Understanding Slide Types and Live Data Binding

Every slide in AccuArk has a type that determines where its content comes from. The three available types are Standard, Live Item, and Live Promotion. This article explains each type, how live data binding works, and when to use each option.

Standard Slides

Standard slides use manually entered content. You type the headline, subheading, body text, and call-to-action directly in the Slide Editor. The content is static — it displays exactly what you typed until you edit the slide again.

Use Standard slides for:

• General welcome or branding messages.
• Announcements that do not reference specific product prices.
• Content that should remain consistent regardless of inventory changes.

Standard is the default slide type. If you do not need real-time data, Standard slides are the simplest and most predictable option.

Live Item Slides

Live Item slides bind to a specific inventory item in your AccuArk database. When the slide renders, the player pulls the current price, name, and stock status for the bound item. If the item's price changes in the inventory system, the slide automatically reflects the new price the next time it renders.

To set up a Live Item slide:

1. Set the Slide Type to Live Item on the General tab.
2. In the Binding section that appears, select the inventory item to bind to.
3. The slide's text fields can reference the bound data. For example, the headline can display the item name and the price badge can show the current price.

Live Item slides are ideal for:

• Daily specials where prices change frequently.
• Featured products where you want the display to always show the current price.
• Menu boards where item availability and pricing must stay accurate.

Live Promotion Slides

Live Promotion slides bind to an active promotion in AccuArk's marketing system. The slide displays the promotion's details, including the discount amount or percentage, the promotion name, and validity dates.

To set up a Live Promotion slide:

1. Set the Slide Type to Live Promotion on the General tab.
2. In the Binding section, select the promotion to bind to.
3. The slide's text and price badge can reference the promotion data.

Live Promotion slides are ideal for:

• In-store displays that advertise current promotions.
• Screens near checkout that highlight active deals.

How Live Data Binding Works

When the player renders a live-bound slide, it queries the database for the latest data associated with the binding. The data is fetched fresh each time the slide comes up in the playlist rotation. This means:

• Price changes are reflected within one playlist cycle.
• If an item goes out of stock, the stock status updates automatically.
• If a promotion expires, the slide can show fallback content.

The player does not cache live data between rotations. Every time a live-bound slide appears, it fetches the latest values.

Fallback Values

When setting up a live-bound slide, you can also enter manual text in the Slide Editor fields. These values serve as fallbacks. If the live data cannot be retrieved (for example, if the inventory item has been deleted or the database query fails), the slide displays the fallback text instead of showing an error.

Always fill in sensible fallback values for live-bound slides. A fallback like "Check our latest specials!" is better than a blank slide if the data binding temporarily fails.

Choosing the Right Type

You can mix slide types in the same playlist. For example, a playlist might start with a Standard welcome slide, followed by three Live Item slides showing today's specials, and end with a Standard closing slide.

What to Read Next

• Customizing Slide Backgrounds for background options on any slide type.
• Adding Slide Overlays: Logo, Price Badge, and QR Code for overlay configuration.