Digital Signage CMS Features
A comprehensive breakdown of every feature category in digital signage CMS platforms. Use this guide to understand capabilities and evaluate solutions for your needs.
Feature Categories Overview
CMS FEATURES
│
├── Content Creation & Design
│ ├── Layout editor
│ ├── Templates
│ ├── Widgets
│ └── Media support
│
├── Media Management
│ ├── Library organization
│ ├── Asset management
│ └── Format handling
│
├── Scheduling & Playlists
│ ├── Time-based scheduling
│ ├── Playlist management
│ └── Rules & triggers
│
├── Device Management
│ ├── Monitoring
│ ├── Remote control
│ └── Player configuration
│
├── User & Access Management
│ ├── Roles & permissions
│ ├── Multi-tenant
│ └── Authentication
│
├── Analytics & Reporting
│ ├── Playback logs
│ ├── Proof of play
│ └── Audience analytics
│
├── Integration & API
│ ├── Data feeds
│ ├── Third-party apps
│ └── API access
│
└── Enterprise & Security
├── SSO/SAML
├── Compliance
└── SLA
Content Creation & Design
Layout Editor
The visual interface for designing screen content.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Drag-and-drop | Move elements visually | Essential |
| Multi-zone | Divide screen into regions | Essential |
| WYSIWYG | See exactly what will display | Essential |
| Grid/snap | Alignment assistance | Important |
| Layer management | Control element stacking | Important |
| Undo/redo | Mistake recovery | Important |
| Preview | Test before publishing | Essential |
| Responsive | Adapt to different resolutions | Advanced |
Templates
Pre-designed layouts for quick content creation.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Template library | Pre-built designs | Essential |
| Category organization | Find templates by type | Important |
| Customization | Modify templates | Essential |
| Brand templates | Organization-specific designs | Important |
| Template creation | Build custom templates | Advanced |
| Template sharing | Share across teams | Advanced |
| Industry templates | Vertical-specific designs | Nice-to-have |
Content types the CMS can handle.
| Format Type | Common Formats | Notes |
|---|
| Images | JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, SVG | Essential support |
| Video | MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM | H.264 most compatible |
| Web | HTML5, URLs, iframes | For dynamic content |
| Documents | PDF, PPT (converted) | Office integration |
| Streaming | RTSP, HLS, YouTube | Live content |
| Data | JSON, XML, RSS, API | Dynamic data |
Pre-built content components.
| Widget Type | Examples | Use Cases |
|---|
| Time/Date | Clocks, calendars | Universal |
| Weather | Forecasts, conditions | Retail, hospitality |
| Social | Twitter, Instagram feeds | Engagement |
| News | RSS, news feeds | Corporate, public |
| Data | Charts, KPIs, dashboards | Corporate |
| Wayfinding | Maps, directories | Navigation |
| Queue | Now serving, wait times | Service environments |
| Menu | Food menus, pricing | Restaurants |
Text & Typography
Text handling capabilities.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Font library | Available typefaces | Essential |
| Custom fonts | Upload own fonts | Important |
| Text styles | Bold, italic, underline | Essential |
| Text effects | Shadow, outline, glow | Nice-to-have |
| Scrolling text | Tickers, crawls | Important |
| Text fitting | Auto-size to container | Important |
| Multi-language | Unicode, RTL support | Varies |
Library Organization
How media assets are stored and organized.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Folder structure | Hierarchical organization | Essential |
| Search | Find content quickly | Essential |
| Tags/labels | Metadata categorization | Important |
| Filters | Sort by type, date, etc. | Important |
| Thumbnails | Visual preview | Essential |
| Bulk operations | Multi-select actions | Important |
| Storage quotas | Limit by user/team | Advanced |
Asset Management
Advanced media handling.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Version history | Track changes | Advanced |
| Expiration dates | Auto-archive old content | Important |
| Usage tracking | See where assets are used | Advanced |
| Duplicate detection | Find redundant files | Nice-to-have |
| Asset approval | Workflow for new content | Advanced |
| Rights management | Track licensing | Enterprise |
How the CMS processes media files.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Auto-transcoding | Convert to compatible format | Important |
| Resolution optimization | Resize for displays | Important |
| Thumbnail generation | Auto-create previews | Essential |
| Format validation | Check file compatibility | Essential |
| Video processing | Compress, optimize | Important |
Scheduling & Playlists
Playlist Management
Organizing content into sequences.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Playlist creation | Build content sequences | Essential |
| Drag-and-drop ordering | Arrange content visually | Essential |
| Duration control | Set time per item | Essential |
