Broadcast Log Reconciliation

• What is Reconciliation and why does it matter 
• The Conceptual model
• What the Broadcast log must contain
• Two modes: Automatic and Manual
• Setting up automatic reconciliation
• Setting up manual reconciliation
• Live reports and reconciliation mode
• Common issues and how to diagnose them
• Summary

What is reconciliation, and why does it matter

When you create a campaign in AdMaster, the scheduling algorithm decides exactly which spot should air in which break, and at what time. That schedule is what AdMaster sends to your playout system in the form of a traffic log.

What actually happens during the broadcast day is a separate matter. Spots can be missed, played at slightly different times, replaced by news or live content, dropped because of technical issues, or aired twice by mistake. The playout system records what actually went to air in its own broadcast log.

Reconciliation is the process of comparing the two: the schedule AdMaster generated, and the broadcast log the playout produced. The result tells you what aired as planned, what aired off-schedule, and what did not air at all.

This matters for three reasons:

• Billing accuracy.
  You can only invoice an advertiser for what actually aired. Without reconciliation, you have no objective record to back up your invoices, and disputes become your word against the advertiser's perception.
• Make-goods.
  When a spot does not air, you owe the advertiser a replacement. Reconciliation identifies missed spots automatically so you can schedule make-goods before the campaign ends.
• Advertiser trust.
  Advertisers who can see a detailed report of every spot that aired, with exact timestamps, trust you more than advertisers who get a generic end-of-campaign summary.

The conceptual model

To understand reconciliation, it helps to picture the data flow as a loop.

• Step 1:
  You create a campaign in AdMaster. The algorithm builds a schedule and exports it as a traffic log file. This file is downloaded to your playout computer by the AdMaster Desktop Client App.
• Step 2:
  Your playout software reads the traffic log and airs the spots at the scheduled times. As each spot plays, the playout records the event in its own broadcast log, typically a text file with one line per played item.
• Step 3:
  The broadcast log makes its way back to the AdMaster server. The server parses the log, identifies which lines correspond to commercial spots, and matches each played spot to the corresponding scheduled spot in AdMaster's database. The matching is done by a search term that you configure, which is typically the spot name, the file name of the audio asset, or the cart number.
• Step 4:
  AdMaster compares the scheduled time of each spot to the time it actually aired. The result is the reconciliation report, available in the Reports section and reflected in the Live report pages that you can create for your advertisers.

Everything that follows on this page is about how to configure each step of this loop correctly.

What the Broadcast log must contain

AdMaster does not require a specific log format. What it does require is enough information in each line to identify what aired and when. At a minimum, every line representing a played spot must contain:

• An identifier that allows AdMaster to match the played item to a scheduled spot. This can be the spot name as it appears in the campaign, the exact file name of the uploaded audio, or the cart number assigned to the spot in your playout.
• The time the spot started playing. Most playouts include a full timestamp or at least an hour and minute.

If your playout writes additional information in the log, such as the duration, the operator's name, or technical metadata, that's fine. AdMaster ignores anything it does not need. What it cannot do is invent missing data. If the log does not contain a usable identifier, reconciliation will run but find no matches.

If your playout writes multiple types of log files into the same folder (for example, a music log, a commercials log, and an errors log), you will need to tell AdMaster which file to read. This is done through the delimiter string setting in the Desktop Client App, explained later on this page.

A Common Pitfall: File names versus audio file metadata

Many playout systems do not log the file name of the audio asset that was played. Instead, they log the Artist and Title information stored inside the audio file itself, in the so-called ID3 tags (for MP3 files) or equivalent metadata fields for other formats. RadioDJ, Winamp-based systems, OtsAV and several others all behave this way by default.

This is important because the file name and the internal metadata are two completely different things. A file named "BURGER_KING_SUMMER_30.mp3" may have internal metadata that reads Artist: "BK Production Team" and Title: "BK SUMMER PROMO". The file name is what you see in the folder view. The metadata is what the playout reads when it plays the file and writes into its broadcast log.

You can verify the metadata of any audio file on Windows by right-clicking the file, choosing Properties, and opening the Details tab. The Title, Artist, Album and other fields you see there are what the playout software typically uses when writing its log.

