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Use Custom Web Application in the Pickcel Dashboard app to show any web app or dashboard that signs in with an email or username and a password. This covers internal ERP, MES, CRM and reporting pages, and any other dashboard without a built-in connector. You record the login once in Chrome, and Pickcel signs in by itself after that. Nobody has to sign in at the screen.
The sign-in must be a plain email or username and password form. “Sign in with Microsoft/Google” (SSO), SMS codes, push approvals and CAPTCHA can’t be automated.

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Live or Snapshot

You choose the mode when you create the app.
  • Choose Live when your screens run Windows or Raspberry Pi players and the data must update the moment it changes.
  • Choose Snapshot when your screens use other players (Android, Samsung, LG and so on) or when a delay of a few minutes is fine.

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Before you begin

  • A read-only account for the web app, used only for signage, not a personal or admin account
  • The app’s login page URL and the dashboard URL you want on screen
  • Google Chrome on a computer that can open the web app

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Step 1: Record the login with the Pickcel Auth Generator

1

Install the Pickcel Auth Generator extension

  • Download the Pickcel Auth Generator ZIP and extract it.
  • In Chrome, open chrome://extensions and turn on Developer mode (top right).
Developer mode toggle turned on in Chrome Extensions
  • Click Load unpacked.
Load unpacked button in Chrome Extensions
  • Select the extracted signage-step-recorder-extension-dev folder and click Select.
Selecting the signage-step-recorder-extension-dev folder and clicking Select
  • Pickcel Auth Generator now appears in your extensions. Turn on Pin new extensions to toolbar (or pin it from the puzzle-piece menu) for easy access.
Pickcel Auth Generator 1.1.2 loaded in Chrome Extensions, with Pin new extensions to toolbar
2

Record the sign-in

  • Open the web app’s login page in Chrome.
  • Click the extension icon, then click the reset app icon (top right) to clear any earlier recording.
  • Click Start Recording.
Pickcel Auth Generator popup open on a login page, with the reset app icon and Start Recording
  • The extension icon shows a green run badge while it records.
  • Click into each field, then type the email or username and the password.
  • Click the sign-in button. Pressing Enter isn’t recorded.
Recording in progress: run badge on the extension icon, with the email, password and Sign In button to click
3

Copy the auth code

  • Open the exact dashboard page you want on screen and wait for it to load fully.
  • Stop the recording: click the extension icon, then Get Url. A window opens with the recorded steps and the Base 64 code.
  • Click copy to clipboard.
Get Url window showing the JSON data, the Base 64 auth code and copy to clipboard
The copied code contains the username and password. Treat it like a password and don’t share it over email or chat. Once applied in the console, Pickcel stores it encrypted.

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Step 2: Create the app in Pickcel

1

Open the Dashboard app

  • In the Pickcel console, go to Content > Apps.
  • Search for Dashboard and click it.
Searching for the Dashboard app in Pickcel Apps
2

Choose a rendering mode

  • In Choose Rendering Mode, click Choose this mode under Live Rendering or Snapshot Rendering.
Choose Rendering Mode dialog with Snapshot Rendering and Live Rendering
3

Select Custom Web Application

  • Enter a Name for the app, for example “Sales KPI Dashboard”.
  • In Select the Dashboard Type, choose Custom Web Application.
Custom Web Application selected as the dashboard type, with the Auth Code field on the right
4

Apply the auth code

  • Paste the copied code into Auth Code on the right.
  • Click Apply Auth Code. The Auth Token field on the left fills in.
Auth code pasted into the Auth Code field, ready to apply
5

Set Snapshot options (Snapshot mode only)

Live mode has no extra settings, so skip to the next step. In Snapshot mode, set:
  • Screen Selection Code (optional): show only part of the page. Create it with the Dashboard Screen Mapper.
  • Refresh Interval: how often a new capture is taken. 5–10 minutes suits most dashboards.
  • Session Expiry: how often Pickcel signs in again. Keep it shorter than the web app’s own session timeout.
  • Enable Auto Scroll / Enable Auto Scroll Height (optional): scroll tall pages.
Snapshot mode settings: Screen Selection Code, Refresh Interval, Session Expiry and auto scroll
6

Create and publish

  • Click Create App. The app appears in Content > Media.
  • Click its thumbnail to preview. The first sign-in can take up to 2 minutes.
  • Publish it to your screens like any other media, full screen or in a zone of a composition.

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Troubleshooting

The credentials are wrong or the login page has changed. Record the login again and apply the new code.
The code still holds the old password. Record the login again and update the app.
The web app’s session expires before Pickcel signs in again. Lower Session Expiry.
The steps weren’t captured. Click the reset app icon, then record again, clicking into each field and clicking the sign-in button.
Live mode runs only on Windows and Raspberry Pi players. Use Snapshot mode for other players.

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What’s next?