Multi Store Management
Manage multiple retail locations, franchises, or branches from a single BrandCast account.
Overview
Multi-store management allows you to:
- Manage unlimited store locations from one account
- Share content across all locations
- Create location-specific content
- Control user access per store
- Set timezone and location settings for each store
- Centralize brand consistency while allowing local customization
Creating Stores
Adding a New Store
- Navigate to Stores in the main menu
- Click Add Store
- Enter store information:
- Name: Store name or identifier
- Code: Unique code for this location
- Address: Full physical address
- City, State, ZIP: Location details
- Timezone: Local timezone for this store
- Phone: Store contact number
- Email: Store contact email
- Click Create Store
Your new store is now available in the store selector.
Store Codes
Each store requires a unique code (e.g., "NYC01", "DOWNTOWN", "MAIN"):
Recommendations:
- Keep it short (4-10 characters)
- Use consistent format across all stores
- Include location identifier
- Use uppercase for consistency
Examples:
- Geographic:
NYC-01,LA-WEST,CHI-LOOP - Numeric:
STORE-001,LOC-042 - Regional:
EAST-01,CENTRAL-05 - Franchise:
SMITH-MAIN,JONES-01
Store Settings
Configure each store individually:
Location Information:
- Physical address (for directions, local weather)
- Phone and email (for customer contact)
- Timezone (affects schedules and time-based content)
Operational Settings:
- Business hours
- Store hours display
- Special closures
- Holiday schedules
Technical Settings:
- Google Cloud Storage bucket (optional, for isolation)
- Metadata (custom fields for your needs)
Managing Multiple Stores
Viewing All Stores
- Go to Stores
- See list of all stores with:
- Store name and code
- Location (city, state)
- Active/inactive status
- Number of displays
- User count
- Created date
Switching Between Stores
Store Selector:
- Located in top navigation
- Click to see all stores
- Select store to view/manage
- Recently viewed stores appear first
Keyboard Shortcut:
- Press
Ctrl+K(Windows/Linux) orCmd+K(Mac) - Type store name or code
- Press Enter to switch
Filtering and Searching
Filter stores by:
- Status (Active/Inactive)
- Region or state
- Number of displays
- Creation date
Search:
- Search by store name
- Search by store code
- Search by city or address
Store-Specific vs. Shared Content
Shared Content
Content available to all stores in your account:
What can be shared:
- Brand assets (logos, colors, fonts)
- Corporate messaging
- Universal promotions
- Template layouts
- Standard media library items
Benefits:
- Centralized brand control
- Consistent messaging across locations
- Efficient content management
- Single update affects all stores
Creating Shared Content:
- When uploading media or creating layouts
- Set Source Type to "Shared"
- Content appears in all stores
- Managed centrally
Store-Specific Content
Content only available to specific store(s):
What can be store-specific:
- Local promotions
- Location-specific media
- Store manager photos
- Regional campaigns
- Local event announcements
Benefits:
- Local customization
- Relevant messaging per location
- Regional marketing flexibility
- Store autonomy
Creating Store-Specific Content:
- Switch to the target store
- Upload media or create layout
- Set Source Type to "Store Specific"
- Content only visible in that store
Content Strategy
Recommended Mix:
Corporate-Controlled (Shared):
- 60-70% of content
- Brand assets and standards
- National promotions
- Core messaging
Store-Controlled (Store-Specific):
- 30-40% of content
- Local events
- Store-specific promotions
- Community involvement
- Staff recognition
User Access Across Stores
Assigning Users to Stores
Users can have different access levels for different stores:
Scenarios:
Regional Manager:
- Admin access to stores in their region
- Viewer access to other regions
- Account-level access for reporting
Store Manager:
- Admin access to their store only
- No access to other stores
- Focused on their location
Corporate Marketing:
- Manager access to all stores
- Create shared content
- Cannot modify store settings
Configuration:
- Go to Settings → Users
- Click on user
- Under Store Access, add stores:
- Select store
- Choose role for that store
- Click Add
- Repeat for each store
See User Management for detailed role information.
Primary Store
Each user has one primary store (default view on login):
Setting Primary Store:
- Go to user profile
- Find Store Access section
- Click Set as Primary next to desired store
Users automatically see their primary store when logging in.
