Use Log Templates to Structure Breaks, Positions and Auto-Fills

Build and maintain Log Templates in Neural Log, configure breaks, positions, auto-fill rules and macros, and manage network positions from a single workspace.

Log Templates define the structure of a broadcast log: breaks, positions within each break, and the rules that place items automatically. This page explains how to create and edit templates, manage template events (breaks/positions), set fill rules, work with macro items inside order lines and understand network positions.

Before you start#

You need a role that grants access to Logs > Log Templates.
Editing templates and setting template fills requires write access to LogTemplate and LogTemplateEvent records.
Macro item editing is available only on saved order lines where IsMacro = True.

Open the Log Templates workspace#

Navigate to Log Templates#

In the main menu, choose Logs > Log Templates. The list view shows existing templates with columns Name, Station, KindCode and ProgramDurationExpression.

Select a template#

Click a row to open the template detail. The detail view shows Name, Station and KindCode under the General group, plus LegacyExtraInfo and ProgramDurationExpression under Legacy and migration.

The template detail includes two collections:

- **Broadcast Log records** — logs that reference this template.
- **Template Events** — the breaks and positions that make up the template.

Result: You can now inspect or edit the template, configure its events or set fill rules.

Edit template events (breaks and positions)#

Template events represent the scheduled items and breaks in the log. Each event has an EventNumber, StartTimeExpression, Description, DurationExpression and AvailabilityType.

Open Template Events#

From the template detail, click the Template Events collection. The list shows events in EventNumber order.

Add or edit an event#

To add a new event, use the standard New action. To edit an existing event, open its detail. Fields include:

- **EventNumber** — integer sequence used for ordering.
- **Description** — the label shown on the log.
- **AvailabilityType** — the avail type used for positioning rules.
- **FillPriorityCode** and **FillCode** — optional auto-fill classification.
- **Source** — an optional source classification for the event.

Save or cancel#

Save changes to update the template structure, or cancel to discard edits.

Result: Events are saved in the template and used during log generation and placement.

Set template fill for an event#

Template Fill lets you save an explicit fill rule for a specific event in a saved template, separate from the general template structure.

Select a saved template event#

Open a template, go to Template Events, and select an existing saved event.

Open Template Fill#

Click Template Fill. A dialog opens with the current fill settings.

Edit the fill choice#

Adjust the fill rule as needed. The dialog validates that the parent template event is saved and unchanged.

Save choice or cancel#

Click Save choice to apply the fill rule, or Cancel to close without saving. If the parent event has pending changes, the dialog refuses with a message telling you to save or cancel first.

Result: The event now carries its own explicit fill rule, preserved independently of the template structure.

Work with macros and macro items#

A macro order line contains multiple macro items that share the line's total cost. Book-Ends lines are a special macro with two items: an opening and a closing half. Macro items are edited through the order line, not through Log Templates directly, but templates determine how macro placements resolve during generation.

Edit Macro on an order line#

Open the order line#

Go to Traffic > Broadcast Order Browser, open the order, and select a macro line (Type = MAC).

Open Edit Macro#

Click Edit Macro. A modal list opens with columns Item, CopyID, Description, Cost Allocation and Avail Type, ordered by SequenceNumber.

Append an item#

Click Append Item to add a new item at the end. The first appended item defaults to 100% allocation; later appended items default to 0%. Defaults include CA, Spot, blank length and copy.

Insert an item#

Select an existing item and click Insert Item to add a blank placeholder before it. The placeholder commits immediately; you can then edit it. Cancel discards editor changes but keeps the placeholder.

Edit an item#

Select an item and click Edit Item to open its detail. Fields include allocation percentage, invoice-hide flag (enabled only at zero allocation), copy, description and avail type. Save the item independently of the parent order line.

Delete an item#

Select an item and click Delete Item. A confirmation asks whether to delete the line from the Macro Sequence. Selecting No or closing the confirmation preserves the item. Selecting Yes deletes an unused item and compacts the sequence. Active broadcast events referencing the item block deletion.

Close the macro editor#

Click Close to return to the order line.

Result: Macro items are saved, renumbered and reflected in the order line. The macro configuration is used when the line is scheduled into a log.

Print the macro#

From the macro editor, click Print Macro to stream a PDF through the authenticated Blazor session. The PDF includes zero-allocation invoice-hidden items, excludes deleted rows, and shows current sequence, CopyID, description, percentage and availability.

Macro allocation and visibility rules#

Allocations: The stored ratio is decimal(19,8). 100% stores as 1, 1% as 0.01.
Zero allocation: At 0%, the Do NOT show this item on Customer Invoices checkbox is enabled. Checking it sets both IsNonBillable and ExcludeFromReports to true. At nonzero allocation, both flags are cleared.
101% totals: The editor accepts a total above 100% without an entry-time warning. The manual requires 100% for per-broadcast billing, so review totals before scheduling.
Hidden items: A zero-value airing can be hidden from invoices. A corrected nonzero amount makes it visible; restoring zero hides it again. The original allocation and hide flags are never rewritten.

Network positions#

Template position and availability settings determine the slots offered to scheduling. For network and special-event records, see Network and events.

Recovery from dirty parents and lost responses#

Dirty parent: If the parent template, template event or order line has unsaved changes when you open Template Fill or Edit Macro, the dialog refuses with a message such as "Save or cancel pending template-event changes before editing Template Fill. Your current input is retained." Save or cancel first, then reopen the action.
Lost response after uncertain save: If saving a template fill or macro edit did not complete normally, inspect the saved parent record to establish whether the change was saved before attempting another save.
Stale item: If a macro item is no longer available when you try to edit or delete it, the system shows "This macro item is no longer available." Reopen the macro editor to refresh the list.

Limitations#

Allocation enforcement: Entry-time validation does not enforce a 100% macro total. Review totals manually before billing.

Book-Ends for Book-Ends pair placement and generation.
Orders for adding and editing broadcast orders.
Order Lines for line details including Position and Type.
Daily Scheduling for day-to-day log scheduling.
Weekly Scheduling for weekly generation workflows.