Genre: All markets

Google Slides, Google Sheets and Google Docs are widely used because they are free, accessible tools. To help you feed your digital display network content, ITESLIVE integrates functions that enable you to easily display files from the Google suite. It is therefore possible to display your documents with minimal manipulation on your various screens and other digital channels. Find out how we added the option of integrating Google files into ITESLIVE and how to use this feature.

What are Google Slides, Google Sheets and Google Docs?

The Google software suite includes Google Slides, used to create slide decks, Google Sheets, for spreadsheets, and Google Docs, a word processor. These tools are respectively the equivalents of the PowerPoint, Excel, and Word Microsoft software suite. They are free to use, can easily be shared, and many different users can work on the file and make edits simultaneously.

Why have we created this feature?

At ITESMEDIA, we are constantly striving to better help our clients and partners. This is why we are highly receptive to their comments, which are reflected in our software development plan (roadmap). With the overwhelming popularity of the Google tools and the multiple requests coming from our clients and partners, we have developed features that enable users to easily display content created in Google Slides, Google Sheets and Google Docs with ITESLIVE.

Through this integration, publishing your slides, your spreadsheets, and your texts on your digital display network and on other digital channels (such as your corporate screensavers) becomes quick and easy. You can then eliminate the repetitive, manual tasks of having to export your image or video content and then importing them in our content management software.

How does it work?

From the ITESLIVE studio directly, select the type of clip you wish to add (either Google Slides, Google Sheets or Google Docs), then copy your document URL. You can then set up the display settings (duration, repetition, priority level, etc.).

Detailed steps on adding each clip type are available in our Help centre:

• Google Slides
• Google Sheets
• Google Docs

This feature enables companies to reuse documents they have already created and add them in ITESLIVE. It’s simple, quick, and efficient. What features do you think are essential for digital display software?

In a well-established hybrid work model where employees are either working from home or remotely, companies need to be equipped with omnichannel communication tools. As such, integrating the Microsoft Teams collaborative communication application into a digital signage software lets companies manage messages that need to be displayed on digital displays at the office and on employees’ computers at home from a central location.

Benefits of integrating Microsoft Teams into your digital display network

Change from a single-channel display network to an omnichannel network

By integrating Microsoft Teams into your digital signage network, you can easily share visual communication channels appearing on your digital displays with your employees. Your digital signage software then becomes a global internal communication software that lets you easily share messages, key performance indicators and useful reminders throughout the company by using the channels of your choice, whether by Teams or through other channels supported by your software (for example: screensavers, digital displays, conference rooms, intranets, smart televisions, video walls and hyperlinks).

Reach your employees with a tool they are already using

Your employees are connected to Microsoft Teams all day long and use it to communicate with other colleagues and to access files. Now, they will be able to use it to see messages sent by the company.

Interact with your employees wherever they are

Whether they are at the office, at home or on the move, your employees can access Microsoft Teams – which means you can easily keep everyone informed. Share upcoming meetings, highlight new clients, or display reminders about changes to policies.

Maintain a healthy organizational culture

If you are concerned about maintaining a good organizational culture in a hybrid work model, this integration will help you unite your teams and create a sense of belonging. For example, you could showcase key wins for your company or highlight your employees. Motivating and engaging your employees will have a significant impact on their:

• Productivity;
• Performance;
• Retention.

Safely share sensitive information

Since content is displayed in Microsoft Teams, you are protected by the same safety features the company has implemented. It is therefore simple to control information access and manage the communication channels employees can use.

How to display and manage your content in Microsoft Teams

Digital display suppliers who offer display solutions through Teams have an application that can be installed within Microsoft Teams. Users having the proper credentials can therefore install the application and add communication channels for themselves and for their colleagues.

As for content management, you can use the same software you were already using to manage your digital displays. This way, you will have access to all the features you need to create, manage, and share your communication channels.

Integrating Microsoft Teams into your digital display network is an asset for companies that rely on efficient internal communications to meet the challenges of having employees working from home and of the hybrid work model. Ask your digital display supplier about the omnichannel communication tools available. You can also contact our team at ventes@itesmedia.tv if you have any questions.

From the origins and rebirth of the QR code…

The story of the QR code is a great example of technology whose original design had a completely different purpose than what it is used for today. The QR code was created in 1994 by an engineering firm commissioned by the Japanese company Toyota to track spare parts in its vehicle production plants. Five years later, this technology became public as a royalty-free data structure.

Figure 1. The inventor of the QR code, Masahiro Hara

 

The QR code came back in 1999 through its rapid expansion in Japan, and it only took a few years thereafter before its popularity spread all over the world.

…to the future of digital displays

Digital and dynamic signage is becoming more and more available in multiplatform mode, including in web platforms using a hyperlink. It then becomes logical that a content management product for digital and dynamic signage offers content-sharing features through QR codes.

