Fill in a template (menus, price boards…)
This is the everyday way to use templates: you pick a template, fill in its parameters, check the preview, and save it as content you can publish. You do not need to know any code for this — you are only filling in a form.
Before you start, make sure any images or videos the template needs are already in your library (see Adding content to your library), because media fields can only point to files that already exist.
Step 1 — Choose a template
Templates live in the Create new content dialog. To open it: pick (or open) a content category on the left, then click CREATE NEW CONTENT at the top of the content list — the dialog opens with a Templates section near the bottom. (A category must be selected first; that's where the finished item is saved.)
In the Templates section, choose the template you want. impressBox shows the templates available to your account, each with the set of parameters it expects — pick the one whose layout matches what you need (for example, Daily lunch for a menu board, or 2 Columns for a split screen).
The template picker: choose a template such as Daily lunch or Two columns
Step 2 — Assign the parameters
Fill in the form — you'll only see the fields this template defines, so the exact set differs from one template to the next. Each field corresponds to one parameter:
Type into text and number fields (titles, names, prices, delays).
For a list / table field, add one item per entry — for example a media item in each column of the 2 Columns layout, or a dish and its price on a menu. Use the add and remove controls to manage the items, and reorder them if the template supports it.
For a media field, choose an image or video from your library (or upload one first).
For a colour field, pick a colour with the swatch or type a hex code such as
#FF0000.For a choice field, pick an option (a dropdown or a row of buttons); for an on/off field, flip the switch; for a date field, pick a date.
Give the content a clear title so you can find it later, and optionally set how long it should show (its duration).
The full New: 2 Columns window — the parameter form and the \*\*Create / Cancel\*\* buttons at the bottom
Tip: You can prepare the values in a spreadsheet or text file and fill them in from there — handy for long menus or price lists.
Step 3 — Preview the result
Always preview before you publish. Templates that support it show a live preview on the left, with the parameter form on the right. The preview redraws automatically as you change fields, and you can press REFRESH PREVIEW to redraw it by hand; for templates with editable text you can even edit the text straight on the preview.
The template editor: a live preview on the left and the parameter form on the right. The preview is dark here only because no content has been added to the 2-column layout yet.
Check the wording, prices, images and layout exactly as they will appear on screen. If something is wrong, fix the field on the right and look again. (The preview stays dark until the template has some content in it.)
Step 4 — Create the content
When the preview looks right, click Create at the bottom of the form. The template result is now a normal content item in your library — you can rename it, duplicate it, organise it into categories, or limit when it plays, just like any other content (see Content overview).
Click \\\\\\\*\\\\\\\*Create\\\\\\\*\\\\\\\* at the bottom of the form to save the result as a content item.
Step 5 — Add it to a playlist and publish
A template on its own doesn't reach a screen until it is in a published playlist:
Add the saved content to a playlist (see Creating a playlist and adding tracks).
Publish the playlist to your devices (see Put a playlist on your screens (publishing)).
The Add to playlist window — add your saved template content to a playlist.
To make a template appear automatically during a campaign or season, combine it with date limits or scheduling (see Show content only between certain dates and Scheduling overview).
Updating a template's content later
When the menu changes tomorrow, you don't start over — open the saved content and edit its parameters. Change the prices or swap a dish, preview, and save. If the content is already in a published playlist, re-publish so devices pick up the new version.
When editing a list / table field, edit the whole table (all rows stay unless you remove them) — change the one row you need and leave the rest.
Managing lots of template items: combine categories and date restrictions to keep many template-based items organised and to control when each one is allowed to play (see Organising content with categories and Show content only between certain dates).
Where to go next
Template parameter types — a reference for every field type.
Templates troubleshooting and common mistakes — fixes for the most common problems.
Advanced: building templates — change the design itself.