Assigning playlists to screens

Introduction

Once you have a published playlist, you assign it to one or more screens. There are two equivalent ways to do this: from the playlist (assign one playlist to many screens) or from the screen (add one or more playlists to a single screen). Both end up with the same result.

Mental model: a playlist on a screen is just a slide

Playlists appear on a screen as a single slide of type Playlist (FI: Soittolista). When that slide plays, the entire playlist runs through, then the screen continues to its next slide. This is why a screen's slide list can mix playlists and individual slides freely. The playlist's slides count toward the size and slide count shown in the screen header.

Method 1: Assign from the playlist (one to many)

Use this when you want one playlist on many screens at once:

• Open the playlist you want to assign.
• Find the Assign to screens (FI: Kohdista näytöille) section.
• Pick the screens that should display this playlist. You can pick multiple at once.
• Use Select all screens (FI: Valitse kaikki näytöt) if you want it on every screen.
• Save and publish.

Method 2: Add from a screen (many to one)

Use this when you're building up a single screen with multiple playlists:

• Open the screen you want to add a playlist to.
• Click Add new slide in the slide list.
• In the Add new content window, open the Media category and pick Playlist.
• Each playlist in the list shows its slide count, size, one-loop play time, and a stack of preview thumbnails. Pick one and click Add.
• The playlist now appears as a single slide on the screen. You can reorder it, schedule it, or remove it like any other slide.
• Click Publish (FI: Julkaise).

A different slide order per screen

A shared playlist can play its slides in a different order on each screen, without duplicating the playlist:

• From the screen: expand the playlist card on the screen and drag its slides. The hint reads "Drag to reorder slides on this screen only. The playlist itself is not changed." Click Apply order.
• From the playlist: open Synchronized playback and click Slide order per screen. You get a Playlist order reference column and one column per screen; drag within a column and click Apply changes.
• The order applies immediately, no publish needed: the screen picks it up on its next check-in. The card shows Custom order on this screen; Reset to playlist order removes it.
• Every screen still plays the same set of slides. Slides added to the playlist later append at the end on every screen.
• On synced screens, slides on the same row of the order editor play at the same moment. See Synchronized playback across screens.

Swapping a playlist on a screen

If you want a different playlist in the same slot:

• Open the screen.
• Click the playlist slide.
• Click Change playlist (FI: Vaihda soittolista).
• Pick a different playlist and confirm.
• Publish.

Removing a playlist from a screen

Pulling a playlist off a screen:

• Open the screen.
• Click the playlist slide.
• Click the Remove or Delete option.
• The slide disappears from the screen. The playlist itself still exists and continues playing on any other screens it's assigned to.
• Publish.

One playlist, many screens

The recommended pattern for chains and multi-location businesses:

• A single playlist can be assigned to as many screens as you need.
• When you edit and publish the playlist, all assigned screens update at once.
• Need the screens to play in step, or to show different slides at the same moment? See Synchronized playback across screens.
• Need a per-location variant? Duplicate the playlist from the Playlists page and edit the copy.

Summary

Playlists and screens have a many-to-many relationship. Build the content once in a playlist, then assign it wherever you need it. Each screen can still play the slides in its own order.