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Data Integration

Connect Your Data

Transform your digital signage from static displays to dynamic, data-driven communication channels. SignageStudio integrates with REST APIs, databases, spreadsheets, and third-party services to display real-time information.

Integration Overview​

Data Source Types​

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    DATA INTEGRATION OPTIONS                      │
│                                                                  │
│   ┌───────────────┐   ┌───────────────┐   ┌───────────────┐    │
│   │   REST APIs   │   │   Databases   │   │ Spreadsheets  │    │
│   │               │   │               │   │               │    │
│   │ • JSON        │   │ • SQL Server  │   │ • Google      │    │
│   │ • XML         │   │ • MySQL       │   │ • Excel       │    │
│   │ • RSS/Atom    │   │ • PostgreSQL  │   │ • CSV         │    │
│   └───────────────┘   └───────────────┘   └───────────────┘    │
│          │                   │                   │               │
│          └───────────────────┼───────────────────┘               │
│                              ▼                                   │
│                   ┌───────────────────┐                         │
│                   │   SignageStudio   │                         │
│                   │   Data Engine     │                         │
│                   └─────────┬─────────┘                         │
│                             │                                    │
│                             ▼                                    │
│                   ┌───────────────────┐                         │
│                   │  Dynamic Content  │                         │
│                   │  on Your Displays │                         │
│                   └───────────────────┘                         │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Integration Methods​

MethodUse CaseComplexity
JSON Data ComponentREST API dataLow
XML Data ComponentXML/RSS feedsLow
Google SheetsSpreadsheet dataLow
Database QueryDirect DB accessMedium
Webhook TriggersPush-based updatesMedium
Custom APIAdvanced automationHigh

REST API Integration​

JSON Data Source​

Connect to any JSON API endpoint:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│               JSON DATA SOURCE CONFIGURATION                     │
│                                                                  │
│   URL: [https://api.example.com/data                       ]    │
│   Method: [GET ▼]                                               │
│                                                                  │
│   Authentication:                                                │
│   ○ None                                                        │
│   ○ API Key                                                     │
│   ● Bearer Token: [sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx                   ]    │
│   ○ Basic Auth                                                  │
│                                                                  │
│   Headers:                                                       │
│   [Content-Type    ] : [application/json                  ]    │
│   [Accept          ] : [application/json                  ]    │
│                                                                  │
│   Refresh Interval: [60 ▼] seconds                              │
│                                                                  │
│   [Test Connection]  [Save]                                     │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Data Mapping with JSONPath​

Map API response fields to display elements:

JSONPath ExpressionDescriptionExample
$.nameRoot level property{"name": "value"}
$.data.titleNested property{"data": {"title": "..."}}
$.items[0]First array item{"items": [...]}
$.items[*].nameAll items' nameArray iteration
$.data[?(@.active)]Filtered itemsConditional

Example: Weather API​

// API Response
{
  "location": "New York",
  "current": {
    "temp_f": 72,
    "condition": "Sunny",
    "humidity": 45
  }
}

// Data Mapping
{
  "city": "$.location",
  "temperature": "$.current.temp_f",
  "conditions": "$.current.condition",
  "humidity": "$.current.humidity"
}

// Display Template
"Currently {{temperature}}°F and {{conditions}} in {{city}}"
// Output: "Currently 72°F and Sunny in New York"

Example: Sales Dashboard​

// API Response
{
  "metrics": {
    "today_sales": 15420,
    "today_orders": 142,
    "target": 20000,
    "percent_complete": 77.1
  }
}

// Display Binding
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│  Today's Sales              │
│  ${{metrics.today_sales}}   │
│  ████████░░░ {{percent}}%   │
│  Target: ${{metrics.target}}│
└─────────────────────────────┘

XML & RSS Integration​

XML Data Source​

Connect to XML feeds and services:

<!-- Example XML Response -->
<data>
  <product>
    <name>Widget Pro</name>
    <price>29.99</price>
    <stock>150</stock>
  </product>
</data>

<!-- XPath Mapping -->
name: /data/product/name
price: /data/product/price
stock: /data/product/stock

RSS Feed Integration​

Display content from RSS/Atom feeds:

PropertyConfiguration
Feed URLRSS/Atom endpoint
ItemsNumber to display
FieldsTitle, description, image, date
RefreshUpdate interval

Multi-Feed Aggregation​

Combine multiple feeds:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    FEED AGGREGATOR                               │
│                                                                  │
│   Feed 1: Company Blog                                          │
│   URL: https://blog.company.com/feed                            │
│   Priority: High                                                 │
│                                                                  │
│   Feed 2: Industry News                                         │
│   URL: https://news.industry.com/rss                            │
│   Priority: Normal                                               │
│                                                                  │
│   Feed 3: Local News                                            │
│   URL: https://localnews.com/feed                               │
│   Priority: Low                                                  │
│                                                                  │
│   Aggregation: Mix by priority                                  │
│   Max Age: 24 hours                                             │
│   Total Items: 10                                               │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Spreadsheet Integration​

Google Sheets​

Connect to Google Sheets for easy data management:

Setup:

  1. Share sheet with SignageStudio service account
  2. Copy sheet URL
  3. Add Google Sheets component
  4. Select range (e.g., Sheet1!A1:D10)
  5. Configure display

