Advanced Scheduling Features

As of Version 3.22, Videri Portal3 offers the following advanced scheduling features:

1. Priority settings: set events to override existing events on a Canvas or Wall schedule
2. Day parting: set the recurrence of an event to play on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis
3. Hour parting: set the event to play only during specific times during it’s schedule lifecycle
4. Alternating content: create an event that shows a different asset each time it is passed on the Canvas schedule

Overriding Events with Lower Priority

Sometimes, events need to be scheduled temporarily without removing the existing Canvas schedule. In these cases, event priority can be used to schedule content.

By default, content is scheduled with a "Normal" priority. When priority is defined as "High" or "Urgent", content will override other scheduled events with lower priorities. To define event priority of a new event:

1. Enter the scheduling screen. For guidance, see Scheduling Content.
2. Click on the “Advanced” tab on the left side of the screen.
3. Click on the ‘Priority’ dropdown to see a list of available options.
4. Select the target option from the list.
5. Configure all other details as needed and select target Canvases.
6. Click the “Save & Publish” button in the top right corner to save the event.

Defining Event Recurrence (AKA “Day Parting)

By default, content will play daily on the Canvas during operational hours within its scheduled start and expiration dates. However, you can also schedule content to play on a weekly or monthly basis. To define day parting for an event:

1. Enter the scheduling screen. For guidance, see Scheduling Content.
2. Click on the “Advanced” tab on the left side of the screen.
3. Click on the ‘Frequency’ dropdown to see a list of available options.
   • Select “Weekly” to play the event each week on the specified days of the week.
   • Select “Monthly” to play the event each month on specified days of the month.
4. Configure all other details as needed and select target Canvases.
5. Click the “Save & Publish” button in the top right corner to save the event.

Defining Hour Parting

By default, content will play on the Canvas during operational hours within its scheduled start and expiration dates. However, you can specify hour parting for content. With hour parting, content will only be included in the Canvas or Wall schedule during the designated time periods. To define hour parting for an event:

1. Enter the scheduling screen. For guidance, see Scheduling Content.
2. Click on the “Advanced” tab on the left side of the screen.
3. Click the checkbox next to the ‘Hour parting’ field to enable hour parting.
4. Enter a start and end time for the hour part.
   • To add additional time periods, click the + button.
5. Configure all other details as needed and select target Canvases.
6. Click the “Save & Publish” button in the top right corner to save the event.

Creating an Alternating Content Event

When a Canvas plays it's schedule, it plays content in the order specified on the Canvas schedule. An alternating content event can be used to alternate what content is shown by the Canvas with each pass.

Consider the following Canvas schedule:

1. Event 1 - Image 1
2. Event 2 - Image 2
3. Event 3 - Image 3

The Canvas will play, in order, image 1, then image 2, then image 3. If, instead, we combine images 1 and 2 into an alternating content event, then the Canvas will play the images in the following order:

1. Image 1
2. Image 3
3. Image 2
4. Image 3
5. Image 1
6. Image 3
   .... and so on, until the schedule expires. 

Alternating content events can be used to add weight to content, so that some content is played more often than other content. Content that should always be played by the Canvas during each pass should not be scheduled as an alternating content event. 

To create an alternating content event with an asset:

1. Click "Assets" in the left sidebar to see your asset library.
2. Click on an asset you'd like to include in the event to open the asset drawer.
3. Click "Schedule" located in the top-right corner of the asset drawer.
4. Click the "Alternating Content" tab, located on the left side of the screen in the details section.
5. Click "Alternate Content".
6. Click "Add Content".
7. Select the assets or playlists to add to an event. You can also add a URL to the event by clicking on the "URL" tab.
8. To modify the duration of any assets added to the event, click into the duration fields for each asset.
   

   NOTE: By default, images, apps, and URLs added to an alternating content event will play for a duration of 15 seconds each time they are passed on the Canvas schedule. Videos added to an alternating content event will play for their full duration. Playlists added to an alternating content event will play all items within the playlist.

9. To reorder items in the event, click and drag the item to a new position. 
10. Click "Save & Publish" located in the top-right corner of the screen.