Guides

Step-by-step guides for putting your data, content, and tools on a screen.

How to display a Google Sheet on a TV screen

There are three common ways to show a Google Sheet on a TV: cast it from a computer, open it in the TV's browser, or connect it through digital signage software. For a screen that needs to stay up all day without a computer attached, signage software is the reliable option: it refreshes the sheet on a schedule, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, the screen starts playing again by itself after a power cut.

How to cast or display an Excel spreadsheet on a TV screen

An Excel spreadsheet can reach a TV in three ways: casting it from a laptop, opening the file in the TV's own browser, or connecting it through digital signage software. Casting is the quickest to try and the first to fail, because the screen only lives as long as the laptop stays awake and connected to it. Signage software reads the file itself, refreshes it on a schedule, and on a dedicated player it recovers on its own after a reboot, which is why it is the usual choice for a screen that has to run all day.

How to display a Power BI report on a TV screen

Power BI has no built-in TV mode, so a wallboard needs one of three routes: a computer driving the TV over HDMI, the TV's browser signed in to the Power BI service, or digital signage software that embeds the report. For an unattended screen the third route is the dependable one: the data refreshes on a schedule, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, the screen comes back on its own after a power cut.

How to display Instagram on a TV screen

To get an Instagram feed onto a TV you can cast from a phone, open the web version in the TV's browser, or connect the account through digital signage software. The first two stop the moment the phone leaves or the browser falls asleep; signage software keeps the feed on the wall all day, pulls in new posts on a schedule, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, recovers on its own after a power cut.

How to make a digital notice board

A digital notice board, also called a digital or electronic bulletin board in the US, is a screen that shows a message you can update from anywhere, instead of a printed sign or a whiteboard someone has to walk over to change. For a board that needs to stay up all day without anyone tending it, digital signage software is the reliable way to run one: it keeps the message on screen, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, the screen comes back on its own after a reboot.

How to display a Canva design on a TV screen

A Canva design can go on a TV three ways: cast the tab from a laptop, open the design in the TV's browser, or link it through digital signage software. For a screen that hangs in a shop or lobby all day, signage software is the dependable route: it shows the design full-screen, picks up your edits automatically, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, restarts itself after a reboot.

How to display Google Slides on a TV screen

You can put a Google Slides presentation on a TV by casting from a computer, opening the deck in the TV's browser, or connecting it through digital signage software. Only the last one runs unattended: the deck loops and advances on its own, your edits show up automatically, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, the screen recovers by itself after an outage.

How to display a Google Calendar on a TV screen

A calendar can reach a TV screen three ways: casting from a computer, opening Google Calendar in the TV's browser, or connecting it through digital signage software. For an always-on office or venue screen, signage software is the reliable route: it refreshes the events on a schedule and asks you to reconnect if the Google sign-in ever expires, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, comes back on its own after a reboot.

How to mirror your laptop to a TV

A laptop can go on a TV screen four ways: an HDMI cable, a casting stick built for entertainment, the TV's own mirroring feature, or dashboard-based screen sharing software. For a screen you don't want tethered to one device, dashboard sharing is the flexible route: click share from any paired screen, and your laptop appears there in seconds.

How to display VALD leaderboards on a TV

A VALD leaderboard can reach a TV screen a few ways: exporting test results to a spreadsheet, casting the VALD Hub from a laptop, or connecting your VALD environment directly to signage software that ranks and displays it for you. For a board that stays current without anyone re-exporting it, the direct connection is the one built for a screen that's always on.

How to display a PowerPoint presentation on a TV screen

You can put a PowerPoint presentation on a TV by casting from a laptop, exporting it to a USB stick, opening it in the TV's browser, or connecting it through digital signage software. Only the last one runs unattended: the deck loops and advances on its own, edits you make in PowerPoint show up on the screen automatically, and on a dedicated player like Amazon's Signage Stick, the screen recovers by itself after an outage.

How to display or cast a Word document on a TV

A Word document reaches a TV in three ways: casting it from a laptop, exporting the pages to images on a USB stick, or connecting the file through digital signage software. Casting stops when the laptop sleeps, and a USB stick goes out of date with every edit. Signage software reads the document from OneDrive or SharePoint, turns the pages on a timer, and picks up your edits by itself.

How to display a website on a TV screen

You can show a website on a TV through the TV's own browser, by casting it from a laptop, or with digital signage software that keeps the page on screen all day without anyone looking after it. Signage software has one catch: many large sites, from social networks to news sites, refuse to be shown inside another page, and on a screen those stay blank. Pages built to be embedded, such as public dashboards and status pages, usually work, and so does your own site if it allows embedding.

How to make a digital menu board

A digital menu board is a TV that shows your menu from a small media player, so a new price or a sold-out dish is a quick edit instead of a reprint. The fastest way to make one is to start from a menu template, replace the sample dishes and prices with your own, and send it to the screen. Signage software then keeps the menu up all day and can switch between breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus on its own.

How to display a dashboard on a TV

To show a dashboard on a TV, you need a link to it that opens without a login, and a player that keeps it on screen all day. Data Studio (formerly Looker Studio) and Tableau Public offer such a link, and so does a self-hosted Grafana once embedding is switched on. Digital signage software then shows the link full-screen and reloads it on a schedule, so the numbers stay current without anyone touching the TV.

How to set up a waiting room screen

A waiting room screen is a TV in your waiting area that shows your opening hours, practice news, and health tips from a small media player, so a change is an edit at your desk instead of a new poster. The quickest way to set one up is to start from a template for your practice information, add a second slide with a health tip, and let the two rotate in a playlist. Signage software keeps it running all day and can black the screen out after closing time.

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