How to Set Up Collections & Layouts (New Edition)

A step-by-step guide to creating dynamic, multi-zone displays with flexible scheduling.

All new customers will automatically be given Collections & Layouts (New Edition) from May 2026 onwards. Existing accounts: we’re rolling out a combined collections view. Your classic collections keep working. More details to come soon. This is available to Manager and Administrator roles.

What You'll Create

Collections & Layouts (New Edition) lets you build visual, multi-zone displays with powerful scheduling controls. You can combine static content with dynamic playlists, control exactly when different layouts appear on your screens, and use portrait or landscape orientations. This latest version adds portrait layout support, lead zone designation for precise content control, and play rules on collection entries for advanced scheduling, and new Unified View layouts specifically designed for E500 devices.

Who Uses Collections & Layouts?

Ideal for:

• Content Curators - Managing complex, multi-zone displays

• Corporate Communications Managers - Distributing branded content across locations

• IT Administrators - Overseeing enterprise digital signage deployments

Common Industries:

• Corporate communications and internal displays

• Retail environments and store displays

• Healthcare facilities and patient information

• Manufacturing plants and safety communications

Before You Begin

What you'll need:

• Access to Collections & Layouts (enabled in your account) - This is available to Manager and Administrator roles.

• Content items or playlists ready to use

• Understanding of where and when you want content to display

• Knowledge of your display orientation (landscape or portrait)

Helpful to know:

• How playlists work (if you plan to use them)

• Basic play rules concepts (optional, for scheduling)

• Your display labels (if targeting specific screens)

Step 1: Create a New Collection

1. Navigate to Collections in the main menu

2. Click + Collection button

3. Give your collection a descriptive name

   1. Example: "Lobby Display - Q1 2026" or "Cafeteria Menu Rotation"

4. Click Add Entry

Step 2: Add Your First Collection Entry (Layout)

1. Click the dropdown in Select Orientation:

   1. Landscape - For horizontal displays (standard)

   2. Portrait - For vertical displays

   3. Unified View - Landscape - For horizontal video wall layouts spanning multiple connected displays (requires E500)

   4. Unified View - Portrait - For vertical video wall layouts spanning multiple connected displays (requires E500)
      Note: Unified View layouts are designed for video wall configurations using E500 devices. These layouts span across multiple connected displays in grid arrangements such as 2x1, 2x2, 3x1, and 4x1.

2. Click your chosen layout to add it to your collection

3. Click Create Entry

Step 3: Add Content to Your Layout Zones

Add an individual content item or a playlist to each zone.

• Single-zone layouts also accept programs, including multi-zone programs.

• Multi-zone layouts can't play programs, including programs inside a playlist. If you add one, Beam shows a warning with a link to the playlist so you can fix it.

Tip: For new content, use playlists instead of programs. Anything a single-zone program does a playlist can do.

Option A: Add Individual Content Items

1. Click the + icon in a zone

2. Select the dropdown under Media and select Content

3. Select the content item you want to display in the selected zone
   

   

Option B: Add a Playlist

1. Click the + icon or placeholder in a zone

2. Select the dropdown under Media and select Playlist

3. Select the playlist you want to display in the selected zone

To remove a content or playlist simply click the X within the entry. To remove the entire entry, select the entry number and click Remove Entry/Entries.

Tip:

Using playlists in zones is powerful - you can have static content in 3 zones and a rotating playlist in the 4th zone, all within one layout.

Step 4: Set Lead Zone (Optional)

When you need this:

If your layout zones have different content lengths OR when you have multiple collection entries and need to control when the collection advances to the next entry.

How Lead Zones Work:

Within a single entry: The lead zone's content duration determines when that layout completes, regardless of other zones' durations.

With multiple entries: The collection only advances to the next entry after the lead zone completes a full content rotation. This ensures your primary content finishes completely before moving on.

To Set a Lead Zone:

1. Click the Settings icon on the zone you want to control timing

2. Toggle Lead Zone to Enabled

3. Click Update

4. The Crown icon indicates that this is the Lead Zone

5. Click Publish

Note:

Only ONE zone per layout entry can be designated as the lead zone. Once a zone is selected as lead zone, this option is disabled for other zones

⚠️ Important:

Setting a lead zone is optional. Without one, the longest content in any zone determines the duration.

Example: If you have three static zones (5 seconds each) and one playlist zone (rotating 20 videos at 30 seconds each), setting the playlist zone as the lead zone ensures the entire playlist completes before moving to the next collection entry.

Without a lead zone: The longest content in any zone determines the duration, and shorter content may loop awkwardly.

Step 5: Add More Collection Entries (Layouts) - Optional

Want different layouts to rotate? Add multiple collection entries to your collection:

1. Click Add Entry again

2. Choose orientation (landscape, portrait, or unified view for E500)

3. Choose a different layout configuration (or the same one with different content)

4. Add content to the zones

5. Set a lead zone if needed

6. Repeat as needed

Your collection will cycle through all entries in sequence. If any entry has a lead zone designated, the collection will wait for that lead zone to complete before advancing.

Step 6: Apply Play Rules (Optional)

Control when entries play and on which Displays.

To Set Play Rules on a Collection Entry (Layout):

1. Click the Update Play Rules on the layout entry

2. Add a start date and/or end date. Check Play without an end date to keep this playing indefinitely.

3. Click + Play Rules to further configure:

   1. Add a Start Time / End Time

      1. Select what time window your entry will be available to play.

      2. Important notes:

         1. Play Rules will respect the time zone set on the Displays page.

         2. Overnight time windows are not currently supported. Read more and learn about a workaround here.

   2. Add Custom Recurrence

      1. Days of week - Select specific days

      2. Months - Select specific months

      3. Day of the month - Select specifics dates

   3. Play on Specific Displays

      1. Use Labels to determine which Displays will play the entry

4. Click Save

See Play Rules Best Practices for more information on Evaluation Order.

Step 7: Preview Your Collection

1. Review the visual preview of your collection entries

2. Check that content is in the correct zones

3. Verify your lead zones are set correctly (if applicable)

4. Verify your play rules are set correctly

5. Click Publish to make this collection available to your displays

Note:

There's no built-in preview player, but you can see thumbnails and layout structure. For testing actual playback, consider setting up a dedicated test device.

Step 8: Assign to Displays

1. Navigate to Displays in the main menu

2. Select the display where you want this collection to play

3. Click Change

4. Click on the Media dropdown menu and select Collection

5. Select the collection you want to play

6. Your collection will now play on the assigned displays according to any play rules you've set.