Layouts and Templates
Sharing Layouts Across Stores
Method 1: Duplicate Layout
- Create layout in one store
- Click Duplicate to Stores
- Select target stores
- Layouts copied with all settings
Method 2: Save as Template
- Create layout in any store
- Click Save as Template
- Mark as "Shared"
- Other stores can use template
- Each store customizes as needed
Method 3: Account-Level Templates
- Create layouts with shared content only
- Make available account-wide
- Stores apply and customize
- Central updates don't override local changes
Store-Specific Layouts
Some layouts should remain unique to each store:
Examples:
- Store hours display (different per location)
- Local employee schedules
- Store-specific promotions
- Regional weather
- Local events calendar
Best Practice:
- Start with shared template
- Customize for store
- Mark as store-specific
- Prevents accidental overwrite from central updates
Displays Across Stores
Display Management
Each store manages its own displays:
Centralized View:
- Go to Displays → All Stores
- See all displays across all locations
- Filter by store
- See online/offline status
- Monitor display health
Per-Store View:
- Switch to specific store
- Go to Displays
- See only that store's displays
- Manage registrations
- Assign layouts
Display Naming Convention
Use consistent naming across stores:
Recommended Format:
[STORE-CODE]-[LOCATION]-[PURPOSE]
Examples:
NYC01-FRONT-CUSTOMER- Front counter customer displayNYC01-BREAK-EMPLOYEE- Break room employee displayLA-WEST-CHECKOUT-01- Checkout display #1CHI-LOOP-LOBBY-MAIN- Main lobby display
Benefits:
- Easy identification in central dashboard
- Clear purpose
- Scalable naming system
- Searchable by store code
Integrations Per Store
Store-Level Integrations
Some integrations are specific to each store:
Location-Specific:
- Weather (different location per store)
- ZoomShift schedules (per-location staffing)
- Local calendars (store events)
- Regional RSS feeds
Setup:
- Switch to store
- Go to Content Sources → Add Integration
- Configure for that store
- Integration only affects that store
Shared Integrations
Some integrations can be shared:
Account-Level:
- Stock market data (same for all)
- Corporate calendar (company events)
- Brand news RSS feeds
- Inspirational quotes
Setup:
- Create integration in any store
- Set as "Shared"
- Available to all stores
- Centrally managed
Schedules and Playlists
Store-Specific Schedules
Each store can have unique operating schedules:
Why:
- Different business hours per location
- Regional holidays
- Store-specific events
- Time zone differences
Setup:
- Switch to store
- Create schedule
- Set time rules (adjusted for store timezone)
- Assign to store displays
Example:
- NYC Store: 9 AM - 9 PM ET (promotional content during hours)
- LA Store: 9 AM - 9 PM PT (same content, different timezone)
- TX Store: 10 AM - 8 PM CT (different hours, different schedule)
Shared Playlists
Create once, deploy everywhere:
- Create playlist with shared layouts
- Make available to all stores
- Each store can:
- Use as-is
- Customize with local content
- Adjust timing/duration
- Add store-specific layouts
Multi-Store Workflows
Corporate to Store Communication
Scenario: Push new promotional campaign to all stores
Workflow:
- Corporate creates new promotional layout
- Save as shared template
- Add to shared playlist
- Notify store managers
- Stores deploy to their displays
- Track adoption across stores
Store to Corporate Reporting
Scenario: Store manager requests new content
Workflow:
- Store manager identifies need
- Submits request via internal process
- Corporate creates shared content
- Makes available to requesting store(s)
- Store manager deploys
Regional Campaigns
Scenario: Run promotion in specific region only
Workflow:
- Identify stores in region
- Create shared content for region
- Assign to regional stores only
- Use store-specific source type
- Deploy to region displays
- Track performance per store
Best Practices
Organizational Structure
Franchise Model:
- Corporate: Account Admin, manages shared assets
- Franchisees: Admin for their store(s) only
- Regional Managers: Admin for multiple stores in region
- Corporate Marketing: Marketing role across all stores
Corporate Retail:
- Corporate HQ: Account Admin
- Regional VPs: Admin for their region
- Store Managers: Manager for their store