Figure 2. QR code enabling you to open ITESLIVE on a web platform – try it!

 

The QR codes can also be used on a screen to share content with passers-by that can’t stop to look at screens. By using these codes, people can “take along” the displayed content and use it at a more appropriate time for them. For example, a real estate agency with a storefront can use its windows to advertise properties for sale. By adding a QR code in the displays showing properties for sale, passers-by (even those in a hurry) can take a few seconds to scan the QR code and look at the content at a later time. QR codes can be used in two different contexts: to offer portability for the content displayed on the digital screen, or to redirect customers to another web site, e.g. a webpage showing detailed information about a property for sale.

A second example of a practical way to use QR codes for digital and dynamic signage is in the public transit sector. We often see signs at bus stops or in train stations displaying the number of minutes before the next scheduled passage. QR codes could be provided to enable users to access the complete bus or train schedule on their mobile phones.

QR codes for digital signage provide an indirect, yet efficient interaction between passers-by and screens. This method enables portability of the screen content and provides additional information with the displayed content. This is a considerable advantage if the objective is to reach both types of passers-by: the ones that have the time to read the content immediately and the others who wish to see the content at their leisure.

Montréal, QC, March 31, 2021 – ITESMEDIA, a technological leader in digital and interactive signage software, is announcing that its ITESLIVE software is now integrated in Microsoft Teams and on screensavers.

Over the last 17 years, ITESMEDIA has stood out from the crowd for its clients and partners through its innovative spirit and its flexibility to adapt to the current and future needs of its customers. Today, in an economic environment where the hybrid work model is prevalent, ITESMEDIA has adapted and is launching a solution that helps organizations easily communicate with their employees, whether they are working from home, at the office, or on the move.

Through this integration, companies can add visual communication channels in Microsoft Teams and on screensavers and share them with their employees. This enables the sharing of messages, of key performance indicators and of relevant reminders across the entire company through a tool its teams already use. This integration provides the following benefits to organizations:

Keeping everyone informed

Remind employees of upcoming meetings, statutory holidays or changes to policies. Management can also use these communication channels to wish a happy birthday to their employees or invite them to a social event.

Bring teams together

Engage employees by showcasing their achievements will have a significant positive impact on their productivity, their performance, and their retention. Has an employee pushed her limits during a sporting event? Has another exceeded expectations on a given project? Did a colleague distinguish himself by achieving a certification?

Real-time information to facilitate decision-making

Safely share information in real time from databases in various formats: XML, CSV, Excel and API (customized integration). Automated content lets you display relevant information and news effortlessly.

Create omni-channel communication feeds

Easily share communication channels on many tools and devices such as Microsoft Teams, screensavers, digital displays, conference rooms, intranets, smart televisions, video walls, tablets, smart phones, and most devices with a screen.

All the tools you need to create and share content

We believe that companies should be able to easily share communications, and that these should be clear for their audiences. This is why ITESLIVE provides a Web interface with all the functions needed to create, manage and share their communication channels.

This announcement is part of ITESMEDIA’s recent initiatives aimed at transitioning towards a multiplatform communication tool. Through this, ITESLIVE can display content on Windows media player, LG WebOS digital signage, Samsung SSP Tizen digital signage, Android media player, BrightSign media player, Microsoft Teams, screensavers and hyperlinks (hyperlinks can be shared through many devices and tools such as tablets or an intranet, for example).

Choosing digital signage software is not an easy task. Many companies offer a wide variety of plans. There are four key elements to consider: features, usability, price and data security.

1. Features

Start by making a list of all the features you need. This way, you will ensure that the software you will choose meets your fundamental needs, which is incidentally the purpose of your initial research. We recommend comparing your list of key features, such as multilingual display or a distribution module with the list of software features. By doing this, you will ensure you are choosing software that will do what you need it to do.

A checklist of features is available to help you in your research.

2. Usability

Ease of use enables users to perform actions on the platform quickly and simply. Intuitive software is much easier to learn; is the software you are considering user-friendly? One way to find out is to ask a demonstration of the software. To determine whether or not the software is easy to use, try it for free to ensure you can navigate through its features with ease. Furthermore, some companies provide users with online documents that help them quickly find answers to their questions. In short, the software must be intuitive.

3. Price

Obviously, the price of the software must be considered. Companies usually offer differently-priced plans based on their functions. As such, it is important to have a flexible budget. For example, the software you are considering costs $10 more than what you planned, but the extra feature helps you save 30 minutes of work. In the end, the slightly higher cost could end up saving you money: by calculating the time you spend to do the task and by comparing it to the price difference, you might realize you could save both time and money. What matters is to consider the quality/price/service ratio.

