# Create a program

A program describes what runs when during the week. Create it, choose the base program that runs whenever nothing else is planned, and assign it to your displays.

> **Type:** guide
> **For:** anyone who wants displays to follow a weekly plan
> **Prerequisite:** the Owner or Manager role, and the content for normal hours: a published scene, a playlist, or a media file
> **Where in the portal:** **Programs** › **Create program**

## Steps

### Create the program

1. Open **Programs** and click **Create program**. The editor opens right away with a program called **New program**.
2. Click the name at the top and type one that says what the program is for, such as "Waiting room". It is saved when you leave the field.

### Choose the base program

1. In the **Base program** card on the right, click **Change**.
2. Under **What should normally run?**, choose a scene, a playlist, or a media file. Choose **Off air** if the display should stay blank unless something is planned.
3. The portal confirms with **Base program changed**.

![The program editor of a freshly created program with the content picker open: the name as an input field with the badge “Not assigned to any device yet” (1), the Base program card with “Runs whenever nothing else is planned.” and the Change button (2), and the picker “What should normally run?” with the four tabs Scenes, Playlists, Media, and Off air (3)](/programs/bilder/7ad9efff-program-editor-base-program.png)

A new program starts with **Off air** as its base program. Until you change it, its displays stay blank whenever no program entry applies.

### Plan exceptions

Content for certain times, such as a lunch menu at noon, goes into program entries. Drag across the weekly plan to create one, see [Show content at specific times](/programs/create-program-entry).

### Assign the program

A program has no effect until a display runs it. Open the display, click **Change program**, and choose the program on the **Programs** tab. Details in [Assign a program to a display](/displays/assign-program).

> **Tip:** Create one program for each kind of place, not one for each display. Displays that should show the same thing share one program, and a change then reaches all of them at once.

## How the editor is laid out

![The program editor with the weekly plan on the left and the sidebar on the right: the Base program card with the sentence “Runs whenever nothing else is planned.” (1), a program entry as a colored block above the pale area of the base program (2), and the Runs on card with the display the program runs on (3)](/programs/bilder/10c60ad6-program-editor-overview.png)

On the left, the **Weekly plan** shows the week across 24 hours. The pale area behind each day is the base program, and each colored block is a program entry. On the right are **On now**, **Base program**, **Runs on** with the displays that run the program, and the list of program entries.

## Check the result

**On now** names the **Base program** and adds **around the clock** as long as there are no program entries. Once the program is assigned, **Runs on** lists the display and the badge next to the name says **Runs on 1 device**.

## If something goes wrong

| Symptom | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| **Create program** is grayed out | Your role doesn't allow creating programs. | Ask someone with the Owner or Manager role. |
| **The program could not be created.** | Creating failed. | Reload the page and try again. |
| **Saving failed** after renaming | The new name didn't get through. | Click into the name and leave the field again. If it persists, reload the page. |
| The display stays blank | The base program is still **Off air**, or the program isn't assigned. | Choose a base program, then check **Runs on**. |

## Related

- [Show content at specific times](/programs/create-program-entry)
- [Assign a program to a display](/displays/assign-program)
- [How does a display decide what to play?](/programs/about-programs)