Since its 1913 founding, Harvard University Press (HUP) has used the best technologies available to publish serious nonfiction of the highest quality. HUP’s decision to move from its propriety databases to Virtusales’s publishing management system again places it at the leading edge of electronically enabled publishing workflow.

HUP will be utilizing the following key functions in Biblio3:

• Pre-acquisition costing, cost management, purchase ordering
• Schedule management
• Contracts and rights management
• Editorial, bibliographic and marketing data management
• Comprehensive reporting
• ONIX 2 & 3 feeds, website feeds and integration to finance and warehouse systems

Background

When software database tools including FileMaker emerged in the 1990s, HUP’s in-house information technology team developed systems and databases that were superior to any solution then offered by outside vendors; over the years, those databases have grown to accommodate a wide range of functions. However, the increasing demands of contemporary publishing led HUP’s digital steering committee to investigate alternate publishing management systems.

Requirements

“We needed a robust publishing management system that could integrate with our external distribution system and with Harvard’s financial platforms in a single instance across our Cambridge and London offices. At the same time, we needed a seamless workflow from book acquisition to delivery, and to retain all of the important features developed in our proprietary systems.” explained Timothy Doyle, Chief Financial Officer, Harvard University Press.

Why Virtusales

“After going through a rigorous tender process which analyzed available publishing systems, we realized that Virtusales would help us retain the important custom elements of our existing systems, while delivering new advantages. We expect to benefit from Virtusales’ unique development philosophy providing a six-week upgrade cycle, along with its experience in large publishing system implementations. We also anticipate efficiency gains from the integration of processes between modules and departments which were available in Biblio3. We’re pleased to have found a solution that will allow us to more effectively further our mission of publishing ‘scholarship plus’—vital books for both the scholar and the general reader,” Doyle said.

Phil Turner, Chief Executive Officer of Virtusales added, “Harvard University Press has an excellent and instantly recognisable brand with an outstanding reputation for quality publishing. We are very excited at the opportunities that this project will bring both parties and we look forward to a long and mutually prosperous relationship.”

Biblio3, a fully integrated publishing software system, will be accessible on PCs and Macs across all publishing offices in multiple locations. Biblio3 tracks all details and commercial activities of a title in both physical and electronic format from pre-acquisition through to post publication, with functionality including:

• Centralized bibliographic data management providing bibliographic, contractual, rights, marketing and financial data to all users across all sites.

• Projects costed quicker and more accurately due to templates and scales.

• Quick and easy automated generation of catalogues and sales information sheets drastically reducing the amount of administrative effort required.

• Integrated scheduling providing improved planning and management of publication schedules and reducing average lead times.

• Comprehensive P&L reporting including costs, sales, royalties and rights estimates.

• Digital workflows between departments drastically reducing the need for paper or email based requests and ensuring smoother end to end publishing processes.

• Purchase Order management generating electronic and PDF purchase orders with interfaces to finance systems.

• Head contract, rights and subrights management providing accurate and to the second data on rights acquired and sold.

• Industry standards such as ONIX, Bowker, BIC, BISAC and Safety Testing.

Website: www.virtusales.com