Show Excel, Google Sheets, SharePoint and Microsoft 365 content on a screen
Quick answer: DigitalSignage.com shows spreadsheet and Microsoft 365 content through three SignStudio components: the Google Sheets component reads a shared sheet and updates the screen when the sheet changes; Excel files (.xlsx and .xls) are uploaded and a sheet and cell range are selected; and the Web Page component shows any page that loads without a login, such as a Power BI Publish to web report, with a refresh interval you set. The Calendar component connects to Google Calendar or Outlook and Office 365. Anything that needs a user to sign in cannot be shown by an unattended player, so publish it, export it, or ask support for the current method.
Last updated October 22, 2026. Sources: SignStudio data integration, components and Power BI integration pages on this site.
Which component for which source
| Source | SignStudio component | Updates on the screen | Needs a login on the player |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets | Google Sheets component | Automatically when the sheet is edited | No, the sheet is shared with the SignStudio service account |
| Excel file (.xlsx, .xls) | Excel upload, select sheet and range | When you upload the file again, or through the API | No |
| CSV export from another system | CSV import | When you import again | No |
| Power BI report, public data | Web Page component with the Publish to web address | At the refresh interval, 5 to 15 minutes is typical | No |
| Power BI report, internal data | Web Page component with a secure embed page | At the refresh interval | No, a server-side embed token handles access |
| SharePoint page or Microsoft 365 file link | Web Page component only if the page opens without signing in | At the refresh interval | Usually yes, which means it will not load on a player |
| Outlook, Office 365 or Google Calendar | Calendar component | At the component's refresh | No, the connection is authorized once in SignStudio |
| Microsoft Teams | Not a component on its own | See the Microsoft 365 notes below | Yes |
Google Sheets: the simplest live spreadsheet
The Google Sheets component is the documented route for a price list, an event schedule, a staff directory or a KPI board that staff update without touching the design.
- Open the sheet in Google Sheets and share it with the SignStudio service account.
- Copy the sheet's URL.
- In the SignStudio scene editor, add a Google Sheets component to the scene.
- Paste the URL and select the range, for example A1:D10 on the sheet you want.
- Map the columns to the display and style the fonts and colors.
- Save, assign the scene to the screen and publish.
From then on, whoever edits the sheet updates the screen. A kitchen can type today's specials into the sheet and the menu board shows them in the template's fonts and colors, and nobody opens the layout editor.
Excel files
Excel data is uploaded rather than linked: the data integration page documents .xlsx and .xls upload, selecting a sheet by name, cell ranges in A1:Z100 notation and calculated formula values. To refresh the numbers, upload the file again or push the data through the API. For a sheet that changes daily, moving it to Google Sheets is less work than re-uploading. For a one-off table, such as an opening-hours grid or a seasonal price list, the Excel route is fine.
Power BI and other dashboards
For screens the public can see, show only data that is already public and use Publish to web: in Power BI choose File, Embed report, Publish to web, copy the address and place it in the Web Page component with a refresh interval of 5 to 15 minutes. Design the report at the screen's resolution, 1920 by 1080 or 3840 by 2160, with large fonts and hidden filters and navigation. Anything containing customer, financial or personal data must use secure embed instead: an Azure AD service principal and a server-generated embed token rendered by the Web Page component, so no credentials sit on the player. The Power BI integration guide has both methods in full, including a screenshot method that works on every player because it delivers a plain image.
SharePoint, OneDrive and Microsoft 365 links
A SharePoint page, a OneDrive file preview or an Excel Online link normally requires a signed-in Microsoft 365 user. DigitalSignage.com SignPlayer runs unattended and has no user session, so such a link shows a sign-in page in the Web Page component. Our documentation does not describe a direct SharePoint connector, so use one of these documented paths instead:
- Export the data to Excel or CSV and upload it, or move the table to a Google Sheet.
- Publish the report through Power BI, which has public and secure embed options.
