Canto RoboFlow
by Canto
Benefits
- Save time and reduce errors via customized automation.
- Cumulus catalogs stay in sync with folders and ftp sites.
- Users stay informed thanks to clear email notifications.
- On-the-fly dynamic metadata values that are always current.
- Seamless integration with Cumulus for greater reliability and performance.
Features
- Automate sophisticated, multi-step digital asset productions.
- Auto-catalog assets and import/export metadata.
- Keep Cumulus catalogs in sync with file folders, and more.
Customized automation for Cumulus
Canto RoboFlow provides automated cataloging and processing options that save you time and help you perform repetitive tasks with machine precision. Integration into DAM workflows is seamless because RoboFlow was built for Cumulus. It’s like having a valuable new member on your DAM production team.
All Canto RoboFlow workflows are configured using a graphical UI that keeps things simple. Available modules are listed on the left, and options appear in the main area. The tight integration between Cumulus and RoboFlow means end users never have anything new to learn.
Catalogs stay in sync with file folders
RoboFlow keeps Cumulus catalogs in sync with folders and ftp directories, so changes made outside Cumulus are reflected in your catalogs. When files are added, moved, renamed, deleted or modified, Cumulus users see the changes, just like you’d expect. Changes made in Cumulus can update remote file servers too, so you don’t need remote access programs to manage remote files. Make CMS and website management easier by letting RoboFlow deliver files where they’re needed, using naming conventions you define. RoboFlow can even create new folder structures on file servers, perfect for the start of new projects.
Global "smart" drop folders
Using RoboFlow, a single file server directory can become your organization’s global "drop folder", without making a mess of your Cumulus catalogs. You define rules for each auto-cataloging operation, so you control what happens. Include only a certain file type, skip files that start with "temp," ignore sub-folders, etc. Keep PDFs and presentations out of your video catalog, and ignore system files and folders entirely. Users can even trigger specific RoboFlow handling options by using file naming conventions like "Final-" and "Temp-". Smart auto-cataloging means your works-in-progress aren’t cataloged until you’re ready, and you never have to manually move files when they are done. There’s no easier, more secure way to integrate external clients and freelancers into your workflows.
Email notifications that inform
Users can be notified at any or every step of your production pipeline, thanks to email notifications that you define and RoboFlow sends. Recipient lists and email content can be defined in standard Cumulus fields, so notifications are always relevant and current. Emails can even contain download links, so access is convenient and requires no training. Once an email has been sent, RoboFlow can change an asset’s status and continue performing other processing actions.
External metadata exchange
Metadata from external systems, like inventory or accounting systems, can be refreshed in Cumulus via automatic updates RoboFlow manages. Cumulus users see "fresh" metadata all day long, which avoids production errors. Complex spreadsheets can be used for metadata exchange, because RoboFlow reads multiple, partial or calculated column values. If your Cumulus metadata needs to flow into other systems, that’s easy too. RoboFlow creates export files at intervals you define. Create standard text files, XML and SQL-ready records too.
Cumulus category tracking
If you’ve ever wanted an easy way to archive or otherwise work with all files associated with a completed project, RoboFlow offers a solution. Using values in category metadata, RoboFlow can process all associated records and files. In other words, set a category metadata value to "Ready for Archive" and RoboFlow takes over. Files are moved where they need to go, and records are updated to reflect the change.
Dynamic metadata processing
RoboFlow understands a basic scripting language that includes variables. This means, for example, a RoboFlow workflow can reference the current date or time, or even a given metadata value. Combined with basic math and control structure routing, the RoboFlow scripting language enables you to build file names or metadata values based on system and other variables. So, if your production pipeline requires that files be named in a certain way to indicate their status, let RoboFlow manage the file naming for you based on values in Cumulus. Canto RoboFlow perfectly complements the power of the Cumulus Scheduler, offering a technical team for total production automation.
