GP3MixMedia TrailMix User Guide

This guide will help you understand and use the GP3MixMedia TrailMix platform to track, reconcile, and analyze your campaign's media spending.

Table of Contents

1. Logging In
2. Understanding Campaigns
3. Viewing Analytics
4. Understanding the Matrix View
5. Working with Duplicates (Deduplication)
6. Uploading Files
7. Setting Up Automated Data Collection
8. Configuring Email Alerts
9. Exporting Data
10. Managing Exceptions
11. Understanding User Roles

Logging In

Google Workspace Login

The platform uses Google Workspace for authentication:

1. Click "Sign in with Google"
2. Select your organization account
3. Grant the necessary permissions
4. You'll be redirected to your campaigns dashboard

Note: You must use your organization's Google Workspace account. Personal Gmail accounts are not supported unless your organization specifically allows them.

Understanding Campaigns

A campaign is a container for all media tracking related to a specific political race or effort.

Campaign Components

Each campaign has:

• Name: The campaign identifier (e.g., "Smith for Senate 2024")
• Keywords: Terms the system watches for in data sources
• DMAs: Designated Market Areas where ads are running
• Stations: TV and radio stations being tracked
• Media Types: TV, radio, digital, OTT/CTV, mail, phones
• Status: Active, Paused, or Completed

Creating a New Campaign

Note: Campaign creation typically requires Admin access.

1. Navigate to the Campaigns page
2. Click "New Campaign"
3. Fill in basic information:
   • Campaign name
   • Client name
   • Election date
   • Candidate information
4. Add keywords to track:
   • Candidate names
   • Campaign slogans
   • Key issues
5. Select DMAs (markets) to monitor
6. Save the campaign

The system will automatically find relevant stations in your selected DMAs.

Viewing Analytics

The analytics dashboard provides a high-level overview of your campaign spending. Access it via the Output Hub → Analytics tab.

Analytics Overview

Metric Cards (top row)

• Total Spend across all media
• Total GRPs (Gross Rating Points) — when available
• Total Impressions — when available
• Average Weekly Spend

Party Spending Summary

• Side-by-side DEM / Total / GOP spend comparison cards

Advertiser Spending Chart

• Bar chart showing spending ranked by advertiser

Spend Over Time

• Weekly spend trend chart
• Date range presets: 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 26 weeks, all time, future only

Share by Medium

• Pie/donut chart showing spend distribution by media type (Broadcast, Cable, CTV, Digital, etc.)

Analytics Sub-Tabs

• Overview: Main spending charts and metrics (described above)
• Candidates: Candidate-specific spending analysis
• Alerts: Campaign alert configuration and history

Dashboard Layout Modes

• Classic (default): Standard fixed-layout analytics
• Custom: Widget-based dashboard with drag-and-drop customization

Exporting Analytics as PDF

1. Configure your analytics view with the desired filters
2. Click "Export PDF" button
3. Wait for generation (may take 30-60 seconds for large campaigns)
4. PDF will download automatically with charts and tables

Understanding the Matrix View

The Matrix is the heart of the platform - it shows detailed spending data in a tabular format.

Matrix Columns

• Market: DMA name (e.g., "New York, NY")
• Medium: Media type (TV, Radio, Digital, etc.)
• Station: Specific outlet or network
• Week: Start date of the week (Monday)
• Spend: Total dollar amount for that week
• GRP: Gross Rating Points (reach metric for broadcast)
• Impressions: Number of ad impressions

Viewing Matrix Data

1. Navigate to Output Hub → Matrix tab
2. Use filters to narrow your view:
   • Select specific markets
   • Choose media types
   • Filter by station
   • Set date ranges
3. Sort by clicking column headers
4. Scroll horizontally to see all columns

Understanding Week Modes

The matrix can show different "views" of time:

• Booked Weeks: Past and confirmed future weeks
• Projected Weeks: Includes estimated future spending
• Future Only: Only weeks that haven't happened yet
• Next Week: Just the upcoming week

Choose the mode based on what you need to analyze.

Editing Matrix Data

Note: Requires Analyst or Admin access

1. Locate the row you want to edit
2. Click on the editable field (spend, GRP, impressions)
3. Enter the new value
4. Press Enter or click outside to save
5. The system automatically recalculates totals

Batch Updating

For large changes:

1. Select multiple rows using checkboxes
2. Click "Batch Update" button
3. Choose what to update (spend, GRP, etc.)
4. Enter the new values
5. Confirm the changes
6. All selected rows update at once

Working with Duplicates (Deduplication)

When data comes from multiple sources (FCC, AdImpact, uploaded files), the same ad buy may appear multiple times. The platform helps you identify and resolve these duplicates.

