Web Tips: New database

February 12, 2009: Issue 277

The U.S. Congress has given you four more months to get ready for the change to digital television. But here in SIM, the switch to our new schedule database is rolling along on schedule. Old production and publishing spreadsheets have already gone the way of analog TV signals, and more documents will soon follow.

Beginning with fiscal 2010 (that’s anything that goes on sale July 1 or later), tracking documents, routing slips, and MIC job jacket forms will all be generated from the database. You will not be able to do your job without learning to use the database. No legislative body is going to step in and change that.

All staffers should have met with a CE to learn to use the database and create these new documents. If you haven’t, or if you need a refresher, let one of us know immediately. Freelance editors and designers will need to use the database, too. Talk to your primary staff contact about getting access.

The 15 minutes you invest in learning to use this system will save you hours in the coming year. We promise.

The guy who started it all: Anyone who’s already using the database knows how much it streamlines our work. For that we can thank Dan Johnson, who has been innovative and responsive beyond belief in setting up this technology. We’re awarding Dan a Special Achievement Eebie for his efforts.

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