Getting Started
OTS Signs is a digital signage management platform. You use it to control what plays on your displays, when it plays, and who can manage it. This guide covers logging in and finding your way around.
Logging In
Section titled “Logging In”- Open your OTS Signs URL in a browser (provided by your administrator).
- Click Sign In on the login page.
- You will be redirected to the identity provider. Enter your email address and password.
- Once authenticated, you are returned to the OTS Signs dashboard.
The Dashboard
Section titled “The Dashboard”After logging in you land on the Dashboard, a customisable overview of your signage system. It is made up of widgets, each summarising a different part of your data.
Available widgets
Section titled “Available widgets”| Widget | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Display Status | Total displays; online/offline counts; a list of your displays with their last-seen time |
| Schedule Status | Active, inactive, and upcoming schedules; expiring-soon callout |
| Proof of Play | Top content by play count over your chosen time range — see Proof of Play |
| Display Uptime | Per-display uptime percentage over your chosen time range — see Reports |
| Media Library | Storage usage, file count breakdown by type, recently added files — see Media |
| Recent Activity | A live feed of the latest actions taken in the system (from the audit log) |
| Quick Actions | Shortcut buttons to common tasks: New Schedule, Upload Media, Displays, and more |
| Layouts | Total layout count, status breakdown (Published / Draft), recently modified layouts |
Customising the dashboard
Section titled “Customising the dashboard”Click Customize in the page header to enter edit mode. While in edit mode you can:
- Drag widgets to rearrange them (use the drag handle at the top of each widget)
- Resize widgets by dragging the bottom-right corner
- Add widgets by clicking Add Widget to open the widget catalogue
- Remove widgets by clicking the ✕ button on a widget
- Configure a widget by clicking the gear icon to adjust its settings (e.g. time range, maximum items shown)
- Reset the layout to the default arrangement by clicking Reset
Click Done when you are finished. Your layout is saved automatically and restored the next time you log in.
The Interface
Section titled “The Interface”| Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Left sidebar | Primary navigation — all sections of the app are accessible here. |
| Top bar | Global search, notifications, and your account menu. |
| Main content area | The page content for the currently selected section. |
Navigating the App
Section titled “Navigating the App”The left sidebar organises pages into groups. Use it to move between sections:
Content
- Library — your uploaded media files (images, videos, etc.)
- Layouts — screen designs that combine media and other content
- Playlists — ordered sequences of layouts
- Datasets — structured data tables for dynamic content
- Tags — manage tags used to organise content
- Menu Boards — digital menu board content
Displays
- Displays — your physical screens
- Display Groups — groups of displays for bulk management
- Sync Groups — groups of displays that play in lock-step
Scheduling
- Schedules — assign content to displays for specific time windows
- Overrides — temporarily replace content on displays
- Time Windows — reusable time-of-day windows for schedules
- Campaigns — group related content under a named initiative
- Actions — interactive triggers attached to layouts
Administration (visible based on your role)
- Notifications — send messages to display groups
- Access Management — users, groups, roles, and permissions
- Reports — proof-of-play and usage reports
- Audit Trail — a full history of changes made in the system
- Fonts — upload custom fonts for use in layouts
- Display Profiles — player configuration templates
- Player Software — manage player software packages
- Folders — organise content and control folder-level access
- Resolutions — manage screen resolution presets
- Commands — shell and serial commands for display players
Settings is always visible at the bottom of the sidebar.
Your Permission Level
Section titled “Your Permission Level”What you can see and do in OTS Signs depends on your assigned role:
| Role | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Viewer | Read-only. Can view displays, content, and schedules but cannot make changes. |
| Editor | Can create and edit content, build schedules, and manage playlists and campaigns. |
| Manager | Everything an Editor can do, plus managing users and groups within their scope. |
| Admin | Full access to all content and scheduling, plus user management, permissions, and system settings. |
| OTS Admin | Full platform access including system-level configuration reserved for OTS staff. |
If you cannot see a section you expect to have access to, check My Access to review your effective permissions, or contact your administrator. Administrators can also hide sidebar sections for non-admin users from Settings → Admin → Navigation Overrides.
Searching
Section titled “Searching”Click the search icon in the top bar (or press /) to search across displays, layouts, media, and other content by name.
Notifications
Section titled “Notifications”The bell icon in the top bar shows unread notifications. Notifications are sent to display groups and can also appear as alerts in the platform.
Signing Out
Section titled “Signing Out”Click your profile avatar in the top bar, then select Sign out.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- Upload media assets to your Library
- Create a layout to design what appears on screen
- Schedule content to your displays
- Invite your team and assign appropriate roles