Datasources

A datasource is a structured, reusable set of data that content can bind to, so a screen shows live values — a menu, a schedule, a weather panel, a table of names — instead of fixed text. You configure a datasource once, then any content bound to it reflects the current data.

Wallboard organises datasources into three families. Start with the one that matches where your data lives.

Internal datasources

Data you create and maintain inside Wallboard — a table you edit directly, or a free-form JSON store. Use these when Wallboard itself holds the data.

• Internal table datasources — a spreadsheet-style table with typed columns
• Internal custom datasources — arbitrary JSON
• Shared datasource editor — let people outside Wallboard edit a table through a shared link

External datasources

Data pulled from an outside system — spreadsheets, databases, APIs, feeds, and third-party integrations. Wallboard refreshes these on a schedule.

• External datasources overview and full type list

The external types are grouped by what you are connecting to: Files & sheets, Databases & APIs, Feeds & web, Calendars, and Integrations.

System datasources

Data that Wallboard generates about your own environment.

• Device Information Summary
• File System Summary
• Screenshot Creation Service

Settings & behavior

Every external datasource is configured in the same editor and shares the same behavior for refreshing, caching, and automatic deactivation.

• Advanced settings — the editor's Advanced settings panel
• Refresh and caching — how and when a datasource re-fetches its data
• Auto-deactivation — why an unused or failing datasource stops refreshing, and how to prevent it