| Transitions | Effects between items | Important |
| Shuffle/random | Randomize playback order | Nice-to-have |
| Nested playlists | Playlists within playlists | Advanced |
| Playlist templates | Reusable structures | Advanced |
Time-Based Scheduling
Control when content plays.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Date range | Start and end dates | Essential |
| Time of day | Dayparting | Essential |
| Day of week | Weekday/weekend content | Essential |
| Recurring | Daily, weekly, monthly | Important |
| One-time events | Special occasions | Essential |
| Calendar view | Visual schedule | Important |
| Timezone support | Multi-region | Important |
Advanced Scheduling
Sophisticated scheduling capabilities.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Priority levels | Override lower-priority content | Important |
| Conditional rules | If-then scheduling logic | Advanced |
| Event triggers | External events change content | Advanced |
| Weather triggers | Content based on conditions | Advanced |
| Data triggers | Content based on data values | Advanced |
| Audience triggers | Demographics-based | Advanced |
| Emergency override | Instant content takeover | Essential |
Dayparting Examples
| Business | Morning | Midday | Evening |
|---|
| Restaurant | Breakfast menu | Lunch specials | Dinner menu |
| Retail | Opening deals | General promos | Clearance |
| Corporate | News/welcome | Meeting schedules | After-hours info |
| Fitness | Morning classes | General info | Evening classes |
Device Management
Monitoring Dashboard
Visibility into player status.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Online/offline status | Real-time connectivity | Essential |
| Last sync time | When content updated | Essential |
| Player health | CPU, memory, temp | Important |
| Alert notifications | Issues notification | Essential |
| Map view | Geographic visualization | Advanced |
| Custom dashboards | Personalized views | Advanced |
Remote Control
Actions you can take remotely.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Remote reboot | Restart player | Essential |
| Force sync | Immediate content update | Essential |
| Screenshot capture | See current display | Important |
| Volume control | Adjust audio remotely | Important |
| Display on/off | Power management | Important |
| Clear cache | Reset local storage | Important |
| Remote access | Full player control | Advanced |
Player Configuration
Settings managed through the CMS.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Display settings | Resolution, orientation | Essential |
| Network settings | WiFi, proxy configuration | Important |
| Schedule sync | When to check for updates | Important |
| Bandwidth limits | Control data usage | Advanced |
| Firmware updates | Remote player updates | Important |
| Logging level | Diagnostic settings | Advanced |
Player Organization
Grouping and managing multiple players.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Player groups | Organize by location/type | Essential |
| Hierarchical groups | Nested organization | Important |
| Tags/labels | Flexible categorization | Important |
| Bulk actions | Multi-player operations | Important |
| Player templates | Default configurations | Advanced |
User & Access Management
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
| Role Level | Typical Permissions |
|---|
| Viewer | View content, view reports |
| Editor | Create/edit content, cannot publish |
| Publisher | Full content control, limited admin |
| Manager | Full content + user management |
| Admin | All permissions including system settings |
Permission Granularity
| Permission Area | Examples |
|---|
| Content | Create, edit, delete, publish |
| Media | Upload, delete, organize |
| Players | View, edit, control |
| Users | View, create, edit, delete |
| Reports | View, export |
| Settings | View, modify |
Multi-Tenant/Multi-Location
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Location isolation | Users see only their locations | Important |
| Content sharing | Share across locations | Advanced |
| Centralized control | Corporate oversight | Enterprise |
| Local autonomy | Regional customization | Enterprise |
| Brand guidelines | Enforce standards | Enterprise |
Authentication Options
| Method | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Username/password | Standard login | Essential |
| Two-factor auth (2FA) | Additional security | Important |
| Single Sign-On (SSO) | Use existing identity | Enterprise |
| SAML | Enterprise identity federation | Enterprise |
| Active Directory | Microsoft AD integration | Enterprise |
| OAuth | Third-party auth | Advanced |
Analytics & Reporting
Playback Analytics
| Metric | Description | Use |
|---|
| Play count | Times content played | Content performance |
| Play duration | Total time displayed | Exposure tracking |
| Play completion | Completed vs. interrupted | Content quality |
| Schedule compliance | Played as scheduled | Verification |
Proof of Play
Critical for advertising and compliance.