Use Cases:

Use CaseSheet Structure
Price listProduct, Price, Unit
Event scheduleTime, Event, Location
Staff directoryName, Title, Photo URL
KPIsMetric, Value, Target

Example Sheet:

ProductPriceSale Price
Coffee$4.50$3.99
Latte$5.50$4.99
Espresso$3.00$2.49

Excel Files​

Upload and display Excel data:

FeatureSupport
File upload.xlsx, .xls
Multiple sheetsSelect by name
Cell rangesA1:Z100 notation
FormulasCalculated values
RefreshRe-upload or API

CSV Import​

Import CSV files for data tables:

Name,Department,Extension
John Smith,Sales,1234
Jane Doe,Marketing,1235
Bob Wilson,Support,1236

Database Integration​

Direct Database Connection (Server Edition)​

Connect directly to enterprise databases:

DatabaseConnection String Example
SQL ServerServer=host;Database=db;User=user;Password=pass;
MySQLServer=host;Database=db;Uid=user;Pwd=pass;
PostgreSQLHost=host;Database=db;Username=user;Password=pass;
OracleData Source=host:1521/sid;User Id=user;Password=pass;

Query Configuration​

-- Example: Sales KPIs
SELECT
  DATE_FORMAT(sale_date, '%Y-%m-%d') as date,
  SUM(amount) as daily_sales,
  COUNT(*) as order_count
FROM sales
WHERE sale_date = CURDATE()
GROUP BY date;

Parameterized Queries​

Use dynamic parameters:

SELECT * FROM products
WHERE category = @category
AND price < @max_price
ORDER BY popularity DESC
LIMIT 10

Parameters can be:

  • Static values
  • Current date/time
  • Screen properties
  • API-driven values

Real-Time Updates​

Push vs. Pull​

MethodDescriptionUse Case
Pull (polling)Periodic refreshStandard data
Push (webhook)Server-initiatedTime-sensitive
WebSocketPersistent connectionReal-time streams

Webhook Integration​

Receive push notifications:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    WEBHOOK ENDPOINT                              │
│                                                                  │
│   Your Webhook URL:                                              │
│   https://api.signage.me/webhook/abc123xyz                      │
│                                                                  │
│   Triggered Events:                                              │
│   ☑ Content update                                              │
│   ☑ Emergency alert                                             │
│   ☑ Price change                                                │
│   ☐ Inventory update                                            │
│                                                                  │
│   Authentication: Bearer Token                                   │
│   Secret: [••••••••••••••••]                                    │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Example: Price Update Webhook​

// Incoming webhook payload
POST /webhook/abc123xyz
{
  "event": "price_update",
  "data": {
    "product_id": "SKU123",
    "old_price": 9.99,
    "new_price": 7.99,
    "effective": "immediate"
  }
}

// SignageStudio action:
// Update product display immediately

Third-Party Integrations​

Pre-Built Connectors​

ServiceData Type
Weather.comWeather data
Twitter/XSocial feeds
InstagramPhotos/posts
YouTubeVideos
Google CalendarEvents
Microsoft 365Calendar, Teams
SalesforceCRM data
SlackMessages

POS Integration​

Connect to point-of-sale systems:

POS SystemIntegration Method
SquareREST API
ToastREST API
CloverREST API
CustomDatabase/API

Use Cases:

  • Display current wait times
  • Show order status
  • Real-time sales metrics
  • Inventory levels

Room Booking Systems​

SystemIntegration
Microsoft 365/ExchangeGraph API
Google WorkspaceCalendar API
RobinREST API
TeemREST API
CustomiCal/ICS

Data Transformation​

Formatting Options​

TransformExample
Number format1234.56 → $1,234.56
Date format2026-02-01 → Feb 1, 2026
Uppercasehello → HELLO
Round3.14159 → 3.14
TruncateLong text... → Long te...

Conditional Logic​

Display different content based on data:

// Conditional formatting
{{#if (gt value 100)}}
  <span class="green">{{value}}</span>
{{else}}
  <span class="red">{{value}}</span>
{{/if}}

// Conditional display
{{#if inventory}}
  In Stock ({{inventory}} available)
{{else}}
  Out of Stock
{{/if}}

Data Aggregation​

Combine and calculate:

Total: {{sum items.price}}
Average: {{avg items.rating}}
Count: {{count items}}
Max: {{max items.value}}

Security Considerations​

Authentication Methods​

MethodSecurityUse Case
API KeyMediumPublic APIs
Bearer TokenHighProtected APIs
OAuth 2.0HighUser-authorized
Basic AuthMediumSimple auth
HMAC SignatureHighWebhook verification

Credential Storage​

PracticeImplementation
Encrypted storageCredentials encrypted at rest
Environment variablesNot hardcoded
Key rotationRegular credential updates
Least privilegeMinimal required permissions

Data Privacy​

ConsiderationRecommendation
PII handlingDon't display on public screens
Data cachingConfigure appropriate TTL
Audit loggingTrack data access
ComplianceGDPR, HIPAA as applicable

Frequently Asked Questions​

Next Steps​

Data Integration documentation maintained by MediaSignage. For custom integration assistance, contact support@digitalsignage.com

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