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Broadcasting and Cable Solutions

Spotdata Electronic Invoicing (EI)
EI allows broadcasting and cable companies to deliver electronic invoices to local and national advertising agencies. The data transfer is seamless as broadcasting and cable companies send invoice data to an industry clearinghouse where it is merged daily and distributed to agencies and media buying services via the Internet.

Read about Spotdata Electronic Invoicing (EI):



Who uses EI?
EI is for all broadcasting and cable companies regardless of the traffic system the station is using. To facilitate industry participation, we have published an open standard for all traffic system vendors. Vendors will configure their media systems to produce the invoice file format necessary for electronic invoicing and the web delivery of invoices to agencies.

How will EI help me?
Business Managers
EI makes it easy for a business manager to send invoices to advertising agencies and media buying services.

Sales Managers
With EI,you make it easier for agencies to do business with you. Your LOCAL agnecies can also sign up and receive electronic invoices as well as your National agnecies.

General Managers
Identify your station as a leader and innovator in the business of Electronic Commerce.

EI means . . .

  • National and Local Agency Participation
    EI is designed to support national and local agency participation. Broadcasting and cable companies send their invoices to the industry clearinghouse located at the Harris Operations Center for delivery to participating agencies.
  • Fewer Data Entry Errors
    Invoice data is delivered electronically from the traffic system to the agency accounting system, which means no re-keying of data. Data entry errors are eliminated.
  • Improved Agency Relationships
    With the elimination of data entry errors, discrepancies disappear, making for a smoother agency/station relationship.
  • Faster Reconciliation
    With the electronic delivery of invoice data, agencies will be able to shorten the reconciliation process.
  • Timely Payments to Stations
    EI means faster delivery of invoices to agencies, faster entry of invoices into the agency system, and the elimination of data entry errors. All of this potentially means stations will get paid faster.
  • Paperless Environment
    EI opens the doors to an entirely paperless environment! No more printing, stuffing, or mailing.

How does EI work?
EI works in conjunction with your current traffic system to create invoice files during your normal billing run. The invoice files are then sent to our industry clearinghouse located at the Harris Operations Center. Once the invoice files are received at the Operations Center, they are sorted by agency. An email is sent to each agency notifying them that their invoices are ready for download.

Using the user ID and password assigned to them during the sign-up process, the agency logs into the Subscribers Only area of spotdata.com and downloads their invoices. The subscriber is also able to view and print their invoices from their web browser.

To see a demonstration of electronic invoicing, check out the EI Demo. See how easy and convenient it is to send and receive electronic invoices via the Internet.

If I sign up for EI, how much will it cost me to send my invoices?
Upon subscribing to Spotdata EI, you may opt to an initial fee of $500 that will provide you with three months of unlimited electronic invoicing. The three month period begins upon receipt of your first invoice file. After the first three months, you will be billed only $1 for each invoice sent to agencies through the industry clearinghouse. You may also choose to waive the initial $500 fee and begin immediately to be charged the $1 per invoice fee.

What are the Software Requirements?
Traffic system requirements

  • Contact your traffic system vendor.

General requirement
  • Invoice data cannot include semi-colon (;) characters.

How do I prepare for Spotdata EI?

  • Familiarize yourself with your traffic system's electronic invoice features. (Your traffic system vendor should provide documentation.)
  • Insert the Industry Data Base (IDB) number for all participating agencies into your traffic system agency records. (You will receive a list of participating agencies and their associated IDB numbers as part of the installation process. Please note that this list is subject to change. EI functions only with those agencies participating in electronic invoicing.)
  • It may be necessary to transmit a test invoice to verify that the process is operational.

You are now ready to send electronic invoices!

How do I know my data is secure?
You can be assured that your data is secure. EI encrypts transmissions to the industry clearinghouse and notifies the station once the data reaches the clearinghouse.

Just insert the Industry Data Base (IDB) number for each participating agency into your traffic system and your invoices will be sent to the proper agency. Only users from the designated agency will be able to view your invoices.

  • A firewall protects the invoice data in the industry clearinghouse.
  • We control access to the invoice download area of the web site and delivery of invoices to the proper agency by verifying the user's password every time the user logs into the secure area.
  • Secure Internet protocols (HTTPS and SSL) ensure that the data is encrypted when transmitted over public Internet connections.

Okay, I'm interested! How do I get started?
To receive the benefits of electronic invoicing, select Sign Up to begin the sign-up process.

If you want more information before you sign up, you can Request More Information.