Google Workspace Embeds

Google Workspace Embeds let you display live Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Forms, and Maps directly in HipDeck playlist slides — no exporting files required. The content stays live and up to date, pulling directly from your Google account.

What You Can Embed

HipDeck supports embeds from all six core Google Workspace tools:

• Google Docs — Display live documents, reports, or written content on your screens.
• Google Sheets — Show live spreadsheet data, dashboards, or tables that update automatically.
• Google Slides — Run a looping slideshow presentation as a dynamic screen element.
• Google Calendar — Display upcoming events and schedules for lobbies or common areas.
• Google Forms — Embed a form for interactive kiosks or feedback displays.
• Google Maps — Show a location, venue, or directions map on any screen.

Before You Start — Permissions

For any Google Workspace embed to display publicly on your screens, the file or resource must be shared so that Anyone with the link can view it. If the sharing is restricted, the embed will show an error or a blank frame instead of your content.

To set the correct sharing permissions in Google Drive:

1. Open the file in Google Drive.
2. Click Share in the top-right corner.
3. Under General access, click the dropdown and select Anyone with the link.
4. Make sure the role is set to Viewer.
5. Click Done.

This step is required for the embed to work on HipDeck screens. Without it, your content will not be visible to viewers.

Getting the Embed Link

Each Google Workspace tool has its own method for generating an embed URL. Follow the steps for the tool you want to embed.

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

1. Open your Doc, Sheet, or Slides presentation.
2. Click File in the top menu.
3. Select Share > Publish to web.
4. In the dialog, click the Embed tab.
5. Configure any options (such as slide timing for Slides), then click Publish.
6. Copy the URL from the src attribute inside the generated <iframe> code — this is your embed URL.

Google Calendar

1. Open Google Calendar and click the gear icon to go to Settings.
2. In the left sidebar, find your calendar under Settings for my calendars and click on it.
3. Scroll down to the Integrate calendar section.
4. Copy the Public URL to this calendar or the src URL from the Embed code — this is your embed URL.

Google Maps

1. Open Google Maps and navigate to the location you want to display.
2. Click Share (or the share icon in the location panel).
3. Select the Embed a map tab.
4. Choose your preferred map size, then copy the URL from the src attribute inside the <iframe> code — this is your embed URL.

Google Forms

1. Open your form in Google Forms.
2. Click Send in the top-right corner.
3. Click the embed icon (< >) in the Send via options.
4. Copy the URL from the src attribute inside the <iframe> code — this is your embed URL.

Embedding Google Docs

Follow these steps to add a Google Doc embed to a HipDeck slide:

1. Open your playlist in HipDeck and navigate to the slide where you want to add the embed.
2. Click Add Element and select Embed.
3. In the Embed Element settings panel, paste the embed URL you copied from File > Share > Publish to web.
4. Resize and reposition the embed element on the slide canvas as needed.
5. Click Save to apply your changes.

The Google Doc will now display live on that slide whenever the playlist runs.

Embedding Google Sheets as a Live Data Display

Follow these steps to embed a Google Sheet into a HipDeck slide:

1. Open your playlist in HipDeck and navigate to the target slide.
2. Click Add Element and select Embed.
3. Paste the embed URL copied from File > Share > Publish to web into the Embed Element settings panel.
4. Resize and position the element to fit your slide layout.
5. Click Save.

Google Sheets update automatically — the embed always reflects the current state of your spreadsheet without any action needed in HipDeck.

Tip: When publishing to web, select a specific sheet tab rather than the entire document. This keeps the display focused and avoids showing unintended data.

Embedding Google Slides as a Live Slideshow

Follow these steps to embed a Google Slides presentation into a HipDeck slide:

1. Open your playlist in HipDeck and navigate to the target slide.
2. Click Add Element and select Embed.
3. Paste the embed URL copied from File > Share > Publish to web into the Embed Element settings panel.
4. Resize the element to fill the slide canvas or your desired area.
5. Click Save.

Auto-Advance and Slideshow Settings

When you publish a Google Slides presentation to the web, Google offers options to control how the slideshow behaves inside the embed:

• Slide advance timing — Set slides to advance automatically every few seconds (e.g., every 3 seconds).
• Loop — Enable looping so the presentation restarts after the last slide.

For a live slideshow element on a digital signage screen, it is strongly recommended to enable both auto-advance and loop. This ensures the presentation runs continuously without any interaction, filling the frame cleanly and keeping your content in motion.

Embedding Google Calendar

Follow these steps to embed a Google Calendar to show upcoming events:

1. Open your playlist in HipDeck and navigate to the target slide.
2. Click Add Element and select Embed.
3. Paste the calendar embed URL from Google Calendar Settings > Integrate calendar into the Embed Element settings panel.
4. Resize and position the element on the slide canvas.
5. Click Save.

The calendar updates automatically, always showing current and upcoming events. This makes it ideal for lobby displays, reception areas, and common spaces where visitors or staff need to see what’s on the schedule.

Embedding Google Maps

Follow these steps to embed a Google Maps location or directions:

1. Open your playlist in HipDeck and navigate to the target slide.
2. Click Add Element and select Embed.
3. Paste the Maps embed URL copied from Google Maps > Share > Embed a map into the Embed Element settings panel.
4. Resize and position the element on the slide canvas.
5. Click Save.

Google Maps embeds are well suited for displaying your office location, an event venue, or turn-by-turn directions — anywhere you need to orient visitors or guide an audience to a physical place.

Sizing and Scroll Behavior

For the best display results, set your embed element’s width to 100% of the slide canvas, or match it precisely to your slide dimensions. This ensures the embedded content fills the frame without gaps or overflow.

Keep in mind that embedded Google tools may show scrollbars if the content is larger than the frame. To minimize this:

• Size your slide or embed element to accommodate the full content area.
• Use the Publish to web embed URL options where available, as these strip away most of the Google interface chrome and focus on the content.
• For Google Slides in auto-advance mode, the presentation fills the frame cleanly with no scrollbars, making it one of the most polished embed options for full-screen display.