- Staff: Display Operator for their location
Multi-Brand:
- Parent Company: Account Admin
- Brand Managers: Admin for their brand's stores
- Store Managers: Manager for individual stores
- Shared Services: Viewer across all brands
Content Management
Corporate Content (Shared):
- Brand guidelines and assets
- National promotions
- Corporate messaging
- Standard templates
- Training materials
Store Content (Store-Specific):
- Local promotions
- Employee spotlights
- Community events
- Regional partnerships
- Store-specific pricing
Naming Conventions
Standardize naming across all stores:
Stores:
- Use consistent format (e.g.,
REGION-NUMBER) - Include location identifier
- Keep codes short and meaningful
Displays:
- Include store code prefix
- Describe location and purpose
- Use consistent separator (dash or underscore)
Layouts:
- Include version numbers for updates
- Indicate shared vs. store-specific
- Use descriptive names
Media:
- Include store code if store-specific
- Tag for easy searching
- Use consistent file naming
Store Onboarding Checklist
When adding a new store:
- ✅ Create store record with all details
- ✅ Set timezone correctly
- ✅ Add store manager as Admin for store
- ✅ Copy shared layouts/templates to store
- ✅ Set up store-specific integrations (weather, calendar)
- ✅ Configure displays and registration codes
- ✅ Upload store-specific media
- ✅ Test displays and content
- ✅ Train store manager on system
- ✅ Document store-specific settings
Store Offboarding
When closing a store:
- ✅ Archive store (don't delete immediately)
- ✅ Deactivate all store displays
- ✅ Remove user access to store
- ✅ Export store content for records
- ✅ Move shared content to archive
- ✅ Document closure date and reason
- ✅ Preserve audit logs
- ✅ Update billing (reduce seat count if applicable)
Monitoring and Analytics
Cross-Store Analytics
Track performance across all locations:
Metrics to Monitor:
- Display uptime per store
- Content freshness
- User activity per location
- Integration health
- Media library usage
Accessing Analytics:
- Go to Analytics → Multi-Store View
- Compare stores side-by-side
- Filter by date range
- Export reports
Store Performance
Compare store performance:
Key Indicators:
- Display online percentage
- Average content age
- User engagement
- Support ticket volume
- Content update frequency
Best Performers:
- Identify top-performing stores
- Share best practices
- Recognize effective managers
Underperformers:
- Identify stores needing support
- Provide additional training
- Address technical issues
Troubleshooting
Content Not Showing in Store
Check:
- Is content set as "Shared" or assigned to that store?
- User has access to view that store?
- Content source is active?
- Store settings correct?
Solutions:
- Change source type to Shared
- Add store to content permissions
- Verify user store access
- Check store configuration
User Can't See Certain Stores
Check:
- User's store access list
- User's role (account-level vs. store-level)
- Store status (active/inactive)
- User's primary store setting
Solutions:
- Add user to missing stores
- Update user role
- Activate store
- Set correct primary store
Displays Showing Wrong Timezone
Check:
- Store timezone setting
- Display location
- Browser timezone
- Scheduled content timing
Solutions:
- Update store timezone
- Verify physical location
- Clear browser cache
- Adjust schedule rules
Store Code Already Exists
Problem: Trying to use duplicate store code
Solution:
- Use unique code for each store
- Check existing store codes first
- Follow consistent naming convention
- Consider using sequential numbers
Advanced: Store Groups
Available in Enterprise plans
Group stores by region, district, or other criteria:
Creating Store Groups:
- Go to Stores → Groups
- Click Create Group
- Name group (e.g., "East Region", "Franchise A")
- Add stores to group
- Assign permissions to group
Benefits:
- Bulk operations on grouped stores
- Group-specific content
- Regional reporting
- Simplified management
Use Cases:
- Regional marketing campaigns
- District manager oversight
- Franchise management
- Brand segmentation
Next Steps
- User Management - Assign users to stores
- Display Setup - Configure displays per store
- Content Association - Share content strategically
- Quick Start Guide - Set up new stores quickly
- Troubleshooting - Fix multi-store issues