4. Data security

Finally, it is important to learn about the security of the digital display solution as you might share confidential information within your organization. Ensuring that data will be hosted in a safe place is therefore vital. For example, ITESMEDIA uses Microsoft Azure, a highly secure web host used by 95% of Fortune 500 companies. Using solutions such as Azure provides assurance that servers will always be able to meet requirements. In other words, it is essential to ensure that the digital display software is hosted in a robust and flexible infrastructure available at all times to maintain the safety of your data.

In brief, it’s important to look beyond all the bells and whistles or to look for other choices rather than simply going for the inexpensive solution, and make sure you are comparing apples with apples. Choose a software that meets your needs, is easy to use, fits your budget, and ensures your safety.

At some point in your workday, you’ll come across unused computer screens that are in screensaver mode; this could happen when you are coming in a conference room or when you are returning to your desk, for example. These idle screens are dynamic communication channels that can be used to send important messages to your employees, whether they are in the office or at home.

conference room

 

workplace

How does a screensaver management software work?

Its operation is simple: when a screen is idle for some time (which can be set after a certain period), the screensaver activates and displays information configured in the content management software. That content can be edited remotely and in real time, and can even be updated automatically by integrating sources coming from external data. We can also share specific and customized content for users or groups of users (by using certain tags, for instance). With some tools such as ITESLIVE, users can even access their screensaver content on demand, instantly and on virtually any device with a screen (mobile phone, tablet, computer, TV, digital display, etc.). In short, it is simple to use both for the content manager and for the audience of that content.

Are screensavers an efficient communication tool?

Screensavers are efficient for many different reasons, the first one being its passive, non-intrusive nature, yet at the same time is able to reach most employees, whether they are at the office or working from home. It also creates an opportunity to communicate when employees are not working, where they might be more receptive to the messages. More broadly, this tool also helps repeat important messages and ensure that everyone has seen and understood them. Furthermore, this tool enables a variety of different visual formats by using images, videos, graphics, tables, animations, designs, and text. Screensavers are powerful tools that reaches employees and communicates important messages.

In conclusion, although screensavers were created originally to prevent images from “burning” into cathodic screens (a need that was no longer required since LCD screens appeared), they now play a new role: communicating important messages to your colleagues and employees.

Synchronizing content for digital signage

The digital signage sector has long been marked by a lack of accuracy in the synchronization between screens and their content. Now, more and more businesses in the digital media sector provide synchronized content on different displays. For example, Plex is a company that offers content management and sharing from a media library and can synchronize the content shared with different users. This allows you to watch a movie with your family simultaneously, even if everyone is in different locations. This concept also exists in the digital and dynamic signage sector, and the latest developments offer a superior quality. Digital signage businesses that do not offer content synchronization will need to ramp up their efforts in the coming years to close this gap in their software in order to meet a growing market need.

Many solutions on the market choose a hierarchical synchronization method: a “master” content player is linked to other content readers and shares information to ensure all linked players have the required information, at the same time, to share the content. This method has significant vulnerabilities that could compromise the entire shared content chain if the “master” player malfunctions. Other innovative methods achieve the same result, without the risk of having an entire content-sharing network breaking down.

Calculation accuracy – A perfect harmony

To benefit from a quality synchronization without having displays depending on each other to share content, we need to use a method of advanced calculations that can define on a timeline what content needs to be displayed on screen, and when. By pre-calculating all the content that will be displayed and the time at which it will be shown as soon as the content-sharing software starts, it becomes possible to avoid a synchronization link between screens. Each display precisely calculates its configured elements during start up; as such, every single display remains independent, but they all know what operation they need to execute and when to do it.

Figure 1. Representation of a set of complex calculations

 

This method creates trust in the logical relationship between screens and enables the implementation of a logic-heavy synchronization link between screens. By displaying the same content on different screens, content synchronization is enabled for all platforms. Thus, the calculation accuracy to the millisecond ensures a high-level synchronization while leaving out the potential problems of synchronizing devices through a logical link. To use a comparison, a synchronized swimming team uses the same model: athletes are not joined by a link. Every team member knows before the choreography precisely which movements will be made and at what time. As a result, each athlete works independently, yet is in perfect harmony with the rest of the group.

Benefits of synchronized content

Synchronized content between different digital and dynamic displays provides the important benefit of being able to share the exact same content in real time on a large number of screens, no matter their platform types. For example, it is possible to watch content on a computer’s web browser and to display the same content at the same time on a BrightSign player.

ITESLIVE from the ITESMEDIA company offers synchronized content sharing functions on multiple screens as well as synchronized content sharing in a multifunction mode with a precise calculation method for elements to be displayed. This allows you to synchronize your content without worrying about an element of the display network malfunctioning or about interrupting the synchronization on other screens because a single screen requires maintenance. To use the synchronized swimming team analogy once more, an athlete can rest without affecting the other team members; the same logic applies for displays. It is therefore important to choose the right content-sharing software to benefit from the best methods applied during their engineering.