Spreadsheets vs Software
Spreadsheets vs print attribution software, what the spreadsheet misses.
A CPM spreadsheet is free and familiar, but it only knows circulation and price. Everything that decides whether an ad is actually seen, and what it returns, lives in the gaps it cannot model. Here is what you give up, and what to use instead.
- 2 inputs — A spreadsheet really uses
- 6+ — Factors the engine models
- $0 — For both, so why settle
What a spreadsheet can do
A spreadsheet computes circulation-based CPM: ad cost divided by circulation, times 1,000. It is fast, free, and fine for a back-of-envelope cost comparison between two similar placements. If that is all you need, a spreadsheet is enough.
What it quietly leaves out
Circulation is not readership, and readership is not ad-noting. A spreadsheet ignores pass-along (readers per copy), section engagement, ad size and format, page position, competitive clutter on the page, and attention, every one of which moves real reach by a large factor. Two ads at the same circulation CPM can differ several-fold in how many people actually see them. The spreadsheet shows them as identical.
What a research-backed engine adds
Adscribed applies coefficients drawn from peer-reviewed readership, eye-tracking and recall studies to turn circulation into quality-adjusted reach, then layers attention time, recall probability, visibility and ROI on top. Crucially, every adjustment is traceable to its source study, so the output is defensible in a way a hand-built formula never is, and it is also free.
When spreadsheets actively cost you money
The danger is not the spreadsheet, it is decisions made on circulation-only CPM: buying the cheap-CPM placement that nobody reads, defending a rate with a number a client can poke holes in, or reporting "reach" that overstates real exposure. A modeled engine catches those before the spend, at the same price as the spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions
Is a CPM spreadsheet good enough for print media planning?
For a rough cost comparison between similar placements, yes. For deciding where to spend or proving performance, no, because circulation-based CPM ignores pass-along readership, section engagement, ad size, page position and attention, which together can change real reach several-fold.
What does print attribution software add over a spreadsheet?
It converts circulation into quality-adjusted reach using research-calibrated multipliers, then estimates attention, recall, visibility and ROI, with every adjustment traceable to a cited study. A spreadsheet only knows circulation and price.
Do I have to pay to upgrade from a spreadsheet?
No. Adscribed is free. You get the full modeled analysis at the same cost as your spreadsheet.
Can I still export numbers for my own spreadsheet?
Yes. Use the engine to produce defensible reach, CPM and ROI figures, then drop them into whatever reporting format you already use.