Advanced Scheduling

Master the powerful scheduling features of BILDIT Web Visual Experience Engine to deliver time-sensitive content and manage complex campaigns with precision.

Understanding Scheduled Content States

Scheduled content can be in different states depending on its schedule and publication status:

State	Meaning
Live	Currently visible to users (current date is within a schedule's date range)
Scheduled	Future visibility (start date is in the future)
Expired	Past visibility (end date has passed)
Unpublished	Not published or has no schedules
Draft	Saved but not yet published

Understanding these states helps you:

• Preview scheduled content using the date selector to see how it'll appear at different times
• Identify why scheduled content isn't showing (expired, not yet scheduled, or unpublished)
• Plan campaigns by checking scheduled vs. live content
• Clean up expired content to keep your Visual Experience Engine organized

Managing Multiple Schedules

Why Use Multiple Schedules?

• Display the same scheduled content at different times or in different slots
• Useful for recurring events or multiple campaign periods
• A/B testing with time-based variations
• Seasonal campaigns with multiple activation periods

How to Add Multiple Schedules

1. In the Scheduling section, click on "Add Schedule" again
2. Fill in the details for the new schedule
3. Repeat as needed for additional schedules

Creating Complex Scheduling Patterns

Multiple Active Periods Example: For scheduled content that needs to appear multiple times, add separate schedules for each active period:

• Weekend promotions: Schedule for Saturdays and Sundays
• Happy hour specials: Schedule for specific daily time windows
• Holiday campaigns: Schedule for multiple holiday periods

Different Slots for Different Times: Assign the same scheduled content to different slots at different times by creating multiple schedules with different slot numbers:

• Morning slot (6 AM - 12 PM): Slot 1
• Afternoon slot (12 PM - 6 PM): Slot 2
• Evening slot (6 PM - 12 AM): Slot 3

Editing Multiple Schedules

Individual Schedule Management

• Currently, you must edit each schedule individually
• Bulk editing is not supported in the current version
• Ensure that you save changes after editing each schedule

Schedule Modification Process

1. Within the Scheduling section, locate the schedule you want to edit
2. Change the Slot, Online From, or Online To fields as necessary
3. Click Save to apply your changes after each modification

Deleting Schedules

• Click the "Delete" link next to a schedule to remove it
• Confirm the deletion if prompted
• Ensure at least one schedule remains active per scheduled content item

Conflict Prevention and Resolution

Manual Conflict Checking

Identifying Overlapping Times

• Be cautious not to schedule multiple scheduled content items in the same slot with overlapping times
• The system does not automatically detect or prevent scheduling conflicts
• Manual review is required to identify potential conflicts

Common Conflict Scenarios

• Multiple scheduled content items in the same slot at the same time
• Overlapping promotional campaigns
• Seasonal content conflicts during holidays
• Device-specific scheduling overlaps

Resolving Scheduling Conflicts

Adjust Schedule Times

• Modify the Online From and Online To dates to eliminate overlaps
• Create sequential scheduling instead of concurrent
• Use buffer time between campaigns to prevent overlap

Change Slot Assignments

• Reassign one of the conflicting scheduled content items to a different slot
• Create dedicated slots for different campaign types
• Use slot hierarchy to manage priority conflicts

Advanced Usage Tips

Utilizing Schedules for Targeted Campaigns

Time-Sensitive Promotions

• Schedule content to coincide with sales events, holidays, or special announcements
• Coordinate with marketing calendar for maximum impact
• Plan seasonal campaigns well in advance

Geographic and Demographic Targeting

• While scheduling does not directly support geographic targeting, combining schedules with conditional content on your website can help deliver targeted experiences
• Use time zones strategically for global campaigns
• Consider peak usage times for your target audience

Note: This documentation covers scheduling for web scheduled content. Scheduling works differently for mobile apps (iOS/Android), which use screen-based placement and different APIs. The core schedule model (start date, end date, slot) is shared, but placement and ordering mechanisms differ between web and mobile platforms. For the full comparison and API details, see Scheduled Content (Banner) Concept.

