onQ CMS — digital signage software built for Australian screen networks

onQ CMS is the operating system for multi-site screen networks. It is built in Australia by the onQ in-house team and runs screens for Bunnings Hammer Media, David Jones, Country Road Group and 7-Eleven.

Digital signage software decides whether a screen network is easy to run or hard to control. The hardware may get attention on opening day, but the CMS handles the daily work: content uploads, playlists, permissions, device status, proof-of-play and campaign reporting.

What onQ CMS manages across your network

CMS capability	What it does	Why it matters
Content scheduling	Uploads, playlists, dayparting and campaign timing.	Marketing teams can change content quickly across many locations.
Site and screen control	Groups screens by site, zone, region, store format or use case.	Large networks stay organised as they grow.
User permissions	Gives teams the right access for their role.	Local users can contribute without breaking national standards.
Device monitoring	Tracks connectivity, playback and screen health.	Support teams can find problems before customers notice them.
Proof-of-play	Logs when content has played and where.	Retail media and compliance teams can verify delivery.
Retail media controls	Manages campaign inventory, share of voice and reporting.	Store screens can become supplier-funded media inventory.

Standard and Retail Media CMS tiers

Capability	Standard tier	Retail Media tier
Content scheduling and playlist management	Included	Included
Multi-site and zone management	Included	Included
Remote device monitoring and health alerts	Included	Included
Role-based user access	Included	Included
Proof-of-play logging	Included	Included
Campaign inventory and share-of-voice controls	Not included	Included
Programmatic and DSP integration support	Not included	Included
Retail media reporting workflow	Not included	Included

onQ CMS compared with Broadsign, Engagis and Fusion

Platform	Common fit	Key difference
onQ CMS	Australian multi-site screen networks, retail media, managed digital signage and mixed hardware estates.	Built and supported by the same team that specifies, installs and operates the network.
Broadsign	Large out-of-home and media-owner environments.	Strong media network tools, often used where the software layer sits apart from local installation delivery.
Engagis	Enterprise communications and customer-experience networks.	Suitable for managed communications networks, with a different service and platform model.
Fusion	Digital signage and content management deployments.	Often assessed where clients are comparing CMS-only solutions against a full delivery partner.

How onQ implements CMS projects

Discovery and network design

onQ starts by mapping the screen estate, content owners, approval needs, reporting requirements and support expectations. This step defines the structure of the CMS before the first playlist is built.

Player setup and screen grouping

The implementation team provisions media players, groups screens into sites and zones, and connects each endpoint to the correct content workflow.

Content migration and training

onQ helps teams load content, build playlists and understand the day-to-day workflow. Training focuses on the actions people actually need: updating content, checking playback, creating campaigns, reviewing reports and escalating support.

Governance, permissions and approval workflows

A screen network often has more content owners than the client first expects. onQ CMS handles this by giving each user the right level of access. Approval workflows also matter when paid media, legal requirements or brand standards are involved.

Choosing the right CMS tier

The right CMS tier should be matched to the job the screen network needs to do. If the network is mainly for owned content, the Standard tier gives the tools required. If the network will sell supplier activity, the Retail Media tier is the better starting point because campaign logic needs to be built into the workflow from the beginning.

Network type	Recommended tier	Key reason
Single-site retail or hospitality	Standard	Content scheduling and device monitoring without media complexity.
Multi-site retail group	Standard or Retail Media	Depends on whether supplier campaigns are planned from the start.
Corporate office network	Standard	Internal communications and governance are the priority.
Retail media network	Retail Media	Campaign inventory, proof-of-play and reporting are required from day one.

Frequently asked questions

What is digital signage software?

Digital signage software is the platform used to upload content, schedule playlists, manage screens, monitor devices and report on playback. It connects the content team to the physical screens.

Is onQ CMS built in Australia?

Yes. onQ CMS is built and supported by onQ Digital Group in Australia for local and national screen networks.

Can onQ CMS manage screens across multiple cities?

Yes. The platform can manage screens across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and regional Australia, with central control and site-level grouping.

Does onQ CMS support retail media?

Yes. The Retail Media tier supports campaign inventory, proof-of-play, share-of-voice controls and reporting for supplier-funded campaigns.

Can onQ CMS work with existing screens?

Often, yes. onQ can audit the existing screens, media players and network setup to determine whether the hardware can be retained or should be upgraded.

How is onQ CMS different from a basic playlist tool?

A basic tool may loop content on one screen. onQ CMS manages multi-site networks, user permissions, monitoring, proof-of-play and retail media workflows.