Standard File Flow for Processing

Understand how Visiolink's servers import files from your system.
All you need to know to start processing publications to apps and web.

Basic Setup

1. Customer sends PDF (and XML) files to Visiolink FTP (information delivered at project kick-off)
2. At agreed time of the day, Visiolink System starts looking for files on FTP. For most customers on Upload Based Processing our system starts looking for files the day before the publication date at 00:00 and stops looking for files the day after the publication date at 23:59.
3. If all files are in place on FTP, the system starts processing the files for e-pages (and device)
   
   • Log of processing can be seen in the Visiolink Publishing Hub under the Processing tab (information delivered at project kick-off)
   • If PDF files (more than the agreed page tolerance) are missing on the FTP, the system waits 10 min and then checks again. Step 3 is repeated until either A) issue has been processed or B) the automatic pick-up window closes (typically the day after the publication date at 23:59)
   • If new PDF files are delivered on the ftp - eg. a PDF file is replaced - our system will register this change and reprocess the issue, overwriting the previous version
4. When Visiolink processing is finished the issue will be ready on Visiolink servers for web (and apps)

Setup of automatic processing

For setting up automatic processing a few steps have to be agreed and coordinated:

1. Visiolink provides e-pages admin and FTP login.
2. Customer sets up upload of files to FTP.
3. Visiolink sets up Processing System to match Customers naming of files.
   
   • Naming of Customer files: Visiolink Processing System uses the naming of the files when looking for files for processing, so e.g. the date has to be included, to indicate what day the issue should be processed and released and a number to indicate the page number. The PDF file names must as a minimum include date (day, month, year), physical page # and optionally section #, version #, zone and edition. Visiolink must be informed if any changes to the agreed naming setup of Customer PDF files.
   • PDF output to Visiolink FTP: One PDF file for each single page.
   • The PDFs must include all fonts as embedded in the file and should be delivered as RGB colors.
   • Filenames can contain A-Z, 0-9, - and _.
4. Page tolerance: How many PDF files are allowed to be missing before Visiolink Processing System starts processing? Page tolerance = 0 is recommended for setups including processing for apps, as the issue is downloaded by the user and stored on the device.
5. Time for start-up: The time when the Processing System starts looking for files (typically the day before the publication date at 00:00).

If processing fails

In some cases processing fails, usually caused by material not delivered to Visiolink, missing pages or errors in file names. If you need assistance, Visiolink's support team is ready to help 24/7. In addition to 24/7 support, Visiolink offers surveillance of individual papers. With Publication Availability Watch Visiolink’s team will monitor processing of your papers 24/7 and contact you by phone if the publication is unavailable at the expected release target. Publication Availability Watch is part of 24/7 Premium. Contact Customer Care for further details.