- Build a page that renders the data without a login, for example a small web page fed by Power Automate or an API, and show it in the Web Page component.
- For Microsoft 365 calendars, use the Calendar component, which the components page lists with an OAuth connection for Outlook and Office 365, alongside Google Calendar and iCal feeds. Meeting-room screens use the same connection; see the calendar and room booking guide.
The data integration page lists a Microsoft 365 connector for calendar and Teams data among its pre-built connectors. Ask support at support@digitalsignage.com, live chat at https://chat.digitalsignage.com/ or +1-877-344-7446 for the current setup steps and what it covers, before planning a Teams-driven screen.
Refresh intervals and what to expect
| Content | Sensible refresh | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets price list | Minutes | Changes are rare and a short delay is fine |
| Sales or production dashboard | 1 to 5 minutes | People compare it with what they just did |
| Power BI Publish to web | 5 to 15 minutes | Matches how often the report itself refreshes |
| Calendar or room schedule | A few minutes | A deleted meeting should clear before the next one starts |
A shorter interval means more requests from every screen and no visible gain if the source only changes hourly. The player caches images, video and layouts locally, but data and web components fetch as they play, so when the internet drops those zones go blank or show their last data until the connection returns. Keep a cached fallback image in important zones.
Design rules for numbers on a wall
- Match the scene to the screen's resolution and use large type. Viewers 10 feet away need about 1 inch of letter height.
- Show the few numbers that matter, not the whole workbook. Hide the sheet's gridlines and headers unless they help reading.
- Keep sensitive dashboards on screens in staff-only areas, and never put personal data on a public screen.
- Test the live page full screen on the actual player before scheduling it. Pages designed for a laptop often show small text, cookie banners or pop-ups.
Frequently asked questions
Can I display an Excel spreadsheet on a TV with digital signage?
Yes. In SignStudio, upload the .xlsx or .xls file, choose the sheet by name and the cell range, and the values appear in your scene. The data integration page documents calculated formula values and A1-style ranges. To update the numbers, upload the file again or push the data through the API; for a sheet that changes every day, a Google Sheet is less work.
How do I show a Google Sheet on a digital signage screen?
Share the sheet with the SignStudio service account, copy its URL, add a Google Sheets component to your scene, select the range such as A1:D10, map the columns and publish. The screen updates automatically when anyone edits the sheet, in the fonts and colors of your layout.
Can digital signage show a SharePoint page?
Only if the page opens without signing in. An unattended player has no Microsoft 365 user session, so a normal SharePoint or OneDrive link shows a sign-in page. Export the data to Excel, CSV or a Google Sheet, publish it through Power BI, or build a page that renders without a login and show it in the Web Page component.
Can I put a Power BI dashboard on a TV?
Yes. For public data use Publish to web in Power BI and paste the address into the SignStudio Web Page component with a 5 to 15 minute refresh. For internal data use secure embed with an Azure AD service principal and an embed token, so no credentials sit on the player. A screenshot pushed as an image works on every player.
Can I show an Outlook or Microsoft 365 calendar on a screen?
Yes. The SignStudio Calendar component lists OAuth connections for Google Calendar and Outlook or Office 365, plus iCal feeds, with month, week, day, agenda and next-event views. Authorize the connection once in SignStudio; the player itself never signs in.
What happens to a live spreadsheet zone when the internet drops?
Data and web components fetch as they play, so the zone shows its last data or goes blank until the connection returns, while images, video and the layout keep playing from the player's local cache. Keep a cached fallback image in important zones and choose a refresh interval that matches how often the source really changes.
Related
- SignStudio data integration
- SignStudio components library
- Power BI integration
- Calendar and room booking integration
- Integrations and API FAQ
- Digital menu boards in SignStudio
Try it on your own screens, free
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Maintained by MediaSignage Inc., operator of DigitalSignage.com since 2006. Product behavior on this page comes from our own SignStudio and SignPlayer documentation; where we do not document a step, this page says so instead of guessing. Last reviewed October 22, 2026.