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How to Display Live Excel Data 

Purpose

This guide walks support team members through the complete process of configuring an Excel spreadsheet to display live, auto-updating data on digital signage screens via L Squared Hub CMS. Once configured, any update saved to the Excel file will automatically flow through to the screens — no manual re-uploading required.

How It Works — Overview

This solution links five components together into a seamless update pipeline:

  • Excel File (.xlsx) — Your data source; edit this to update what shows on screens
  • PowerPoint (.pptx) — Linked presentation that pulls live data from the Excel file
  • Microsoft OneDrive — Cloud storage that syncs files across devices automatically
  • File Explorer Sync — Allows local editing of files stored in OneDrive
  • L Squared Hub CMS — Content management system that pushes content to screens

✓ Verified: The Paste Special → Paste Link → Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object method is an officially supported Microsoft feature. It creates a persistent live link between your Excel file and PowerPoint. When the Excel file is saved, PowerPoint will pull the latest data automatically on next open or refresh.

Requirements

Before starting, confirm you have the following:

  • Microsoft Excel (any recent version)
  • Microsoft PowerPoint (any recent version)
  • Microsoft OneDrive installed and signed in on your Windows PC
  • Access to L Squared Hub CMS with Content Library and Scheduling permissions
  • A OneDrive or SharePoint folder synced to Windows File Explorer

Step 1 — Prepare Your Files in OneDrive

Create a dedicated folder in OneDrive or SharePoint to store both the Excel and PowerPoint files.

Create a Dedicated Folder

  1. Sign in to OneDrive or SharePoint in your browser.
  2. Create a new folder. Suggested name: Digital Signage Reports
  3. Place (or plan to save) both of the following files inside this folder:
    • a. report.xlsx — your Excel data file
    • b. presentation.pptx — your PowerPoint display file

⚠ Important: Both files must live in the same folder. PowerPoint stores an absolute file path to the Excel file when a link is created. If the files are in different locations, the link will break.

Step 2 — Sync OneDrive Folder to Windows File Explorer

This step ensures you can edit the Excel file locally and have changes sync automatically to the cloud.

  1. Open OneDrive in your browser and navigate to your Digital Signage Reports folder.
  2. Click the Sync button in the toolbar.
  3. When prompted, click Open Microsoft OneDrive to approve the sync.
  4. Once complete, your folder will appear in Windows File Explorer at a path similar to:
    C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive - CompanyName\Digital Signage Reports

You can now open and edit the Excel file directly from File Explorer — changes will sync to the cloud automatically.

Tip: Right-click the synced folder in File Explorer and select Always keep on this device. This ensures files are always available locally and improves sync reliability.

Step 3 — Link the Excel Table into PowerPoint

This is the most critical step. You are creating a live link — not just pasting a static copy.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Open your Excel file (report.xlsx) from the synced OneDrive folder in File Explorer.
  2. Select the cells or table you want displayed on screens.
  3. Press Ctrl + C to copy the selection.
  4. Open your PowerPoint file (presentation.pptx) from the same synced OneDrive folder.
  5. Navigate to the slide where the data should appear.
  6. In the Home tab, click the arrow under Paste, then select Paste Special.
  7. In the Paste Special dialog:
    • c. Select Paste Link (not Paste)
    • d. In the list, choose Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object
    • e. Click OK

☑ Confirmed Working: Paste Special → Paste Link → Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object is the correct and supported method. This creates a dynamic OLE link between the two files. PowerPoint will prompt you to update links each time it is opened.

Save Both Files

After creating the link, save both files into the same OneDrive synced folder:

  • report.xlsx
  • presentation.pptx

Step 4 — Test the Live Link

Verify the link is working before uploading to the CMS.

  1. Open report.xlsx and change a value in the linked cells.
  2. Save the Excel file (Ctrl + S).
  3. Open presentation.pptx.
  4. When PowerPoint prompts: "This presentation contains links to external data. Would you like to update?" click Update Links.
  5. Confirm that the table in the PowerPoint slide now shows the updated data.

⚠ If No Prompt Appears: Go to File → Info → Edit Links to Files to manually update or verify the link path is correct.

Step 5 — Connect Your OneDrive Folder to L Squared Hub CMS

Instead of manually uploading files, you connect your OneDrive folder directly to the Content Library. The CMS will read the files from OneDrive automatically.

  1. Log in to L Squared Hub CMS.
  2. Navigate to Content Library.
  3. Click the arrow (dropdown) beside the Create New Folder button.
  4. Select OneDrive from the options that appear.
  5. A sign-in prompt will appear — log in with your Microsoft/OneDrive account credentials.
  6. Browse to your Digital Signage Reports folder (or whichever folder contains your .xlsx and .pptx files).
  7. Select the folder and confirm.

Once connected, the Content Library will display the contents of your OneDrive folder — including both report.xlsx and presentation.pptx — directly inside L Squared Hub CMS. No manual file upload is needed.

Note: Because the CMS is reading directly from your OneDrive folder, any updates you save to the Excel file will sync through OneDrive and be reflected in the CMS automatically. You do not need to re-upload files after each edit.

Step 6 — Schedule the Presentation to Screens

Assign the PowerPoint to a screen schedule to begin displaying it.

  1. In L Squared Hub CMS, navigate to Schedules.
  2. Create a new schedule or open an existing one.
  3. Add presentation.pptx to the schedule.
  4. Assign the schedule to the desired screens or device groups.
  5. Publish the schedule.

The PowerPoint presentation will now display on the assigned screens.

Ongoing Usage — Day-to-Day Workflow

Once the setup is complete, the daily workflow for updating screens is:

  1. Open report.xlsx from the synced OneDrive folder in File Explorer.
  2. Edit the data as needed.
  3. Save the file (Ctrl + S). OneDrive will sync automatically.
  4. The updated content will be available in the L Squared Hub Content Library via the connected OneDrive folder — no re-upload needed.

The updated content will display on screens.

Best Practices

  • Keep both files in the same folder — never separate them after linking.
  • Do not rename or move the Excel file after the link has been created.
  • Use Always keep on this device on the synced OneDrive folder for reliability.
  • Test the link after any file move or computer change before scheduling to screens.
  • Use a clearly named folder like Digital Signage Reports to avoid confusion.

Recommended Folder Structure

 
 
OneDrive └── Digital Signage Reports     ├── report.xlsx     └── presentation.pptx

Troubleshooting

PowerPoint does not update after saving Excel
Confirm the link was created using Paste Special → Paste Link. Re-open PowerPoint and click Update Links when prompted.

Link is broken after moving files
Never rename or move the Excel file after linking. If broken, redo the Paste Special → Paste Link step.

OneDrive not syncing
Check the OneDrive icon in the Windows taskbar. Blue arrows = syncing, green checkmark = synced. Click to open and resolve any errors.

Content not updating on screens
Verify OneDrive has finished syncing. Because the CMS reads directly from OneDrive, no re-upload is needed. Check that the OneDrive folder is still connected in the Content Library.

PowerPoint shows #REF or empty cells
Ensure the Excel file is saved in the same OneDrive folder as the PowerPoint. The file path stored in PowerPoint must remain valid.