Why this matters for reconciliation:

• If your Search Term in AdMaster is set to Spot Name, AdMaster compares the strings in the broadcast log against the Spot Name field of your campaign spots. If the log contains metadata-derived strings, those strings must exactly match the Spot Name you entered when creating the campaign.
• If your Search Term is set to File Name, AdMaster expects the broadcast log to contain the actual file names. If your playout logs metadata instead, no matches will be found, regardless of how the files are named in the folder.

There are three ways to handle this situation, depending on what your playout supports and which is least disruptive for you:

• Update the audio file metadata so the Artist and Title fields together produce a string that matches the Spot Name in your AdMaster campaigns. Tools like Mp3tag (free) handle batch metadata editing well.
• Change the Spot Name in AdMaster to match exactly what the playout writes in the log. For example, if the log shows "BK SUMMER PROMO", set the Spot Name in the campaign to "BK SUMMER PROMO".
• Reconfigure the playout to log file names instead of metadata, if your playout supports it. Once the log contains file names, change the AdMaster Search Term from Spot Name to File Name (one click). This is often the cleanest option, because file names are inherently stable and you can name your audio files however you want without touching the metadata.

Whichever route you choose, the matching is strict. AdMaster does not perform fuzzy matching.

Two modes: Automatic and Manual

AdMaster supports two ways to deliver the broadcast log to the server for reconciliation. Both are fully supported and produce the same analysis. The difference is in how the file gets from your playout computer to the AdMaster server.

Automatic mode (recommended)

The AdMaster Desktop Client App, which is already installed on your playout computer for downloading traffic logs and spot files, can also be configured to monitor the folder where your playout writes its broadcast log. When this is enabled, the Desktop Client uploads the broadcast log to the AdMaster server several times per hour, with no manual action from you.

This is the right mode when your playout writes its broadcast log continuously, either in real time as each event happens, or at frequent intervals throughout the day.

The advantages of automatic mode are:

• No manual work after the initial setup. Reconciliation happens on its own.
• Near-real-time results. You can see what aired within minutes of it airing.
• Live reports work as intended. AdMaster can generate a private campaign page for each advertiser, showing their spots in real time as they air. This feature only delivers on its promise in automatic mode, because the page can only show what AdMaster knows about. In manual mode, the page only updates when you upload the log, which means "live" becomes "periodic". The feature still works, but it loses its real-time value.

If offering advertisers a real-time view of their campaigns is part of your value proposition, automatic mode is effectively required.

Manual mode

If your playout does not write a live broadcast log, or only writes it at specific times such as once per day, automatic monitoring will not work well. In that case, manual mode is the right choice.

In manual mode, you upload the broadcast log to AdMaster yourself, whenever the file becomes available. The source of the file can be anywhere: your local computer, a remote computer, a USB drive, a cloud storage folder. You pick a date range in the AdMaster calendar, choose the file or files to upload, and the server performs exactly the same analysis it would in automatic mode.

Note that, if you forget to upload the log for a few days, reconciliation simply does not exist for that period until you upload.

Setting up automatic reconciliation

Automatic reconciliation requires changes in two places: AdMaster station settings, and the Desktop Client App on the playout computer.

• Step 1. Configure break times in AdMaster
  
  Open Stations and select your station. Go to Commercial Break Settings. For every commercial break, set the Break Expected Starting Minute and Second as precisely as possible. For example, if your top-of-hour news ends at 06 minutes 30 seconds past the hour and the commercial break starts immediately after, the expected start should be 06m30s.
  
  AdMaster uses this value during reconciliation to define a time window around each scheduled break. It looks for matching played spots inside that window, rather than scanning the entire day. The more accurately you set the expected start time, the more reliable the matching is.
• Step 2. Enable reconciliation in station settings
  In the same station, go to General Station Settings. Locate the toggle labelled Turn on Broadcast Log Reconciliation and enable it. As soon as you do, additional controls appear, including the Settings icon next to the toggle and the Upload Reconciliation File command. For automatic mode, the Upload Reconciliation File command is irrelevant. The control you need is the Settings icon.
• Step 3. Configure the search term
  Click the Settings icon next to the Broadcast Log Reconciliation toggle. A dialog opens with the Search Term setting. This tells AdMaster what to look for in each line of the broadcast log to identify the spot that was aired.
  
