Short definitions of the terms the solution guides use. Shared platform features are documented in full on learn.phystack.com, so most entries link there.
Apps and installations
App
Software from the Marketplace that you install into your tenant. Screen apps run on a device’s display. Edge apps run in the background to connect hardware. Mobile apps open in customers’ browsers, and cloud apps (such as Tasks) run without a device. See apps overview.
Auto Deploy
The option next to Save all changes in an installation’s settings. It is selected by default. Saving then creates a build and deploys it to the environment chosen next to it. The environment resets to Prod each time you open the settings. See Deploy a build.
Build
A snapshot of an installation’s settings and content, created when you save. Devices run the build deployed to their environment, and the Builds tab lets you deploy an earlier one. See Deploy a build.
Edge app
An app that runs in the background on a device to connect hardware, such as a Nexmosphere sensor, RFID reader, camera or microphone. Connect it on its own Devices tab to the same device as the screen app that uses it. See peripherals overview.
Environment
A deployment stage in your tenant, such as Prod, with its own builds and products. A device runs the build of its environment, and product apps show only that environment’s products. Operations → Environments appears only when a tenant has more than one. See Check the device’s space and environment.
Global settings
The base configuration of an installation, edited from the Settings tab with Global settings → Edit settings. Every space and device uses it unless it has a settings override. See global settings and settings overrides.
Installation
Your configured copy of an app, listed under Apps → Installations, with the tabs Overview, Settings, Builds and Devices. One app can have many installations, for example one per store format. See installations overview.
Installation group
An optional folder for installations, set with Add to group when you install an app or later in the installation’s settings. It only organises the Apps → Installations list and changes nothing on devices.
Marketplace
The catalogue of apps under Apps → Marketplace. Installing an app from it creates an installation. See Install a Marketplace application.
Multi-language support
An installation setting that lists the languages its customer-facing texts can be written in and sets the default language. After you save, use the Language from and Language to card next to the form. Choose the language you translate from and the one you edit. See Smart Fitting Room settings explained.
Settings override
Values set for one space or device under Settings override (Edit settings for this space or Edit settings for this device) that replace the global settings field by field. The Settings legend shows where each value comes from. A list field, such as a playlist, is replaced as a whole. See global settings and settings overrides.
Tenant, spaces and devices
Data residency
The region your tenant’s data is stored in: AU, EU, IN, UAE or US. It decides which addresses your network must allow. See network infrastructure requirements.
Device
A screen, media player, mini PC or virtual machine connected to your tenant and listed under Operations → Devices. Each device belongs to a space and an environment and runs the installations connected to it. See devices overview.
External ID
A free-text ID on a space or device for matching it to your own systems. Subspaces can’t change it. Endless Aisle Kiosk sends the space’s External ID as the store ID for promotions unless Custom Store id is set. See spaces overview.
Peripheral
Hardware attached to a device, such as a Nexmosphere sensor, RFID reader, camera, microphone or receipt printer. An edge app connected to that device makes it available, and it is listed under Operations → Peripherals. See peripherals overview.
PhyOS
The PhyStack operating system for devices: x86-64 and arm64 devices and virtual machines. Samsung Tizen screens don’t run PhyOS and support signage apps only. See supported hardware.
Space
A location in your tenant’s hierarchy (Spaces in the sidebar), typed as Country, Region, City, Location, Floor, Section or Custom. Devices, products, users and analytics belong to spaces. See spaces overview.
Tenant
Your organisation’s own workspace in the PhyGrid Console, with its own users, spaces, devices, installations, products and settings (Settings → Tenant, Branding, Checkout & payment).
User
A person invited to the tenant under Users, with a role (Admin, Editor, Viewer or a custom role) and access to all or some spaces. Apps with email login, such as Queue Manager and Tasks, need the user invited first. See Invite a user.
Products and content
Barcode (EAN, UPC, GTIN)
Product identifiers stored on each variant. Scanners, Lift & Learn sensors and RFID tags encoded with the product’s EAN or UPC find products through them. See Create a product.
Product
An item in Content → Products, kept per environment and assigned to spaces and categories, with variants, prices, stock, media and product features. Add products by hand or with a product integration. See products overview.
Product feature
A product attribute with a type and values, such as Brand or Material. Endless Aisle uses product features for filters and product details. See Configure product browsing.
Product integration
A scheduled import into Content → Products for chosen environments. Google Product Feed brings the catalogue, with one feed URL per language. Google Local Inventory brings store stock and prices. Both run at set times each day, not in real time. See Import products from a Google feed.
Product type
A product category, from the Category tab, chosen under Categories on the product. Settings such as Product Types coverage ask for product type IDs and include child types automatically. See Create a category.
QR and NFC
Short links with QR codes and NFC links made under Content → QR and NFC and tracked in analytics. The QR codes that apps show (queue join, product pages, mobile links) are set in each app’s settings instead. See QR codes.
Variant
One version of a product, such as a size or colour, with its own price, stock and barcodes. See Create a product.
Operations
Alert
A rule under Operations → Alerts (Device alerts or Performance alerts) that notifies a recipient group by email or webhook when a condition is met in its scope. Its severity sets how often the alert repeats while the issue lasts. See Create a device alert.
Networking
The firewall rules your network must allow for your data residency, plus the whitelist rules under Operations → Networking that control which sites devices may reach. See network infrastructure requirements.