How to use Google Calendar with OptiSigns

In this article, we will show you how to display a Google Calendar with OptiSigns.

• What You'll Need
• Setting Up the Google Calendar App
  • Theme Settings
  • Advanced Settings

Displaying a Google Calendar on a digital sign is a common use case for many. OptiSigns allows you to display a fully-customizable Google Calendar, tuned to your exact specifications. Here are a few examples:

Landscape

Portrait:

What You'll Need

To use the Google Calendar app, you'll need:

• An OptiSigns Standard plan or higher
• A Google account with Calendar
• An OptiSigns-capable device
• A screen, set up and paired

Setting Up the Google Calendar App

Find and select the Google Calendar app within the apps list:

The following window pop-up should show.
Sign-in and authenticate the account you wish to use for Calendar sharing.

 Once authenticated, hit Next.

Now, input the Calendar details:

• Name: Name of your calendar that you wish to see it labeled as within the OptiSigns platform. This name is internal to you only.
• Calendars:  The dropdown will show all the calendars that are within the account. These can be calendars you created or are subscribed to.
• Title: Title of the calendar. This will be displayed on your screen.
• Display Mode: Select the calendar view 
  • Schedule - Linear listing of every event in succession by time and date.
    • Day: Get today's events.
    • Week: Get current week's events.
    • Month: Get current month's events.
    • 7 Days: Get 7 upcoming days (including today's) events.
    • 30 days: Get 30 upcoming days (including today's) events.
  • Day - Listing the current day's event activity.
  • Week - Listing the current week's event activity
  • Month - Listing the current month's event activity
• Only Show Ongoing and Upcoming Events: When checked, will remove any past events from the calendar display.

Theme Settings

• Hide Background Image: Show in what circumstances to hide the background image. Hide only in Portrait, only in Landscape, or in All situations.
• Background Image: Toggle between the Default background image, or choose a Custom one from your Assets. Selecting Custom will add the following option:

• Choose Photo: Choose the photo to use as the Background Image
• Theme: Change between Light Mode or Dark Mode, or choose a Custom theme. If Custom is selected, the following option will appear:

• Background Color: Choose the background color for the Google Calendar theme.
• Text Color: Text color of the display
• Use Your Calendar Event Color: Pull the Calendar Event color from your Google Calendar.
• Font Size: Font size of the display. If Custom is selected, you can change the size of the font. Default Font Size is 20.

Advanced Options

• Time Range: Change the range of times displayed. Choose between Full day, 8 AM - 5 PM, 9 AM - 5 PM, or set a Custom time range.
• Slot Spacing: Change the spacing between slots in the Google Calendar.
• Show Location: Show the location of your calendar's event.
• Auto Scroll: By default, the calendar will focus the display of events on current local time or your set time zone time. This can be less helpful if you anticipate viewers to be able to see all event activities of your calendar. 
  Toggle the auto scroll pans the schedule so that all times are viewable.
• Time Format: Change between a 24-hour time format and 12-hour time format.

• Timezone: select to use Device's time zone or your specified time zone.
• Language: Change the display language for your calendar.
• Weather: Entering location information allows weather information to be overlaid on your calendar.
• Scale: Select if you would like to see your temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius.

The app will also auto-adjust the format to a screen in portrait orientation (rotated screen):

You then can assign this newly created asset to your screens to display, or you can also use it in playlists, schedules, etc. like any other assets. If you need more information on how to set up & assign content to your screens, check out our article on Assigning Content to Your Screens.