Scheduling content

Every piece of content in a playlist has a Playback rule. You find it in the content’s settings (double-click) on the Schedule & frequency tab.

Playback rule	Meaning
Always	The content runs without restriction.
Never	The content stays in the playlist but is not played.
On schedule	The content only runs in the configured period.

Set a schedule

Choose On schedule and define in the time window:

• Start date and End date – optional, for a period such as a promotional week
• Start time and End time – optional, for a time of day
• Weekdays – on which days the content runs (Mon–Sun)

In each time window you can also enter a minimum frequency. If you leave the field empty, there is none.

Examples:

• Breakfast offer: start time 06:00, end time 10:30, all weekdays
• Promotion: start date November 1, end date November 30
• From a certain time until the end of the day: only enter the Start time, leave the End time empty

Tip

Schedules follow the device’s time zone. Set it to the location in the Device settings, otherwise UTC applies.

Multiple time windows

If a content item should run at different times, add more windows with + Add time window (up to 20). The item runs as soon as one of the windows matches. Each window has its own dates, times and weekdays and its own minimum frequency.

Example: the welcome screen at the Hafenhotel runs on Thursdays from 13:00 to 18:00, when most guests arrive, at least 30 times per hour. On the other days it runs from 09:00 to 18:00 at least 12 times per hour.

• Use the arrows to change the order and the bin to remove a window.
• If two windows overlap, the higher minimum frequency applies during that time. The two are not added up.
• As soon as there is more than one window, each one needs at least one restriction (date, time or not all weekdays).
• In the playlist overview you see the range of minimum frequencies, e.g. 12–30/hour.

Players without the update

Multiple time windows need an up-to-date player app. If a player of the playlist can’t handle them yet, the CMS shows the notice Not every player supports this yet with the affected players. Until it is updated, such a player only plays the first window – so never outside one of your windows, but possibly less often. That’s why you should put the most important window at the top.

Across midnight

If the end time is before the start time, the content runs across midnight: 22:00 to 06:00 are eight hours at night. The CMS shows the notice Overnight.

Caution

If you haven’t selected all weekdays, the window applies for each selected day from midnight until the end time and again from the start time. If a night should run through, select the following day as well.

Remove after end date

With Remove after end date, the content is automatically deleted from the playlist once the end date has passed. With multiple time windows, every window needs an end date; the content is removed after the latest one.

When does “Always” apply?

If you choose On schedule with a single window with all weekdays and without date and time, the CMS saves the content as Always. With Always, only the Minimum frequency field remains on the tab.