Why Deduplication Matters

• Prevents double-counting spend
• Ensures accurate FEC reporting
• Improves data quality
• Reduces clutter in reports

Understanding Duplicate Groups

The system automatically identifies potential duplicates and groups them together based on:

• Similar dates
• Same market/station
• Similar spend amounts
• Matching descriptions

Reviewing Duplicate Groups

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Dedupe tab
2. You'll see a list of "groups" - each group contains potential duplicates
3. Groups are marked by status:
   • Open: Needs review
   • Resolved: Already handled
   • Skipped: Intentionally left separate

Resolving a Duplicate Group

1. Click on a group to expand it
2. Review all records in the group
3. Look at the comparison table showing field differences:
   • Dates
   • Spend amounts
   • Station names
   • Sources (FCC, AdImpact, etc.)

Decision Options:

Option 1: Merge/Combine Records

• Click "Combine" button
• Choose which values to keep for each field
• The system creates one merged record
• Original records are archived (can be undone)

Option 2: Keep Separate

• If they're actually different buys, click "Skip"
• Mark as "Not Duplicates"
• They won't be grouped together again

Option 3: Need More Info

• Click "Flag for Review"
• Add a note about what's unclear
• Come back to it later

Undo a Merge

If you made a mistake:

1. Find the resolved group
2. Click "History" to see past actions
3. Click "Undo" next to the merge
4. Original records are restored
5. Group becomes "Open" again

Deduplication Best Practices

• Review groups regularly (weekly recommended)
• When unsure, flag for team review
• Check sources - FCC data is usually authoritative for broadcast
• Look at dates carefully - similar buys in different weeks aren't duplicates
• Add notes to document your decisions

Uploading Files

The platform can process various file types to extract spending data.

Supported File Types

• Rep Comparison Sheets (Excel) - Station rep proposals
• AdImpact Exports (Excel/CSV) - AdImpact intelligence reports
• FCC Orders (PDF) - Political file documents
• FEC 24-Hour Disclosures (Excel/CSV) - Federal filing data
• Competitive Tracking (Excel) - Opponent spending sheets

Upload Process

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Manual Input tab
2. Click "Upload New File"
3. Select your file from your computer
4. Choose the file type from dropdown
5. Add optional notes about the file
6. Click "Upload"
7. Wait for upload to complete (progress bar shows status)

Processing Uploaded Files

After upload:

1. The file appears in your files list with status "Uploaded"
2. Click "Process" button next to the file
3. System extracts data based on file type
4. Status changes to "Processing" then "Completed"
5. New records appear in your Matrix

If Processing Fails

If status shows "Error":

1. Click on the file to see error details
2. Common issues:
   • Wrong file type selected
   • Unexpected format/layout
   • Missing required columns
3. You can re-upload a corrected file
4. Contact support if format should work but doesn't

Managing Uploaded Files

• View: Click filename to see extracted data
• Re-process: If data changed, process again
• Delete: Remove file and all its extracted data (moves to archive)
• Download: Get the original file back

Setting Up Automated Data Collection

The platform automatically collects data from external sources. Setting this up correctly ensures you get all relevant data for your campaign.

Data Sources

The system can pull from 15+ external sources:

• FCC Political Files: Required broadcast advertising disclosures (every 6 hours)
• AdImpact API: Industry advertising intelligence (hourly)
• OpenFEC: Federal campaign finance data (configurable)
• Meta Ads Library: Facebook and Instagram political advertising
• Google Political Ads: BigQuery public dataset for Google political ads
• Email Newsletters: Gmail polling with confidence scoring

Note: Admins can pause/resume ingestion and adjust rate limiting. See the Ingestion Control Guide for details.

Configuring FCC Ingestion

FCC data is the most important for broadcast campaigns.

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Ingestion tab
2. Click on "FCC" tab
3. Configure FCC settings:

Station IDs

• Add FCC Facility IDs for stations to monitor
• Format: numeric ID (e.g., "73182")
• Find IDs at: fcc.gov/media/radio/facility-id
• Add multiple stations, one per line

Advertiser Names

• List names as they appear in FCC filings
• Include variations (e.g., "Smith Committee", "Smith for Senate")
• System matches these to find your ads

DMAs

• Select markets to monitor
• System automatically finds stations in those DMAs
• Can override with specific station IDs

Schedule

• FCC data updates every 6 hours by default (configurable)
• System automatically polls on schedule
• Can manually trigger with "Run Now" button
• Ingestion can be paused/resumed via Ingestion Control

Configuring AdImpact Ingestion

Note: Requires AdImpact API credentials (Admin setup)

