools. With everything housed in one place, the inevitable back-and-forth becomes smoother, reducing friction and keeping the process on track.
Integration makes last minute changes easy
Flat planning software enables teams to visualise the final product, keep abreast of changes and updates throughout production. Systems are easily integrated, providing live ad feed updates and tracking, and the plan is easily shareable, making collaboration and approval a lot smoother.
Ultimately, this means one of the key advantages of flat planning software is its integration. It ensures that cancelled ads don’t appear and that, for each planned ad, the copy exists. We know how the handling of regional splits and option or flex ads introduces (many!) new dimensions to planning. Software like PlanDesk, however, makes it a walk in the park.
Additionally, the software's integrated solutions mean users don't need to keep track or rely on notifications from other channels. It's all inside the software, making its integration a must-have.
Unlock new automations and efficiencies
With the ability to retain common pages and up-page individual regions, you can deal with complex publications as one. Flowing content and justifying and inserting headers as necessary, further streamlines the process for you. Not only does these features save you time, but they greatly reduce the risk of errors, improving the consistency across your publication.
For many publishers, the most important benefit of flat planning software is its ability to integrate with other software platforms. For example, PlanDesk readily integrates with InDesign, Atex, Méthode, and many more. These integrations expand the efficiency gains through your whole workflow process and reduce the chance of errors, duplications, and discrepancies between page versions from start to finish.
Beyond production efficiency, flat planning software also improves team collaboration. A centralised digital platform enables real-time updates and effortless experimentation with layout variations, reducing the need for meetings and back-and-forth communication.
Find out more
Now, you know how flat planning software can streamline your publishing processes. As our industry continues to evolve, efficiency has become the new currency of survival for modern publishers. The smoother and more efficient your workflow, the larger your safety net becomes for change. To learn more about efficient planning, download our free guide here. Or, if you'd like to find out more about Papermule and how we can improve your workflows, contact us here.