Testing and Verification Best Practices

Date Simulation Tool

• Use the date simulation feature extensively to test that scheduled content appears as expected during its scheduled times
• Test edge cases like start/end boundaries
• Verify timezone handling for global campaigns

Device Testing

• Verify that the scheduled content renders correctly on all selected devices
• Test responsive behavior across screen sizes
• Check interactive elements on touch devices

Preview and Quality Assurance

• Preview future scheduled content using the date selector
• Test all click-through links and interactive elements
• Verify content accuracy before campaigns go live

Best Practices for Campaign Management

Documentation and Organization

Keep Records

• Maintain a separate record of your scheduled content, especially if multiple team members are involved
• Document campaign objectives and success metrics
• Track performance data for future campaign planning

Naming Conventions

• Use clear and descriptive names for scheduled content and schedules to simplify management
• Include date ranges in content names for easy identification
• Use consistent formatting across all campaigns

Regular Maintenance

Review Active Schedules

• Periodically check your scheduled content and schedules to ensure that outdated content is removed
• Verify current content is displaying properly across all devices
• Update expired campaigns promptly

Clean Up and Archive

• Delete expired scheduled content and schedules to keep your Visual Experience Engine organized
• Archive successful campaigns for future reference
• Document lessons learned for continuous improvement

Performance Optimization

Schedule Distribution

• Avoid scheduling too many scheduled content items to activate simultaneously
• Stagger campaign launches to monitor performance
• Plan for peak traffic periods during major campaigns

Content Rotation

• Use multiple schedules to rotate content and maintain user interest
• Test different messaging with time-based variations
• Monitor engagement metrics to optimize scheduling

Advanced Template Scheduling

When working with scheduled content templates, advanced scheduling offers additional capabilities:

Template Variable Scheduling

• Seasonal Variations: Schedule different variable configurations for seasonal campaigns
• A/B Testing: Schedule multiple template variations with different variables for testing
• Dynamic Content: Use scheduling to rotate template content based on time or campaign needs

Template Performance Scheduling

• High-Traffic Periods: Schedule optimized template-based scheduled content during peak traffic times
• Mobile-First Scheduling: Use mobile-optimized templates during mobile-heavy usage periods
• Performance Monitoring: Schedule template-based scheduled content with performance tracking enabled

Template Campaign Coordination

• Multi-Template Campaigns: Coordinate multiple template-based scheduled content items across different slots
• Template Rotation: Schedule template rotations to maintain user engagement
• Cross-Platform Consistency: Ensure template-based scheduled content maintains consistency across different scheduling periods

Template Scheduling Automation

• Recurring Template Updates: Automate template variable updates for recurring campaigns
• Template Performance Optimization: Schedule template performance improvements during low-traffic periods
• Template Maintenance: Schedule regular template updates and optimizations

Learn more about Scheduled Content Templates and their advanced scheduling capabilities.

Troubleshooting Scheduling Issues

Common Problems and Solutions

Scheduled Content Not Displaying at Expected Times

• Remember that scheduling uses your local time zone
• Adjust the schedule times if your target audience is in a different time zone
• Check for daylight saving time transitions

Scheduling Conflicts

• Use the preview feature to identify conflicts before they occur
• Create a scheduling calendar to visualize all campaigns
• Implement a review process for complex scheduling scenarios

Performance Issues with Multiple Schedules

• Limit the number of concurrent schedules to maintain performance
• Optimize scheduled content for faster loading
• Monitor server resources during high-traffic campaigns

Next Steps

Now that you've mastered advanced scheduling:

1. Explore Testing & Preview to validate your scheduled campaigns
2. Review Managing Scheduled Content for additional management tips
3. Learn about Troubleshooting for resolving complex issues