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Timestamped logs | Exact play times | Essential |
| Display identification | Which screen played | Essential |
| Duration tracking | How long played | Essential |
| Photo verification | Screenshot evidence | Advanced |
| Third-party audit | Independent verification | Enterprise |
| Export formats | CSV, PDF, API | Essential |
Audience Analytics
Understanding who's watching.
| Metric | Technology | Privacy Level |
|---|
| Impressions | Sensors/cameras | Anonymous |
| Dwell time | Computer vision | Anonymous |
| Demographics | AI analysis | Anonymous |
| Attention | Eye tracking | Anonymous |
| Engagement | Interactive tracking | Anonymous |
Reports
| Report Type | Contents | Audience |
|---|
| Playback summary | What played, when | Operations |
| Player status | Uptime, issues | IT |
| Content performance | Engagement metrics | Marketing |
| Proof of play | Verification | Advertising |
| User activity | Actions taken | Admin |
| Custom reports | User-defined | Varies |
Integration & API
Data Feed Integration
| Feed Type | Examples | Use Cases |
|---|
| RSS/Atom | News, blogs | News displays |
| XML | Custom data | Enterprise data |
| JSON | APIs, web services | Dynamic content |
| CSV | Spreadsheets | Simple data |
| Databases | SQL connections | Real-time data |
| Social APIs | Twitter, Instagram | Social walls |
Third-Party Integrations
| Category | Examples |
|---|
| Design tools | Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud |
| Office | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace |
| Social media | Twitter, Facebook, Instagram |
| Weather | Weather.com, OpenWeather |
| Business intelligence | Power BI, Tableau |
| Queue management | Qmatic, Qless |
| Emergency alerts | CAP, IPAWS |
| Calendar | Google Calendar, Outlook |
API Capabilities
| API Type | Use Cases |
|---|
| REST API | Standard integrations |
| Content API | Programmatic content upload |
| Player API | Device management |
| Analytics API | Data extraction |
| Webhook | Event notifications |
| GraphQL | Flexible queries |
Enterprise & Security
Security Features
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|
| Encryption at rest | Data storage security | Essential |
| Encryption in transit | TLS/SSL | Essential |
| Access logging | Audit trail | Important |
| IP restrictions | Network-based access control | Advanced |
| Session management | Timeout, single session | Important |
| Password policies | Complexity requirements | Important |
| Penetration testing | Security validation | Enterprise |
Compliance
| Standard | Industry |
|---|
| SOC 2 | General business |
| HIPAA | Healthcare |
| PCI DSS | Payment processing |
| GDPR | European data |
| CCPA | California privacy |
| FedRAMP | US government |
Enterprise Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|
| Single Sign-On (SSO) | Enterprise identity |
| SLA guarantees | Uptime commitments |
| Dedicated support | Named contacts |
| Custom contracts | Negotiated terms |
| On-premise option | Self-hosted |
| White-labeling | Brand customization |
| Custom development | Tailored features |
Feature Checklist
Use this checklist when evaluating CMS platforms:
Essential (Must Have)
Important (Should Have)
Advanced (Nice to Have)
This guide is maintained by MediaSignage, pioneers in digital signage technology since 2008.