6. Templates

Templates turn a fixed design into reusable, fill-in-the-blanks content. A template is built from standard web code (HTML/CSS/JS) with a set of configurable parameters — instead of designing a fresh image every time a price or a name changes, you fill in a few values and the template renders the finished result for you. They're ideal for content that changes often or follows a fixed layout: price lists, menus, room signs, weather boards, "now serving" displays, and daily notices.

This section explains what templates are, the parameters they use, and how to create, fill, preview, and publish them. If you are new to impressBox, read Content overview first, because a finished template becomes an ordinary content item.

When to use a template

Reach for a template whenever the layout stays the same but the details change often — a daily menu board, a per-store price list, a split-screen promo, or any recurring notice you want to keep on-brand without rebuilding it each time. If you only need to show a single image or video once, you don't need a template — just upload it as normal (see Uploading files).

How a template works

A template has two parts that work together:

  • the source code (HTML/CSS/JS) that defines the layout, and

  • a context schema — the definition of the parameters it accepts (for example title, price, or imageUrl).

To use a template you provide context values for those parameters. impressBox merges your values into the design and renders the result into a content item. Change the values tomorrow and you get a new, up-to-date result instantly — one design, endless results. This is what we mean by dynamic content.

A template renders either as a still image (the default, ideal for menus, notices, and price lists), as a video (for animated layouts), or as a live template that keeps rendering on the device. You don't pick the engine by hand — each template is built to render the right way — but choose a video template only when the layout actually animates, because video rendering is heavier than a still image.

Each template also has a fixed canvas and orientation (for example 1920 × 1080 landscape). Use a template whose orientation matches your screen — a landscape template on a portrait screen will not fit correctly.

Why use templates

  • Consistency — every item looks on-brand because the layout is fixed.

  • Speed — update a price or a date by changing one value, not by redesigning.

  • Scale — the same template produces many items: per store, per product, per day.

Because templates are built from standard web code, advanced templates can also pull in other content — for example a playlist passed as a parameter — or live data, for a custom, data-driven build.

How templates fit with the rest of impressBox

A filled-in template becomes a normal Content item, so from there it works exactly like an uploaded image or video:

  1. Fill in the template's parameters and save it as content.

  2. Add that content to a Playlist (see Creating a playlist and adding tracks).

  3. Publish the playlist to your devices (see Publishing a playlist to devices).

Templates don't replace playlists, scheduling, or publishing — they are simply a faster way to produce the content that flows into them. You can also restrict when a template's content is allowed to play using date limits (see Limiting when content shows).

Built-in example: Two columns

The Two-column (split-screen) content type is itself a parameterized template — its parameters are the left/right media, the slide delays, and the width split between the two sides. It's a good first template to look at because you use it the same way as any other: fill in the values, preview, publish. See Two-column (split-screen) content and Template examples (real).

Where to go next

  • Creating content from a template — fill in the values, preview, and publish your first template.

  • Template parameter types — every kind of field a template can ask for, and when each is used.

  • Templates troubleshooting — common mistakes and how to fix them.

  • Advanced: building templates — for users who want to build or change template designs.