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AdWare®, an applications service provider, provides management information systems to the marketing communications industry in over 20 countries. The products that AdWare offers range from content management and workflow/project management to media buying/billing and paying systems.

AdWare roots stem from what once was the largest advertising agency in Kentucky, Zimmer-McClaskey-Lewis, a firm that once handled marketing and advertising for such blue chip brands as Kool Cigarettes, Churchill Downs, Early Times, and South Central Bell. In the late 1970's, the agency developed its own accounting software package that was primarily used in-house. This software is now delivered in the ASP model by repurposing the legacy AS 400 software. Mission Data has engineered and programmed the application integration/middleware.

Using industry standard java data access tools, JDBC, and the AS400 toolkit from IBM Mission Data developed web applications that interact with all of AdWare's existing data and programs. This enabled AdWare and Mission Data to leverage the millions of dollars in legacy RPG and database code while giving AdWare's application suite a fully customizable, enterprise caliber web presence: The AdWare software is optimized for both MacIntosh and PC users.

Below is an outline of some of the workflow applications:

Production:
An Agency management system that efficiently monitors workflow and enables control of the complex day-to-day activity involved in tracking, producing and billing client jobs. Mission Data was integral in developing the following modules for the web:

• Estimating - Enables agencies to analyze competitive estimates from different vendors, or different estimates from the same vendor, then choose the estimate you want to work with, print it or e-mail it for approval, then track it against actual job costs.
• AdExpense (Expense Tracking) - Allows agency employees to enter business expenses on the web. AdExpense manages the workflow of an expense report from creation and manager approval to posting. Full integration to billing and payroll.
• Workflow - "Microsoft Project" for ad agencies on the web. Complete task tracking and reporting with email notifications and reminders. *
• Purchasing - Manages the lifecycle of a purchase order, from creation and approval to reporting and billing.
• Reporting - Hundreds of customized reports presented in HTML or PDF

Broadcast:
This application empowers media buyers to analyze, order, track, and manage local media buys on the Internet. The Buy applet is the cornerstone of the Broadcast product. The applet allows users to securely manage buying commercial spots. The Buy Module replaces a two phased system of a PC based client application and an AS/400 green-screen option, allowing for greater efficiency in the entire buying process. To support the Buy Module, Mission Data developed several database setup and reporting options.

AdClock:

• Mission Data data engineered and implemented the 4th and final iteration of AdWare's next-generation time tracking application, replacing 3 previous versions: as400 green-screen, Powerbuilder, and a failed web version.
• Manages the entire workflow of a timesheeet: creation, approval, posting, and reporting
• AdClock has over 6300 daily users.
• Interoperates with Production and Financials system, providing seamless integration with job tasks, costing, and billing.

Menu System
Mission Data developed a complete menu system for all of AdWare's web products. The menu system allows end user administrators to give authority to individuals or groups of users. AdWare employees, in turn, can associate new menu options with custom code, dynamic reports, or 5250 emulators. When the association is made, the menu option is immediately available to the agency administrators to assign to users. Dynamic Report Generation:

Mission Data developed a report generation application that allows AdWare business analysts to present legacy green-screen reports to the web in HTML or PDF format. This application saved AdWare countless hours of development by enabling report generation without programming effort. Using this technology, AdWare was able to bring 80 reports to the web in an efficient manner.

Development Environment: Mission Data created the AdWare development environment used by both Mission Data consultants and AdWare developers. The key components to this environment are:

• Visual Age for Java (VAJ)
• CVS for source code control (client and server)
• VAJ to CVS integration
• DB2
• Tomcat application server
• Apache web server
• ANT for deployment and build management

Production Environment:
Mission Data's consultants were key in planning and implementing AdWare's live environment:

• Cisco 'Arrowpoint' content switch
• 4 IBM Netfinity Servers running Linux, Apache, and Tomcat DB2 on the RS/6000