What is a Flow and what is it for?

What is a Flow and what is it for?

Flows are advanced and customizable automations that allow you to execute sequential actions in response to certain events, conditions or external commands. They are based on the use of Livesignage API and enable orchestration of complex behaviors across displays, content, devices, and embedded systems.

A Flow can be activated by physical or digital triggers (such as buttons, sensors, API calls) and can perform conditional actions on:
  1. Displays and groups
  2. Dynamic content
  3. Plugin
  4. Smart lights
  5. Other Flows or Scenarios
With node logic, you can build complex logic without writing code, while maintaining full control over interactions.

Interface and Navigation

Flow Dashboard

The main screen shows:
  1. List of Flows: name, status, number of runs, link to API call
  2. Available states:
    1. Active: Flow working and operational
    2. Pending approval: created, awaiting validation
    3. Not actionable: incomplete or incorrect configuration
  3. Sorting and Search Tools
  4. Button "+ Add Flow"to create a new one

Visual Editor

Clicking on “Add Flow” opens the visual node editor:
  1. Free dragging of nodes
  2. Colorful visual connections for the logical flow
  3. Dynamic zoom(Ctrl + mouse wheel)
  4. Quick delete with right click
  5. Side panel with the available components

Components of a Flow

  1. Base
    1. Start and end node (required)
    2. Playlist Loop Start/End for content cycles
  2. Trigger
    1. Flic: pulsanti wireless Bluetooth
    2. Nexmosphere: RFID sensors, motion, proximity
    3. API Call: remote triggers via HTTPS
  3. Devices
    1. Node Display(single screen)
    2. Node Group(set of devices)
  4. Conditions
    1. Display status
    2. Content currently playing
    3. Day of the week / time slot
  5. Actions

    1. Display: You can decide to perform the following actions on a specific display:

      • Turn off: turns off the display.

      • Restart Programming: restarts the playlist, starting it from the first slide.

      • Mute: mutes the display.

      • Volume up: sets the volume to 100%.

      • Volume 15: sets the volume to 15%.

      • Volume 50: sets the volume to 50%.

      • Sensor Volume: Sets the volume according to the value detected by the Nexmosphere sensor.

      • Brightness High: Set brightness to 100%.

      • Brightness medium: Sets the brightness to 50%.

      • Brightness low: Set brightness to 15%.

      • Playlist Source: Sets the playlist as the main source.

      • HDMI source: Sets the HDMI port as the displayed source.

      • Switch URL ↔ HDMI1: Switches the source between playlist and HDMI with each click.

      • Next Slide: Advances the playlist to the next slide.

      • Send Message: Allows you to send a customised message not present in this list, by specifying the desired parameter.

      To use this function, it is necessary to request processing from the Livesignage team or obtain technical       documentation to proceed on your own. Write to us at dev@livesignage.com

      Only if you have the Local Server app active, the following actions are also available:

      • Pause optimised playlist: pauses the playlist; if a video is playing, it is actually paused.

      • Play optimised playlist: Reactivates the playback of a previously paused playlist.

      • Optimised play/pause playlist: pauses or reactivates the playlist, depending on the current status.

    • Group: Actions on a group of displays

      • Turn off: turns off all displays in the group

      • Mute: mute all displays in the group

      • Turn up volume: increases the volume of all displays up to 100 %.

      • Sensor volume: set the volume according to the value detected by the Nexmosphere sensor

      • Brightness high: Set all displays to 100% brightness.

      • Brightness medium: Set all displays to 50% brightness.

      • Brightness low: Sets brightness to 15% for all displays.

      • Switch URL ↔ HDMI1: Switches the source to all displays, alternating between playlist and HDMI with each click.

    • Flow Node: Activates another Flow

    • Source: updates a source of any kind among those added to your account (social, RSS, calendars...)

    • Landscape playlist: schedule a landscape playlist

    • Portrait playlist: schedule a portrait playlist

    • Squared playlist: schedule a squared playlist

    • Plugin: schedule an app

    • Scenery: Activate scenery 

    • LIFX: smart light control

    • Waiting: decide a waiting time before moving on to the next content (ATTENTION: this command does not work for flow in a flow)

    • HTTPS: send external API requests (e.g. to call other IoT devices not listed)

Building rules

  1. Each Flow must start with a start node and end with at least one end node.
  2. Every output can have only one connection
  3. Every input can have multiple connections
  4. Display/group nodes must be defined before conditions or actions involving them

Supported Integrations

  1. Nexmosphere: IoT activations with motion, proximity, RFID sensors
  2. Flic: wireless buttons for manual interactions
  3. LIFX: management of smart lights synchronized with contents
  4. All integrable via trigger or action nodes

Publishing a Flow

Testing and validation

After creation, run a test from the editor panel by clicking on the “test” button. If the flow lights up green, the flow enters the “approval” state and an authorized user can approve it in order to allow it to run. In case of an error, the incorrect nodes are highlighted in red and will not go to approval.
In order to make a flow valid, make sure you follow these rules:
  1. Every Flow must have a beginning and an end
  2. Avoid infinite loops between Flows that call each other (thus inserting a flow inside a flow that is part of the flow itself)
  3. Make sure the start trigger you used (e.g. a sensor) has not already been used in another active flow
In order to run a flow that manages displays, the devices must always be connected to the Internet. Otherwise, the flow will not run.

Flow API

Each Flow can be activated remotely via HTTPS API, useful for:
  1. Integrations with CRM, IoT, management systems
  2. Automatic triggers from external software
Inside the Flow list, by moving the cursor over the single Flow, the button is available"Copy API link"The call requires the passage of the token APIfor security reasons.
Click here to find the complete documentation in the section dedicated to Livesignage API.

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