How does Xpance interface with QuarkXPress, InDesign, Creator and Creator2?
Xpance is directly interfaced with QuarkXPress, InDesign and Creator/2 within the Xpance Application. The site can build ads with multiple applications or standardize with a single application. This is a preference that the administrator can setup.

Does it run on a Mac and/or PC?
Xpance runs on both Mac and PC hardware platforms. XpancePC is used for the querying, reporting, and assigning of ads and other management tools.

Does the system work with Spec Ads?
Xpance has one of the most advanced and complete Spec Ad databases of all Ad Production Systems. Xpance automatically assigns an ad number to a Spec Ad. When a Spec Ad is sold, the Spec ad is renamed and the new sold ad takes its place. Xpance then is able to track the number of Spec Ads that have sold!

There is no additional cost for the built-in Spec Ad Functionality.

Can I assign an ad or multiple ads to an ad builder?
Yes. A Manager views a list of ads and can quickly and efficiently assigns ads to an individual or a group of individuals.

Does Xpance have the ability to Physically Track Ads and their elements?
Xpance has built-in Barcode Functionality to show where ads, their elements and images-morcor are within the newspaper. Managers can use this functionality for job tracking - how long has an Ad been sitting in a particular department or with an individual. From this, a "Bottleneck Report" shows where things are being held up.

How do I create an ad?
Simply enter the ad number and the Ad Docket Appears. Press the button "Create Ad" and ad copy is imported and the scans are shown in the Files Palette or on the pasteboard. Xpance has generated the folder, moved files into this folder, sized the ad based on the publication and performed eight other time consuming functions — automatically.

What font management is available in Xpance?
Xpance is interfaced to the top Desktop Publishing Applications. When Xpance creates an EPS file, it knows what Fonts are required for the EPS. All font information is automatically embedded in the EPS file; therefore there are no concerns at time of output and pagination.

How does Xpance work with an OPI?
The OPI solution can be set up in one of two ways. First, the hi-res images-morcor can be stored on the OPI server and the low-resolution images-morcor moved to the ad folder by Xpance. The images-morcor are swapped at time of pagination. When the ads are "Expired" by Xpance, the hi-resolution images-morcor are moved automatically to the ad folder. This way when ads are picked up in the future, all the supporting images-morcor are located in a single ad folder.

The second way is to have the hi-res images-morcor moved to the ad folder for ad creation. (Remember, if the ads are being built on the network, there is no waiting time as the images-morcor are simply moving folders, and there is no time wasted waiting for images-morcor to be copied). After the ad is built and approved, the EPS is sent to the OPI server for sampling. The low-res image is placed on the page and when the pagination occurs, the file is swapped.

Are the ads purged after their run-date?
No! They are archived to CD, Jazz, DVD or some other offline storage device. All ads are archived automatically, based on last run-date. Xpance checks to make certain that there have not been any run-dates that have been added since initial booking. The ad folders (and supporting images-morcor and unique fonts) are compressed before being moved offline. The Ad Status shows which CD the ads are stored on, and shows a preview as well.

What is performed when Xpance pre-flights the ads?
Xpance performs a number of checks before the EPS file is automatically created. Xpance will check the ad sized (based on information from the billing system), will check images-morcor will check font information as well as thirteen other checks before the EPS file is automatically generated.

Are reports available from Xpance or do we have to use another program to generate our own reports?
Xpance has first rate reporting functionality — and the reports are built-in! We know what individual(s) worked on the ad(s) and for how long. There are even reports that show how many hours an individual has "worked" and how much time an individual has been "idle". Xpance reports on the volume of ads through the system (how many, what kind) by publication date. Xpance reports the number of ads, the ad sizes, color, total ad lineage, totals selected by publication, Sales Rep and/or Ad Builder. Also Cost reporting (and what it shows), Run Date Reports, Log Reports, Publication Reports, Ad Builder Efficiency Reports, Spec Ad Reports, and Sold Spec Ad Reports.

Is there a way of getting an actual cost based on a specific publication?
Xpance knows how long it took to put a publication together e.g. Saturday's Paper took a total of 123 pre-press hours for a cost of $1,598 (Xpance knows the hourly rate of each individual who worked on the ad). This can be tracked daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly.

Xpance tracks Spec Ads as well as Sold Ads. Managers and supervisors know how many spec ads have been created and how many have been sold. Xpance shows who are the most productive individuals and who are not. We know the campaigns that are successful and how much money they have generated.

Xpance knows how much revenue a particular Ad Builder has generated or a group of Ad Builders/Creative Artists - as well as costs associated with individual Ad Builders/Creative Artists etc.

How long does an installation take?
The average installation takes between two and three weeks depending on the complexity with linking to the Business System, the number of users and their knowledge of the computer itself.

How long is the projected ROI?
Xpance has brought significant cost reductions to all its customers to date, with an ROI of less than six months.

How do we get contact names of actual sites to get more information?

Call Morcor Solutions Inc. at 613.354.2912
Email info@morcor.com
Fax us at 613.354.0138

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Morcor Solutions Inc
232 Dundas St. West
Suite 201
Napanee, Ontario
K7R 2A8
Canada
T: 613.354.2912
F: 613.354.0138
E: info@morcor.com