  Three options are available:
  
  Spot Name: The title you gave the spot in AdMaster. For example, "Burger King Summer Promo 30s". Choose this if your playout includes the spot title in its log.
  File Name: The exact name of the audio file uploaded to AdMaster. For example, "BK_summer_30.mp3". Choose this if your playout logs the file name of the asset it played.
  Cart Number: The unique identifier assigned to the spot in your playout. For example, "C1245". Choose this if your playout logs cart numbers.
  
  If your search term setting does not match what your playout actually writes in the log, reconciliation will run but produce zero matches. This is the single most common source of "reconciliation is enabled but nothing shows up" problems.
  
  If you are not sure which option applies, open one of your playout's broadcast log files in Notepad and inspect a few lines. The format of the spot identifier will tell you which option to choose. If you see "Burger King Summer Promo 30s", choose Spot Name. If you see "BK_summer_30.mp3", choose File Name. If you see "C1245" or a similar code, choose Cart Number.
• Step 4. Configure the broadcast log folder in the Desktop Client App
  Move to the playout computer and open the AdMaster Desktop Client App. This is the same app you already use to receive traffic logs and spot files from AdMaster.
  
  Find the Playout Software Broadcast Log Folder setting. Set it to the folder where your playout software writes its broadcast logs. The exact path varies by playout software, so consult your playout's documentation or check the configuration of the playout itself.
  
  [Screenshot: Desktop Client App showing the Playout Software Broadcast Log Folder field]
  
  If your playout writes multiple log files into the same folder, click the small settings icon next to the broadcast log folder path. A field appears where you can enter a delimiter string. This is a piece of text that uniquely identifies the correct log file by name.
  
  For example, suppose your playout writes three files per day into the same folder:
  
  2026-01-05-General.log
  2026-01-05-Music.log
  2026-01-05-Errors.log
  
  If the commercial play events are recorded in the General log, enter "General" as the delimiter string. AdMaster will then only read files whose names contain that string. Without a delimiter, AdMaster will read every file in the folder, which may produce unpredictable results.
  
  Click Save to apply the settings. The Desktop Client will start monitoring the folder immediately.
• Step 5. Verify the chain is working
  Wait for at least 15-20 minutes after enabling reconciliation. Then go to AdMaster, open the Traffic Log Editor. You should see the played spots with the green checkmarks, and the actual broadcast times.
  
  If there are no checkmarks in the Traffic Log Editor, see the troubleshooting section at the end of this page.

Setting up manual reconciliation

Manual mode is simpler to set up, but requires action from you each time you want to reconcile.

• Step 1. Configure break times and enable reconciliation
  This step is identical to automatic mode. Set the expected start times for every commercial break in Commercial Break Settings, then enable the Broadcast Log Reconciliation toggle in General Station Settings. Configure the Search Term in the same way: Spot Name, File Name, or Cart Number, depending on what your playout writes in the log.
• Step 2. Obtain the broadcast log from your playout
  Export, download, or copy the broadcast log file from wherever your playout stores it. This might involve running an export from the playout's user interface, copying a file from a folder, downloading from a network share, or pulling from the playout's database history. The mechanics depend entirely on your playout software. The destination is your own computer or any storage location accessible from the browser you use to log into AdMaster.
• Step 3. Upload the broadcast log to AdMaster
  In AdMaster, go to Stations, select your station, and open General Station Settings. Next to the Broadcast Log Reconciliation toggle, find the Upload Reconciliation File command.
  Click it. A calendar opens, allowing you to pick the date range the uploaded log file covers. Choose the range, then select the file or files to upload. AdMaster accepts plain text log files in any format (the binary database formats are not supported).
  Once uploaded, the server runs the same parsing and matching it would in automatic mode. The reconciliation results appear in the Reports section as soon as the analysis is complete, usually within a minute.
• Step 4. Repeat as needed
  Manual reconciliation has to be done every time you want updated results. If you upload logs once per day, your reconciliation data is up to date as of that upload. If you upload once per week, your reconciliation data is up to date as of that weekly upload, and not before.

