Proof-of-Play Reporting: A Practical Guide
"The screen was probably showing the right thing" is not an answer you want to give an auditor or an advertiser asking for proof. Proof-of-play is what turns that into a verifiable record.
What gets recorded
A proper proof-of-play record captures, at minimum: which media asset played, on which screen, the exact start and end timestamp, and whether it completed fully or was interrupted (a schedule change, a network drop, a manual override). See proof-of-play for the specifics of what NoroCMS records.
Why this matters for compliance
Some industries and locations have real regulatory or internal-policy requirements around what must be displayed — safety notices, required disclosures, accessibility information. A proof-of-play record is the evidence that the required content actually played on schedule, not just that it was uploaded and assigned.
Why this matters for advertising
If you're selling screen airtime — a common model in DOOH advertising — proof-of-play is the mechanism that lets you bill with confidence and lets the advertiser verify what they paid for. Without it, both sides are relying on trust rather than a record, which becomes untenable once real money is involved.
Using proof-of-play operationally, not just for audits
Beyond compliance and billing, proof-of-play data is useful for spotting problems early: a screen that shows repeated "interrupted" playback for a specific asset might indicate a corrupted file or a device running low on storage, both catchable before they become a customer-facing issue. Reviewing this data periodically as part of routine screen network operations turns it into a diagnostic tool, not just a report you generate on request.
Exporting for external stakeholders
An advertiser or compliance auditor generally doesn't need dashboard access — they need a clean export for the specific date range and screens they care about. Look for a CMS that supports filtered exports (by screen, date range, or campaign) rather than requiring a full raw data dump that someone else has to clean up.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
What does a proof-of-play record actually contain?
Who needs proof-of-play reporting?
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Put this into practice on your own screens
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