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Ingestion tab
2. Click "AdImpact" tab
3. Map your campaign:
   • Enter AdImpact campaign ID
   • Or configure keyword matching
4. Set schedule (default: hourly)
5. Save configuration

Configuring Meta Ads Library

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Ingestion tab
2. Click "Meta Ads" tab
3. Configure search criteria:
   • Advertiser page IDs
   • Keyword matching for ad content
4. System automatically fetches political ads daily
5. Save configuration

Configuring Google Political Ads

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Ingestion tab
2. Click "Google Political Ads" tab
3. Configure search criteria:
   • Advertiser names
   • Geographic targeting
4. System queries BigQuery public dataset daily
5. Save configuration

Manual Trigger

To pull data immediately:

1. Go to Ingestion settings
2. Find the source (FCC, AdImpact, etc.)
3. Click "Trigger Now"
4. System starts data collection
5. Check status in "Recent Runs" section

Monitoring Ingestion Status

Check if data collection is working:

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Ingestion tab
2. View "Recent Runs" table:
   • Green checkmark: Successful run
   • Red X: Failed run
   • Clock icon: Currently running
3. Click on a run to see details:
   • How many records found
   • How many added vs. duplicates
   • Any errors encountered

Configuring Email Alerts

Stay informed about campaign activity with automated email alerts.

Types of Alerts

• New Spend Alerts: When significant new spending is detected
• Data Quality Alerts: When data issues arise
• Weekly Summaries: Regular digest of campaign activity
• Ingestion Failures: When automated data collection fails

Setting Up New Spend Alerts

1. Navigate to Settings → Alerts
2. Click "Configure New Spend Alert"
3. Set threshold (e.g., alert when $5,000+ in new spend detected)
4. Add recipient email addresses (one per line)
5. Choose notification frequency:
   • Immediate
   • Daily digest
   • Weekly digest
6. Save configuration

Setting Up Dashboard Reports

Send regular reports to your team:

1. Navigate to Settings → Email
2. Click "Configure Dashboard Reports"
3. Configure settings:
   • Recipients: Email addresses to send to
   • Subject Line: Custom subject (campaign name auto-included)
   • Schedule: Weekly on Monday, Daily at 8 AM, etc.
   • Content: Which dashboard sections to include
4. Preview the email with "Send Preview"
5. Save and activate

Email Templates

Customize your email content:

1. Navigate to Settings → Email Templates
2. Choose template type (alerts, reports, etc.)
3. Edit using the template editor:
   • Use variables like {campaign_name}, {total_spend}, {week}
   • Include charts and tables
   • Format with basic HTML/markdown
4. Preview your changes
5. Save template

Managing Email Delivery

View Email History

1. Navigate to Output Hub → Email tab
2. See all sent emails with:
   • Sent date/time
   • Recipients
   • Subject
   • Delivery status (delivered, bounced, opened)

Troubleshooting Delivery Issues

• Check spam/junk folders
• Verify email addresses are correct
• Check bounce log for permanent failures
• Whitelist sender: [email protected] (or your configured sender)

Exporting Data

Get your data out of the platform for use in other tools.

Export Formats

• CSV: Comma-separated values, opens in Excel/Sheets
• XLSX: Excel format with formatting preserved
• PDF: Static document with charts and tables

Exporting Matrix Data

1. Navigate to Output Hub → Matrix tab
2. Apply any filters you want
3. Click "Export" button
4. Choose format:
   • CSV: Best for data analysis
   • XLSX: Best for sharing with formatting
5. Download starts automatically

What's Included:

• All visible rows based on your filters
• Columns: Market, Medium, Station, Week, Spend, GRP, Impressions
• Totals row at bottom
• File includes campaign name and export date

Exporting Dashboard as PDF

See Viewing Your Dashboard section above.

Exporting Dedupe Data

To track deduplication decisions:

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Dedupe tab
2. Click "Export History"
3. Downloads CSV with:
   • Group ID
   • Original records
   • Merged record
   • Who resolved it
   • When
   • Resolution notes

Large Exports

For campaigns with lots of data:

• Export may take 30-60 seconds
• Don't close the browser tab
• Large files (>10MB) may take longer to download
• Consider using filters to make smaller exports

Managing Exceptions

Exceptions are data quality issues the system automatically detects.

