If your business runs different promotions, offers, or collections to a set cadence, you'll want your digital catalogs to match this. With Scheduling, you can choose which Flipbooks are displayed when, and for how long, while maintaining a single, static URL.
📖 This article explains:
The difference between Scheduling and Publication period
Scheduling and Publication period are two similar features, but with an important, differentiating factor:
Publication Period allows you to define a set time period when a Flipbook is available to your visitors on its own, unique URL.
Scheduling allows you to define a set time period for when your Flipbooks are available, and served on a single, static URL. It also allows you to schedule multiple Flipbooks to be served on this URL in a specific order, during specific time periods.
By planning your publication schedule, you can rack up as many Flipbooks to publish on your static URL as you'd like!
How to set up scheduling for your Flipbooks
💡 Scheduling works on either an Account, or Folder level. You cannot set up scheduling on an individual Flipbook.
This guide will show you how to set up scheduling on the Folder level. For scheduling on the Account level, the process is the same.
Right-click on the folder on which you'd like to set up scheduling, and select Edit schedule.
In the modal that is displayed, click on Add flipbook to schedule.
From this view, click on the Select flipbook field. Here, you'll be able to select the Flipbook you want to schedule from your Folder tree.
Next, select the Start date and set the date for when you'd like to schedule your Flipbook to become available on the static folder URL. Remember to also set the time for when your Flipbook becomes available.
Select the End date for when you would like your Flipbook to stop being available on the static folder URL. Remember to also set the time for when your Flipbook stops being available.
Once you're happy with your settings, add it to your Schedule by clicking on Add.
💡 All times relating to when your Flipbook starts, and stops, being available are in the time zone you have set in your Flipbook's Region settings.
You'll need to repeat this process for each and every Flipbook you want to schedule. As you build your schedule, you'll be able to see all your scheduled Flipbooks displayed chronologically:
How to set up a default Flipbook
If you don't have a Flipbook scheduled, visitors to your static URL will see an 404 page. To avoid disrupting your visitors' journey, consider adding a default Flipbook to your schedule.
A default Flipbook acts as a 'fallback' Flipbook, in that it is the catalog that is shown if there is no other Flipbook scheduled, meaning your visitors will always reach an active, working Flipbook.
Setting a default Flipbook is easy:
In the Edit flipbook schedule view, click on the Select default flipbook field.
Select the Flipbook you wish to set as your default, from the folder tree view.
Click on Select flipbook as fallback.
That's it! Your fallback, default Flipbook is set up. 👍
How to schedule on a static URL with Branded domain
The beauty of Flipbook scheduling is that you can serve different Flipbooks sequentially, on a single, static URL. This means your visitors only ever have to remember one URL!
By default, the static URL will be the folder URL on which you've set up your scheduling. For example, this could be https://viewer.ipaper.io/vinsk/2021/. This is fine, but why not make that URL a branded domain?
With a branded domain, you can create a memorable URL that's fully in line with your brand Imagine that, catalog.yourcompany.com, would be all they need to remember!
📖 Learn about how to set up a Branded Domain with our guide, below:
Best practices when scheduling Flipbooks
Consider a naming convention - whether you're scheduling a handful or dozens of Flipbooks at a time, it makes it easier to find them, and select them in the proper order, if they are named using a logical naming convention.
Organize your Flipbooks in folders - while you can select any Flipbooks from a folder, or any subfolders, it makes sense to keep your scheduled Flipbooks within one folder. You can also make use of a folder's inherited settings to apply sweeping changes to multiple Flipbooks at once.
📖 Learn more about Inherited settings:
Take your Flipbook from flat PDF to engaging digital shopping experience
Understand how this, and other tactics, can help you attract and inspire shoppers, while also capturing buying intent and converting to a sale, in our Success Framework.