Playlists

A Playlist is an ordered sequence of layouts (and other content) that plays end-to-end on a display. Instead of scheduling individual layouts one at a time, you build a playlist and schedule that. Updating the playlist updates everywhere it is scheduled, without touching the schedule itself.

Navigate to: Sidebar → Playlists

When to Use a Playlist

Use a playlist when you want:

• Multiple layouts to play in sequence (e.g. product 1 → product 2 → brand message → repeat).
• A reusable content programme that can be assigned to many displays.
• To update what plays on many displays by editing a single playlist.
• A dynamic playlist that selects content automatically based on filters rather than a fixed list.

Browsing Playlists

The Playlists page lists all playlists you have access to, showing:

Column	Description
Name	Playlist name
Folder	The folder this playlist is organised into
Type	Manual (fixed sequence) or Dynamic (auto-filled by filters)
Duration	Total playback duration
Updated	Date last modified

Creating a Playlist

Step-by-step: Create a manual playlist

1. Navigate to Playlists in the sidebar.
2. Click Add Playlist.
3. On the Basic tab, enter:
   • Name: a descriptive title
   • Description (optional)
   • Tags (optional)
   • Folder (optional)
   • Type: choose Manual for a fixed sequence
4. Click Save.

Adding layouts to a manual playlist

1. Open the playlist.
2. Click the timeline editor icon on the row (or open the playlist and click Edit Timeline).
3. In the timeline editor, click Add Media to browse and select layouts or media from your library.
4. Set the duration for each item (how long it plays before advancing). If blank, the item’s own duration is used.
5. Drag items in the timeline to reorder them. The playlist plays top to bottom, then loops.

Dynamic Playlists

A dynamic playlist is populated automatically based on filters. You define criteria, and OTS Signs selects matching content on its own. This is useful when content is frequently added to the library and you want it to flow into playlists without manual updates.

Creating a dynamic playlist

1. Create a new playlist and set Type to Dynamic.
2. Switch to the Filters tab to configure the criteria:
   • Media Name Filter: match files by name
   • Tags Filter: match files by tag
   • Folder Filter: include files from a specific folder
   • Max Items: limit how many items the playlist contains
3. Save. The playlist is populated with matching content.

When new content is uploaded that matches the criteria, it is added to the playlist.

Playlist Actions (Context Menu)

Click the three-dot menu on any playlist row to access:

Action	Description
Edit Timeline	Open the timeline editor to manage items
Duplicate	Create a copy of this playlist
Convert to Global	Convert an inline playlist to a standalone, globally reusable one (see below)
Bulk Tag	Apply or remove tags from selected playlists
Delete	Delete the playlist

Converting an Inline Playlist to a Global Playlist

When a playlist is created directly inside a layout (rather than from the Playlists page), it is called an inline playlist. It belongs to that layout only and cannot be scheduled independently or reused elsewhere.

Convert to Global promotes an inline playlist into a standalone, reusable playlist that:

• Appears on the Playlists page.
• Can be assigned to schedules directly.
• Can be reused across multiple layouts.

To convert:

1. Click the three-dot menu on the playlist → Convert to Global.

The playlist detaches from the layout and becomes a first-class playlist. The layout continues to reference it; nothing changes on screen.

Editing a Playlist

1. Click the playlist name to open the timeline editor.
2. Add, remove, or reorder items.
3. Changes are saved as you work.

Tip

Changes to a playlist are pushed to all displays using that playlist the next time the display syncs (typically within a few minutes).

Deleting a Playlist

1. Click the three-dot menu → Delete and confirm.

Caution

Playlists that are actively referenced in a schedule cannot be deleted until removed from those schedules.

Scheduling a Playlist

Once your playlist is ready, go to Schedules to assign it to one or more displays.

Permissions

• Viewers can browse playlists.
• Editors can create, edit, and delete playlists.
• Admins have full access to all playlists.