Types of Exceptions

Missing Station Assignment

• Spend recorded but no station identified
• Common with manual uploads or parsing issues
• Action: Review and assign correct station

Large Spend Variance

• Significant difference between sources for same buy
• May indicate data error or actual change
• Action: Verify which amount is correct

Date Overlap

• Same station/market has conflicting dates
• Can cause double-counting
• Action: Resolve duplicate or correct dates

Parse Errors

• File uploaded but couldn't extract data
• Action: Check file format, re-upload if needed

Ingestion Failures

• Automated data collection failed
• Action: Check configuration, retry

Email Delivery Failures

• Email bounced or rejected
• Action: Verify email address, check spam settings

Reviewing Exceptions

1. Navigate to Input Hub → Exceptions tab
2. See list of all open exceptions
3. Filter by type or severity
4. Sort by date to prioritize

Resolving an Exception

1. Click on the exception to open details
2. Review the issue description
3. Take appropriate action:
   • Edit Data: Fix the underlying record
   • Mark Resolved: Issue handled outside system
   • Ignore: Not actually a problem
4. Add resolution notes
5. Save

Exception Status

• Open: Needs attention
• In Progress: Someone is working on it
• Resolved: Fixed
• Ignored: Intentionally not fixing

Setting Exception Thresholds

Note: Requires Admin access

Some exceptions are configurable:

1. Navigate to Settings → Exceptions
2. Adjust thresholds:
   • Spend variance percentage (e.g., alert if >20% difference)
   • Missing data tolerance
   • Date overlap rules
3. Save configuration

Understanding User Roles

The platform uses role-based access control.

Role Types

Viewer

• Can view dashboards and reports
• Can export data
• Cannot edit or resolve duplicates
• Cannot send emails
• Good for: Campaign managers, stakeholders

Analyst

• All Viewer permissions, plus:
• Can edit matrix data
• Can resolve duplicate groups
• Can upload and process files
• Cannot manage users or system settings
• Good for: Campaign analysts, media buyers

Admin

• All Analyst permissions, plus:
• Can create campaigns
• Can configure data sources
• Can send emails and alerts
• Can manage users and permissions
• Can access archives and audit logs
• Good for: System administrators, senior analysts

Checking Your Role

1. Click your profile icon (top right)
2. Your role is displayed under your email
3. If you need different permissions, contact your admin

Requesting Access

If you need access to a campaign:

1. Contact your organization's admin
2. Provide: campaign name, your email, requested role
3. Admin adds you to the campaign
4. You'll receive an email notification
5. Refresh the page to see the campaign

Tips for Efficient Use

Daily Workflow for Analysts

1. Morning: Check dashboard for overnight changes
2. Review Exceptions: Handle any new data quality issues
3. Process Dedupes: Resolve any new duplicate groups
4. Update Data: Make manual corrections as needed
5. Check Ingestion: Ensure automated collection is working

Weekly Workflow

1. Full Data Review: Scan entire matrix for anomalies
2. Export Reports: Generate weekly summary for team
3. Clean Up Files: Archive old uploaded files
4. Review Alerts: Ensure notifications are working
5. Planning: Add projected weeks for next week

Monthly Workflow

1. Archive Old Data: Move completed weeks to archive (Admin)
2. User Access Review: Verify team members still need access (Admin)
3. Configuration Check: Review ingestion settings (Admin)
4. Performance Review: Check system health and speed

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl+K or Cmd+K: Quick search
• Ctrl+S or Cmd+S: Save current changes
• Esc: Close modal/dialog
• Arrow keys: Navigate table cells
• Tab: Move to next editable field

Best Practices

1. Review duplicates regularly - Don't let them pile up
2. Document decisions - Add notes when resolving complex issues
3. Use filters - Makes large datasets manageable
4. Export often - Keep backup copies of important data
5. Check sources - Know where your data comes from
6. Communicate - Add notes for your team on unusual entries

Getting Help

If you're stuck:

1. Check the FAQ: FAQ.md - Common questions answered
2. Troubleshooting Guide: TROUBLESHOOTING.md - Solutions to common problems
3. Glossary: GLOSSARY.md - Understand the terminology
4. Contact Admin: Your organization's admin can help with access and configuration
5. System Support: For technical issues, contact your technical support team

Appendix: Understanding Media Metrics

GRP (Gross Rating Points)

A measure of advertising impact for broadcast media (TV/radio). One GRP = 1% of the market's population reached. Higher GRPs mean more exposure.

Impressions

Number of times an ad is displayed or heard. For digital: actual views. For broadcast: estimated based on ratings.

DMA (Designated Market Area)

Geographic regions where the population receives the same TV and radio stations. Defined by Nielsen. Examples: "New York, NY", "Los Angeles, CA".

Reach

Percentage of target audience exposed to ad at least once.

Frequency

Average number of times a person is exposed to the ad.

CPM (Cost Per Thousand)

Cost per 1,000 impressions. Used to compare efficiency across different media buys.

Last Updated: March 2026