Introduction
Xytech is pleased to announce the availability of our 10.6 Q1 2-24 release!
This is the 4th release under our new Media Operations Platform product name. We suggest using Xytech Platform, Media Ops, Ops Platform, Xytech, or simply Platform for a shortened name, depending on the context you are in.
Our goal is to have one general-availability feature release each quarter. In 10.6 we have retired our use of Feature Flags as its purpose is no longer relevant. This release is one general availability release for all customers that utilize the Xytech Media Operations Platform including:
- Customers currently using Media Operations Platform Granite, Media Operations Platform 10.2, Media Operations Platform 10.4, or MediaPulse 9.x or earlier.
- Customers migrating from ScheduALL to Media Operations Platform including those deploying transmission capabilities for dynamic bandwidth scheduling management.
- Merged Branch Sites for sites previously on a custom source branch of MediaPulse.
Note: Most, but not all branch site merges have been completed as of 10.6. More will be completed in future releases. If you are currently on a site branch, please work with your Support Rep for details concerning when an upgrade to the standard Platform is right for you!
Branched Sites were previously used under prior ownership to allow development of new functionality sponsored by a site in advance of standard product development. This helped Xytech flesh out gaps that the site required. That program has now ended. These Branched Sites need to be brought back to the standard Platform product.
Xytech is fully committed to developing new, and enhancing existing, relevant features that will benefit our user base, partnering with you, as we move into the future.
Summary of Product Changes
Bug Fixes
Xytech is continuing its commitment to improving the quality of our product and that commitment continues with this release. This release contains over 290 defect fixes, 80 of which were reported by customers, the rest found internally by the Xytech QA team using both automated and manual regression testing. Our goal is to provide the highest quality product possible to you, our valued customers.
Additions and Enhancements
The 10.6 Q1 2024 release incorporates over 70 feature level additions and enhancements which required over 300 unique user stories in the areas of APIs, Web Hooks, Media Order, Resource Management, MetaVault Library, Scheduling, and Transmission and more.
Transmission
A set of new fields have been added as common parameters for transmission resources.
A new level of grouping has been added: Parent Scheduling Groups allow a site to create a collection of Scheduling Resource Groups to improve the organization of resources, scope the selection of resources, and provide a higher-level abstraction when initially creating a placeholder for later resource assignment
An 'Optimize' flag has been added when booking dynamic satellite resources. When this flag is checked, the system optimizes the placement of the booking by positioning it at the lowest available frequency/frequency.
Scheduling
Usability improvements were made in the Schedule Book to the New View, Open View and Find windows.
User Select Prompt for Resource Required: In Scheduling Group setup, the Resource Required option now offers a new "Prompt" option, which allows the system to prompt the user that a resource needs to be assigned to a transaction, without forcing them to assign the resource at that time.
Apply Roster Template to Multiple Resources allows a user to load a Roster template to multiple Resources at once through the Scheduling Resources search list
The Display for Stacked Bookings has been improved allowing the user to easily view bookings that in the past may have been hidden underneath another booking.
Bidding
The Occurrence field in bid detail has been expanded and modified to allow entry of up to 365 dates.
The occurrence date entry calendar has been updated to allow visual of 3, 6, or 12 months and the selection for multiple dates and date ranges has been improved.
MetaVault Library and Media Orders
The ability to create Title-to-Title links has been added that enables relationships that are not limited Parent/Child.
Enhanced Order Sources search with ability to find sources by service row and operation.
Expanded options for naming Target Sources from order, service row, operation, source title and source asset values.
API and Integrations
Teams Chat integration has now been enhanced and updated. Instead of creating a Team and Channel for chats, a simpler Group Chat item is now created for each new chat item. Users can now start a Teams Group Chat for a Work Order, Media Order, Transmission Order, Transaction, and/or Job.
Webhooks can have URL parameters added to the endpoint that can include database field notation so that a value from the triggered document can be included as a parameter.
Relabeled “Token” to “API Key” for Outbound Connections.
When Export Adaptors are set with logging enabled (enabled by default) all external communications will be logged into the Export Adaptor Log
General
Significant scalability for performance enhancements have been made throughout the product through optimization of SQL queries enabling more simultaneous work with lower impact on system responsiveness
Attachments now support uploading files with the .jpeg extension, previously only .jpg was supported
Twenty text fields, previously only available via pop-up in Media Asset Maintenance window, are now available in MetaVault Search.
Conclusion
The 10.6 Q1 2024 release is another exciting release for Xytech and our customers. It continues a consistent cadence of quarterly releases, addresses significant product and quality issues for 100s of customers, enables an even larger set of ScheduALL customers to start their migration to the Xytech Media Operations Platform. and expands our Webhook capabilities allowing Xytech to continue to employ agile methodologies in addressing our customers’ needs, reducing our time to market, without increasing risk to our clients.
To request this release, please "Submit a Ticket" through the Xytech Help Center, Please include '10.6 Q1 2024 Release' in the subject line.
Thank You for being our customers and partners.
-Dave White, Chief Product Officer, and the entire Xytech Team