Double-Sided Signs Shouldn't Be a Software Problem
Walk through any event venue and count the double-sided signs. Directional totems at intersections. Hanging banners visible from both sides of a concourse. A-frames on walkways. Freestanding pylons in parking areas.
Double-sided signs are everywhere. They're one of the most common sign formats in event signage. And yet, a surprising number of sign management tools can't handle them properly.
The problem with "one sign, one record"
Most signage software models a sign as a single record: one set of artwork, one set of instructions, one status. That works fine for a wall-mounted sign with one visible face.
It falls apart when a sign has two faces with different content.
Think about a directional totem at a venue intersection. Side A points attendees toward Registration. Side B points toward the Main Stage. Different artwork, different messages, potentially different sponsors. But in a single-record system, you're forced into workarounds:
- Create two separate sign records for one physical sign. Now your sign count is inflated, your map has duplicate pins, and your contractor has to figure out that signs #047 and #048 are actually the same totem.
- Cram both sides into one record. Use the notes field to describe "Side A" and "Side B." Hope the contractor reads it. Lose any ability to track installation status per face.
- Ignore the problem. Upload one side's artwork and describe the other side in the instructions. Cross your fingers.
None of these are real solutions. They're hacks around a data model that doesn't match the physical reality.
What per-face tracking actually means
Proper double-sided sign support means each sign can have multiple faces, and each face is a first-class record with its own:
- Artwork — different designs on each side, each versioned independently
- Instructions — different mounting or display notes per face
- Photos — contractors photograph each side separately as installation evidence
- Status — Side A can be installed and approved while Side B is flagged for a reprint
The physical sign is still one pin on the map, one record in the sign list, one assignment to a contractor. But the faces are tracked independently, because in the real world they often have different content, different timelines, and different issues.
Why this matters for event teams
Accurate sign counts
If you have 200 physical signs and 80 of them are double-sided, a workaround-based system either shows 280 signs (confusing) or 200 signs with no per-face detail (incomplete). Per-face tracking gives you 200 signs with 280 tracked faces — accurate to what's actually in the venue.
Clearer contractor instructions
A contractor standing in front of a double-sided totem should see exactly what goes on each face without digging through notes fields or cross-referencing two separate records. One sign, two faces, clear artwork for each.
Per-face approval
When a contractor photographs a double-sided sign, you need to review each face independently. Maybe Side A is perfect but Side B has the wrong sponsor logo. With per-face status tracking, you can approve one and reject the other — and the contractor knows exactly what needs to be fixed.
Honest progress reporting
If 90% of sign faces are installed, that's a more accurate progress metric than "90% of signs are done" when half those signs have an unfinished second face.
It's a data model problem, not a feature request
The reason many tools can't handle this well is that it requires a structural change to how signs are modelled in the database. Bolting face-level tracking onto a single-record system always results in compromises. It needs to be designed in from the start.
Signplanr supports double-sided signs with independent per-face artwork, instructions, photos, and status tracking — all linked to a single sign pin on your map. See the full feature set or try it free.
Related reading:
- Why "Contact Us for Pricing" Is a Red Flag in Sign Management Software — if a tool hides its pricing, it's optimising for sales, not your workflow.
- Your Contractors Shouldn't Need a Training Course to Use Your Software — the field experience matters as much as the data model.
- Choosing the Right Event Signage Software — a framework for evaluating what actually matters in signage management tools.