How to Use Microsoft Outlook Calendar with OptiSigns

• What You'll Need
• Creating a Microsoft Outlook Calendar App
• Deploying a Microsoft Outlook Calendar App
• Frequently Asked Questions

This article will show you how to display Microsoft's Calendar on your big screens TVs with OptiSigns.
The app works with both Office 365 Calendar and Outlook.com Calendar.

What You'll Need

• An OptiSigns account - Standard Plan or higher
• An OptiSigns-enabled device
• A screen, set up and paired with OptiSigns

You may also need Administrator access on your Microsoft account. See our Frequently Asked Questions section for more on that.

Also, see our other article on Setting Up an Outlook Calendar with Shared Permissions, if that is what you need.

Creating a Microsoft Outlook Calendar App

To display Microsoft Outlook Calendar onscreen, you'll need to create an app within OptiSigns.

First, go to the OptiSigns Portal. Go to Files/Assets → Add Asset → Apps.

Select Outlook Calendar.

The below screen should appear:

Here, you have a few options.

If you have used a Microsoft account on the OptiSigns platform, you can select it from the dropdown. If you have not, you'll need to hit Login with Work Account, enter in your Microsoft account information, and grant OptiSigns the necessary permissions. If you're using a Personal Account, click Login with Personal Account.

Then, hit Next within OptiSigns.

The below screen will then appear (with nothing filled in), along with a Preview:

• Name - Name of your calendar that you wish to see it labeled as within the OptiSigns platform. This name is internal to you only and will not be displayed on your screens.
• Calendars -  The dropdown will show all the calendars that are within the account. These can be calendars you created or subscribed to.
• Title - Title of the calendar. This will be displayed onscreen.
• Display Mode - Select the view of the calendar 
  • Schedule - Linear listing of every event in succession by time and date.
  • 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 - 

You may also switch between Landscape and Portrait for your Preview, depending on the orientation of the display you wish to display the app on.

Theme Settings

Toggle this open or closed. These settings will be reflected in the Preview on the right.

• Hide Background Image - Removes the Background Image from the app.
• Background Image - Choose between the Default image, or a Custom Background image. If Custom is chosen, a new option will appear:
• 
• Choose Photo - Select the photo you wish to use as a Background Image. This must be an existing asset within OptiSigns.
• Theme - Choose between Light and Dark theme for your displays.
• Text Color - Change the color of your calendar's text.
• Use Your Calendar Event Color - Check to keep the existing event colors from your calendar. Uncheck if you want to change them.

• Event Background Color - Appears when "Use Your Calendar Event Color" is unchecked. This lets you change the color of how the event appears.
• Event Text Color - Appears when "Use Your Calendar Event Color" is unchecked. This lets you change the color of how the text on the event appears.
• Font Size - Change the size of the font on your Microsoft Outlook Calendar app.

Advanced Options

• Time Range - Choose the range of time you want to display. By default, it is set to Full Day, and you can choose 8AM - 5PM, 9AM - 5PM, or Custom. This will let you fine-tune the times you wish to actually show your calendar.
• Slot spacing - Changes the spacing of the slots within the 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 12 hour and 24 hour clocks.
• Weather - Entering location information allows weather information to be overlaid on your calendar.
• Timezone - Change the timezone of the meeting. This defaults to the used device's timezone, but can be specified here if needed.
• Language - Choose between a variety of language options for the display.

Once you've set up the app, it's ready to be deployed.

Deploying a Microsoft Outlook Calendar App

You can deploy your new Microsoft Outlook Calendar app as an individual asset, or as part of a Split Screen.

To get your new Microsoft Outlook Calendar asset to a screen, go to the Screens tab, then click the screen you want to assign it to.

This brings up the Edit Screen tab:

Here, select Asset under Content type, then hit Browse next to Selected Asset (if needed).

Then, select your created Microsoft Outlook Calendar asset:

Now hit Save. Your Microsoft Outlook Calendar asset will now display on screen. 

You can also deploy it as part of a split screen, allowing you to show other assets at the same time. See how in our Split Screen app article. It can also be displayed in a Playlist or Schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does using Outlook or Office 365 Calendar require giving OptiSigns Admin permission to use?

OptiSigns uses Microsoft APIs for integration. In order for our integrations to work, the integration has to be approved by an administrator. This is the same across all integrations using Microsoft APIs.

This administrator access is only needed for first time access. Once the OptiSigns app is approved for use, other users can use OptiSigns directly.

I can't find the calendar I want to display. Why not?

A limitation of the integration is that OptiSigns can only display what is tied to a given Microsoft account. This means that any calendars shared with that account or present in Microsoft Rooms cannot be displayed.

To fix this, you can change the calendar directory from Rooms to a personal one. First, find the calendar you wish to display, then hit the 3-dot icon and navigate to Remove:

Next, hit Add Calendar. Find the calendar from the directory you wish to display, then add it to My Calendars:

Now, the appropriate calendar should display once it's been recreated in OptiSigns.

That's all!