Screenly recently launched its exciting Zapier integration, and this feature has enabled a ton of exciting digital signage workflows. One workflow, in particular, uses Dropbox and Zapier to manage content on digital signs through an easy drag-and-drop process. Dropbox is (or at least was) the king of consumer cloud-based file storage, and a lot of users are very comfortable with the Dropbox interface.

In the post below, we show how teams can set up a workflow where all they have to do is drop new content into a Dropbox folder, and that content starts showing on their screens in minutes. Learn the step-by-step process and implement this workflow in your team!

Step 1: Prepare your Screenly account

The first step is to get your Screenly account ready for action. First, log in or sign up for a 30-day free trial. Next, launch your first digital screen with Screenly Anywhere. Click the Screens tab on the left-side menu, and then click + New Screen on the new page that loads. Select Screenly Anywhere and visit anywhere.screenly.io on a new browser tab. Next, enter the pairing PIN code, name your screen, and click Add.

The next step is to get a playlist set up. Click the Playlist tab on the left-side screen. Then, click the + New Playlist button on the top right. In the new page that loads, name your playlist Test Playlist or whatever you like. Then, in the Plays On input field, select the recently made Test Screen. Save this screen to the Plays On list, and then click Save again on the bottom right of the screen.

Step 2: Get your Dropbox account ready

Within your Dropbox account, set up a folder where you will add digital signage content. Simply click the Create folder button on the top of the All files screen and give your folder a name. We used the name Screen Files. Add an image for demo content in this folder.

Step 3: Set up your Zapier Trigger

Next, log in to your Zapier account or create a new one. Once you are on the main Zapier dashboard, click the + Create orange button on the top left. Select Zaps from the drop-down menu.

Then, in the Zap building area, click the Trigger icon. Select the Dropbox app. In the Trigger event input field, select New File in Folder. Next, in the Account field, authenticate your Dropbox account. Click the purple Continue button.

Now, in the Configure stage and Space input field, select Default or the Space where your folder lives. Next, in the Folder input field, select the Folder that you wish to use. We are using our Screen Files folder. You can leave the other settings as their defaults. Click the purple Continue button. Next, click the purple Test trigger button. Then, click Continue with selected record.

Step 4: Set up your Screenly Action

The next step is to set up the Action you want Screenly to take when this Zap is triggered. Click the grey Action icon. Search for Screenly in the popup modal and select the Screenly app. Next, in the Action event input field, select Complete workflow.

To link your Screenly account, you will need to provide a token key in the Account input field. To get your token key, click Settings on the left menu of your Screenly dashboard. Then, click Security in the submenu of the page that loads. Next, click Show on the Tokens row. You can then provide a Name for the token and click Add. You will then see the secret token key once. Enter that secret token key in the Zapier popup modal. Next, click the purple Continue button.

In the Configure stage, select File in the File URL field. In the Asset Title field, select File Name from the drop-down. You can also set the duration for which you want the asset to display on your screen. In the Existing Playlist field, choose the Test Playlist you recently created or the playlist you intend to use. Also, select the Test Screen option or whichever screen you intend to use in the Screen input field. Click the purple Continue button. Next, click the Test step button.

You should then see the content in the selected playlist within your Screenly account. The content should then start displaying on your screen within a couple of minutes.

That’s it! You’ve successfully set up a Dropbox digital signage workflow with Screenly and Zapier.

Take the next step

If you don’t have a Screenly account, get a 30-day free trial now or upgrade to a paid plan. Also, be sure to check out Screenly’s digital signage player. Screenly Anywhere screens are convenient as they work with any hardware that can display a modern web browser, but dedicated digital signage players are the better choice in deployments where reliability is critical.

Questions? Reach out to Screenly Support. We are always happy to help and answer any questions you may have.