Help & support
Installing and activating, setting up a TV, customizing the board from your workbook, and fixes for the things people ask about most.
Getting started
- Download the zip on the PC connected to the TV. It needs .NET Framework 4.8 (built into Windows 10 version 1903 or later, and Windows 11); Microsoft Excel isn’t needed.
- Unzip the folder anywhere on that PC. If Windows SmartScreen warns you when you open the app, choose More info → Run anyway.
- Run
ExcelMonitor.exeand accept the software agreement. On screen the app calls itself Production Monitor. - Excel Monitor is locked until it has a license key, so it opens on its license screen. That screen shows the current plans and prices from this website, the same ones as the pricing page.
- Paste the key from your email (one line of text) into the License key box and press Activate. Subscription page opens the pricing page and Exit closes the app.
- Choose your workbook in Settings → Browse…, or drag the file onto the window.
- Pick this TV’s line-up under Settings → Monitor. The names come from cells I13 to M13 of your sheet.
- Press F11 for full screen. It starts in full screen from then on.
Updating
Download the new zip and unzip it anywhere, over the old folder or next to it. The key and settings aren’t kept in the program folder, so the new version starts licensed, on the same workbook and line-up.
Once the new version runs, you can delete the old folder.
Licenses & renewals
There’s no billing portal. Choose a plan on the pricing page and your email opens with the plan and price in the subject; the key comes back by email.
To see the license on a TV, open Settings. The License card shows whether the key is active and when it expires. Renewals are arranged by email: when the new key arrives, open Settings → Manage Subscription, paste it into the License key box and press Activate. If a key runs out first, the board goes back to the license screen until a new one is added. Email me about a renewal.
Customize with a PM_Settings tab
Add a tab named PM_Settings to your workbook. Put the setting in column A and its value in column B; anything further right is ignored, so column C is a good place for notes. Every setting is optional. Leave one out and it keeps the default shown here.
| Setting | Default | Example and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh seconds | 11 | How often the sheet is reread, from 5 to 300. |
| On words | Active | Yes, X also switches slides and cards on. Active always works. |
| Weight unit | KG | lb. Leave the value blank to show weights with no unit. |
| Clock format | h:mm:ss AM/PM | HH:mm or h:mm AM/PM. Leave the value blank to hide the clock. |
| Data sheet | first tab not starting with PM_ | Board. The tab the board reads. |
| Brand logo | built-in | plant_logo.png. The logo in the top corner of every slide. |
| Logo folder | none | \\fileserver\logos. Carrier logos (.png or .jpg) here are used before the built-in ones. |
| Logo.name | none | Column A Logo.R+L Carriers, column B RL_Express: shows the RL_Express logo whenever the carrier cell says R+L Carriers. |
| PDF file | the last PDF shown | safety_briefing.pdf. Reloaded whenever the file changes. |
| PDF scroll speed | 100 | Pixels per second, from 10 to 2000. |
| PDF pause seconds | 3 | How long the top and the bottom of the PDF stay on screen, from 0 to 60. |
| Keep screen awake | Yes | No lets Windows turn the screen off at its usual time. |
For Brand logo, Logo folder and PDF file, a name without a folder is looked for next to the workbook, and paths pasted with “Copy as path” (with quotes) are fine. If a setting is misspelled, a number isn’t a number, a clock format can’t be read, or a sheet, logo, folder or PDF can’t be found, the status line at the bottom of the board says which one. Numbers outside a range are set to the nearest limit.
