Why follow naming conventions?
INscribe Digital's distribution platform, Athena, uses file naming conventions to store, archive, and deliver your content successfully to retailers. Using specific naming conventions allows us to expand upon the number of ways we can process a single file type. That means we can use an Excel sheet in many different ways to get the results that you need.
In general, Athena considers underscores (_) as a direct order, so you'll want to avoid using them outside of the conventions listed below.
Use the below grid to determine how exactly to name your files for a successful upload!
Accepted File Naming Conventions
| How to name my... | File Name |
More Information |
|---|---|---|
| Metadata (Athena Import Sheet or ONIX) | ImprintNameDATE.extension Example(s): INscribeDigital20130101.xlsx INscribeDigital20130101.xml |
Never use underscores (_) or non-standard characters. Unique naming conventions provides trackable history for your metadata. Use the imprint name followed by the current date. |
| eBook and Cover Files | ISBN.extension Example(s): 9780985895648.jpg 9780985895648.epub 9780985895648.pdf 9780985895648.mobi |
This is the standard format for all files associated to a single ISBN. Use this format for naming all assets for a single title. You must use a valid eBook, 13-digit ISBN. |
| Retailer-specific Metadata | ImprintNameDATE_RetailerCode.extension Example(s): INscribeDigital20130101_APC.xlsx |
You can make a Bulk Metadata Sheet retailer specific by adding an underscore (_) and the retailer's 3-digit code at the end of the file name to deliver to a single retailer. Example: adding "_APC" to the file name delivers the metadata only to iBooks. (See the Retailers tab on the Athena Bulk Metadata Excel template for a list of all codes.) Never use underscores (_) or non-standard characters anywhere in the filename but in front of the 3-character retailer code. Note: Only one retailer code may be applied per Excel file. |
| Retailer-specific Files | ISBN_RetailerCode.extension Example(s): 9780985895648_APC.jpg 9780985895648_APC.epub 9780985895648_APC.xml 9780985895648_APC.onix 9780985895648_APC.pdf |
You can make any accepted file type retailer specific. Add an underscore (_) and the retailer's 3-digit code to the standard ISBN format to deliver to a single retailer. Example: adding "_APC" to the ISBN delivers the file only to iBooks. (See the Retailers tab on the Athena Bulk Metadata Excel template for a list of all codes.) Note: Only one retailer code may be applied per file. |
| Price Campaign Sheet | ImprintNameDATE_PriceCampaign.extension Example(s): INscribeDigital20130101_PriceCampaign.xlsx |
This is the standard format for discounted wholesale price promotions. Add an underscore (_) followed by PriceCampaign to deliver the sale price to retailers. Note: You must use the Price Campaign template provided by INscribe. |
| Sample Files | ISBN_SampleContent.extension Example(s): 9780985895648_SampleContent.png 9780985895648_SampleContent.epub 9780985895648_SampleContent.mobi |
You can create sample content specific for each retailer. Add an underscore and the retailer's 3-digit code to the standard ISBN format, then insert an underscore and "SampleContent" to deliver to the sample content to a single retailer. Example: adding "_AMZ_SampleContent" to the ISBN delivers the file only to Amazon. Note: Only one retailer code may be applied per file. |
| Screenshots | ISBN_SampleContent_SequentialNumber.extension Example(s): 9780985895648_SampleContent_01.png 9780985895648_SampleContent_02.png 9780985895648_SampleContent_03.png |
You can submit additional sample content as screenshots of your eBook. These should be supplied as .png image files. To designate as a screenshot, insert an underscore and 01, 02, 03, etc. after the ISBN_SampleContent. Note: Limit of 5 screenshots per title. |
| Multiple ePub Types under a single ISBN | ISBN_EPUBType.extension Example(s): 9780985895648_EPUB2R.epub 9780985895648_EPUB3R.epub 9780985895648_EPUB2FF.epub 9780985895648_EPUB3FF.epub |
To submit more than one type of epub in a single upload, you can use the epub type extension. |
| Barnes & Noble EPIB Files |
Barnes and Noble ONLY ISBN_EPUBEPIBK1_epib.extension ISBN_EPUBEPIBK2_epib.extension ISBN_EPUBEPIBK3_epib.extension ISBN_DOCPDFPP.extension ISBN_DOCPDFCGN.extension ISBN_EPUBEPIBK1_SampleContent_epib.epub ISBN_EPUBEPIBK2_SampleContent_epib.epub ISBN_EPUBEPIBK3_SampleContent_epib.epub Example(s): 9780985895648_EPUBEPIBK1_epib.epub 9780985895648_EPUBEPIBK2_epib.epub 9780985895648_EPUBEPIBK3_epib.epub 9780985895648_DOCPDFPP.pdf 9780985895648_DOCPDFCGN.pdf Sample epib Examples for Each Tier Below: 9780985895648_EPUBEPIBK1_SampleContent_epib.epub 9780985895648_EPUBEPIBK2_SampleContent_epib.epub 9780985895648_EPUBEPIBK3_SampleContent_epib.epub |
You can supply content based on Barnes and Noble's specific file formats. If you wish to submit any epibs, PagePerfect PDFs, or Graphic Novel PDFs, please use the following file naming conventions. ISBN_EPUBEPIBK1_epib.epub (Represents an epib tier 1) ISBN_EPUBEPIBK2_epib.epub (Represents an epib tier 2) ISBN_EPUBEPIBK3_epib.epub (Represents an epib tier 3) ISBN_DOCPDFPP.pdf (Represents a Page Perfect PDF. This is also the default type applied if no special naming convention is added) ISBN_DOCPDFCGN.pdf (Represents a Comic or Graphic novel PDF) |
| POD Files for INdemand |
POD (Print on-demand) ISBN_cover.pdf ISBN_interior.pdf Example(s): 9780985895648_cover.pdf 9780985895648_interior.pdf |
Use this format when submitting book interior and full cover files for POD (Print on-demand). |