Specle chief technology officer Tom Beckenham described it as a "hybrid, cloud-based approach to job management", with the ability to automate almost everything from the receipt of the media schedule through to final file delivery.

"It really enables end-to-end automation, from schedule to publication, with very few clicks," he added.

The service was initially developed in partnership with creative agency VCCP, but Specle now plans to roll out Studio from the end of February.

The browser-based tool uses XML data, drawn from the ad spec database, to automate the management and routing of files within VCCP’s own Twist and GMG workflows.

"All the stuff that’s done through the web browser is in the cloud, but once they create the schedule and attach the file and click upload, it posts that file to a local Twist server inside the building," said Beckenham.

VCCP head of production Simon Walker added that Studio had "simplified and streamlined everything", saving time and effort, particularly with things such as editing specs.

"If a publication’s specs change in Specle, because GMG hot folders are named with the profile name, it will get updated on the database and filter all the way through," he said.

"Whereas before I would have to update the database, update the Twist workflow for colour profiling and colour proofing, check on GMG that we had that set up at both ends – it would be half an hour’s work for one spec change."

"GMG has been really cooperative in terms of setting up the colour queues," added Beckenham. "The GMG platinum service now comes pre-loaded with every profile for every combination of titles that is on Specle, which makes it significantly easier to do what we needed to with VCCP."

According to Walker, the ability to drive the workflow without any files having to leave the building was another key requirement in the development process.

"The only thing I want leaving the building is the final file when it’s delivered to publication, so the tricky bit was coming up with a way of driving it dynamically with a cloud-based system sending instructions to our systems here," he added.