Spreadsheet layout
The board reads fixed cells on the data sheet. Values appear as Excel formats them, so dates, times and number formats carry over; Excel’s built-in date formats follow the PC’s regional settings.
| Part of the board | Rows | Columns |
|---|---|---|
| Production lines 1–6 (slides 2 and 3) | 3–8 | B product, C batch, D weight, E line name |
| Lab QC 1–2 (slide 4) | 9–10 | B product, C batch, D weight, E adjustments |
| Materials 1–3 (slide 5, titled Silver Paste until you rename it) | 11–13 | B product, C batch, D weight |
| Materials 4–5 (slide 6, titled Small Paste until you rename it) | 14–15 | B product, C batch, D weight, E name |
| Shipping (slide 1) | 18–23 | B company, C inspected, D carrier, E shipped, F dock (F17 is the dock column’s heading) |
| Card switches (every TV) | 3–12 | Column I only. Type Active to show: I3 the dock column, I4–I8 lines 2–6, I9 QC 2, I10–I11 materials 2–3, I12 materials 5. Line 1, QC 1 and materials 1 and 4 always show. |
| Line-up names | 13 | I to M: one name per line-up, shown in Settings → Monitor |
| Slide switches | 14–20 | Each line-up’s column (I to M): one row per slide, slides 1 to 7 in order |
Slide titles, column headings and field labels aren’t in the sheet: double-click one on the TV to rename it. Line names, the materials 4–5 names and the dock heading come from the sheet. If no slide is switched on for a line-up, its TVs show them all rather than a blank screen.
On the TV
- F11 or the full-screen button switches full screen on and off.
- The Settings and full-screen buttons fade out after a few seconds. Move the mouse to bring them back.
- Double-click a title or label to rename it. Each PC keeps its own names.
- Drag a PDF onto the window to show it on the documents slide, or drag a workbook to switch to it.
- The status line in the bottom corner shows when the sheet was last read. Amber means the file is busy or a setting needs fixing; red means the file can’t be read.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use a workbook in OneDrive?
On the PC running the board, right-click the file in File Explorer and choose Always keep on this device. Then pick it in Settings → Browse…. The board reads the synced copy and picks up changes as OneDrive brings them in.
Why does it only show the license screen?
Excel Monitor stays locked until a valid license key is added; there’s no free trial. The license screen shows the current plans and prices from this website. Choose a plan on the pricing page, and once your key arrives by email, paste it into the License key box and press Activate.
Can I use this on multiple devices?
Yes. Your license allows installation on up to 4 devices.
What if I need more than five different line-ups?
One workbook holds five line-ups, columns I to M, and any number of TVs can share one. If you need more than five different line-ups, email support with your rollout size.
Why doesn’t a carrier logo show?
The carrier cell is matched to a logo file by name, ignoring case, spaces and punctuation, so “FedEx Express” finds FedEx_Express.png. If the name in the sheet is different, add a Logo. row to PM_Settings, or put your own .png or .jpg image in a Logo folder (new files show up within five minutes). Until a logo matches, the board shows the carrier’s name instead.
The board says “Excel file not found”.
The workbook was moved or renamed, or its network share is offline. Choose it again in Settings → Browse…. If the share was only down for a while, the board picks the file back up by itself once it returns.
The status line says the file is in use.
That’s normal while someone is saving the workbook. The board keeps showing the last data it read and tries again on the next refresh.
What should I do if my license key isn’t working?
Check that the whole key was pasted as one line, with no spaces. If it still isn’t accepted, email support with your purchase details and the key you received, and a replacement can be issued if needed.
Where are the key and settings stored, and how do I reset them?
The license key, the chosen workbook, the last PDF and a small error log are kept in %LocalAppData%\ExcelWatcher for the Windows user. The TV choice, slide speed, full screen and renamed labels are kept in that user’s registry under HKCU\SOFTWARE\ProductionMonitor. Neither is in the program folder, which is why an update keeps them. Deleting them resets the app on that PC, including the license key, so have your key email ready to enter it again.
Does it go online?
Only to show prices: while the license screen is showing, it reads the price list from this website. Once it’s licensed, it never contacts the site. The privacy policy has the details.
Still need help?
Email support at hireme@nicholascabel.com with what you’re seeing on the board. A photo of the TV, including the status line, helps. For license questions, include your purchase details.
Email support