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The software solution

25.03.11 | Tom Holman

With the growing range of digital formats making publishers' workflows ever more complex, the need to stay in control of resources is increasing. Software suppliers, who have adapted to the new ways publishers are producing and selling books, think their packages are the answer—rigid enough to keep diverse content organised and in one place, but flexible enough to push it out efficiently to whichever platforms people want to use.
When it works well, software acts as the oil that keeps publishers' wheels turning and, as such Steve Waldron, vice-president of business development at Klopotek, thinks the developing digital activity has increased demand for his company's products. He says it is Klopotek's product planning and management system (PPM) that is the main source of interest, due to the varied nature of digital production processes.
Also popular is its contracts, rights and royalties (CR&R) package, which eases some of the problems publishers face when calculating royalty payments from so many different formats. Waldron recalls that as recently as 20 years ago he was helping publishers with a royalty management system based on filing cards—now the process is fully automated and paperless. Pulling rights information together in a single database can also show publishers—at a glance—which digital and territorial rights it can and cannot exploit.
Software is often seen as the preserve for big publishers, with diverse operations and offices spread around the world, but growing numbers of small to medium sized companies are also investing. Klopotek offers a cloud-based option called Software as a Service (SaaS) that means publishers only need to buy what they require. Waldron says it is a versatile solution for those wanting assistance with their digital workflows. "Small companies really want to be concentrating on what they do best—publishing—rather than trying to turn themselves into IT or systems specialists."

The right package
For publishers who decide that software could help them, choosing the right option can be tricky. Those who have already bought packages recommend shopping around and asking for recommendations, since word of mouth spreads fast—about both good and bad suppliers.
Publishers should check the software they buy is flexible enough to cope with any digital platforms they might want to move onto, and make sure—as far as is possible in this fast-changing industry—that the software is future-proof. They should ensure too that it meets all necessary ONIX, EDI, XML and other standards; accreditation from BIC is the most reliable proof of this. And, costs should be closely examined—including any hidden extras. Finally, it is key for publishers to remember they are not just buying a piece of software but a service. A trusting relationship between publisher and supplier, and proper after-sales care, are vital.
Sophisticated software does not come cheap, of course, and publishers need to prepare themselves for disruption and frustration while new systems bed down. In the current economic climate, it might seem like an avoidable expense to publishers who think they can muddle through on their old ways of doing things. "Spending on things like rights software might well not seem like a priority right now," Waldron admits. "But if you don't get the right systems in place it's just storing problems up for the future."
Measuring the difference that software can make and its impact on the bottom line is hard too—but Waldron points to examples of increased efficiency at publishers such as Elsevier (see box) as evidence of its value. With workflows straightened out, software also enables publishers to experiment more freely with new platforms and business models—and there has never been a better time to do that. "A lot of publishers think that [digital publishing] is all too hard, and decide to sit and do nothing for a few years while things settle down," says Waldron. "But in a few years there might not be anything left that you can do."

Case study: software in action at Elsevier
One of Klopotek's biggest projects has been the roll-out of a centralised database for thousands of Elsevier staff around the world. In 2009 it linked its product planning and management (PPM) system to Elsevier's own Electronic Warehouse, the company's depository for all its electronic content. This has automated XML tagging, making it easier for Elsevier to build various formats of digital content as well as print, and integrated information from the company's many suppliers.
For a publisher like Elsevier that has at least 80% of its content online and several dozen offices worldwide, systemised coordination and outflow of its content is vital. Klopotek says the success of the project been measured by the increased speed and efficiency with which Elsevier can now complete its workflows, and Waldron claims it has helped the publisher produce 22% more content with the same headcount. "Klopotek's PPM module [is] an integral part of our current and future end-to-end book workflow," says Jan Visser, director of electronic production at Elsevier.
 

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