Live Reports and Reconciliation mode

One of AdMaster's distinguishing features is the live report. For each campaign, you can create a private web page that the advertiser can access with a unique link (no login required). The page shows the campaign's scheduled spots, the spots that have already aired with exact timestamps, and any spots that did not air.

This page updates whenever new reconciliation data reaches the AdMaster server. The frequency of updates depends entirely on which reconciliation mode you use.

In automatic mode, the Desktop Client uploads the broadcast log several times per hour. The advertiser's page therefore updates in near real time. An advertiser watching the page during their campaign sees their spots appear within minutes of airing. This is what makes the live report genuinely "live".

In manual mode, the advertiser's page updates only when you upload the broadcast log. If you upload once at the end of the day, the page shows the day's airings only at that point. If you upload once per week, the page reflects only the previous upload until the next one. The page still works, and the data is still accurate, but the "live" character is lost.

If you offer your advertisers real-time campaign monitoring as part of your service, automatic mode is the only mode that delivers on that promise. If you do not, either mode is fine.

Common issues and how to diagnose them

Reconciliation is enabled but no data shows up in reports

This is the most common scenario, and almost always one of the following:

• 1) The Search Term does not match what is in the log. Open one of your playout's broadcast log files in Notepad and check what identifier is used for spots. If you see file names and your Search Term is set to Cart Number, no matches will occur. Adjust the Search Term to match the actual content of the log.
• The Desktop Client is pointing to the wrong folder. Open the Desktop Client App on the playout computer, verify that the Broadcast Log Folder setting points to the exact folder where your playout writes its logs. A path that is one folder off will produce no errors but also no data. The Desktop used for storing the files increases the possibility for the incorrect settings very significantly.
• The folder contains multiple log types and no delimiter is set. If your playout writes music logs, commercial logs, and error logs into the same folder, AdMaster needs to know which one to read. Set a delimiter string that uniquely identifies the correct log file.
• The break expected start times are misconfigured (Stations > Commercial break settings). If the expected start time of a break is set to 05m00s but the break actually airs at 25m00s, AdMaster will look for played spots in a window around 05m00s, find nothing, and report the break as missed. Verify expected start times match the actual schedule.

Some spots show as aired, others do not, but all of them clearly aired
This is usually caused by inconsistent identifiers in the log. For example, some lines may have the full spot title and others a shortened version, or some entries may have the file name with the .mp3 extension and others without. AdMaster matches on exact strings.

To diagnose, open the log in Notepad, look at a few entries for the same campaign, and check whether the identifier is consistent. If it is not, the inconsistency is typically a setting in your playout that controls how it formats log entries.

The Desktop Client uploads the log, but reconciliation appears delayed by hours
The Desktop Client uploads several times per hour, but the timing of each upload depends on how often the playout writes to the log file. If the playout only writes to the log at the top of each hour, the soonest AdMaster can see a spot is the top of the next hour.

If you need genuinely real-time reconciliation, check your playout's settings for how often it flushes its log to disk. Some playouts buffer log entries in memory and only write them at intervals. Several playouts do this only once per day.

I changed to automatic mode but I cannot find the Desktop Client settings I need
The Broadcast Log Folder and delimiter settings are inside the Desktop Client App on the playout computer, not inside the AdMaster web interface on your office computer. The web interface and the Desktop Client are two separate pieces of software, and reconciliation involves both. The web interface is where you turn the feature on and choose the Search Term. The Desktop Client is where you tell AdMaster which folder on the playout computer to monitor.

Summary

Reconciliation closes the loop between what you scheduled and what actually aired. AdMaster handles the analysis, but it depends on you to configure three things correctly: the expected start times of your breaks, the search term that matches the identifier your playout writes in its log, and the path to the broadcast log folder.

Choose automatic mode if your playout writes its log in real time or at frequent intervals, and especially if you want your advertisers to see their campaigns updating in real time. Choose manual mode if your playout only produces its log on demand or once per day, and you are happy to upload it yourself when ready.

Once the configuration is right, reconciliation runs quietly in the background. You see the results in the Reports and the Traffic Log Editor, your advertisers see them on their private campaign pages, and your invoices are backed by an objective record of what aired.