'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Publish an Excel Workbook as a Live, View-Only Webpage
Question details
The user needs to display a live, view-only Excel workbook on facility monitors via a webpage, ensuring it updates automatically without granting edit permissions.
- Product
- Excel, OneDrive, SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Displaying live spreadsheet data, charts, or dashboards securely on public or internal facility monitors.
- Observed behavior
- The workbook must remain connected to the cloud and reflect real-time updates while strictly enforcing view-only restrictions on the display webpage.
Ensure your Excel workbook is saved in a cloud location like OneDrive for Business or SharePoint, and verify that your organization's administrative settings allow external sharing or file embedding.
Embed the Excel Workbook via Excel for the Web
Generate an iframe embed code directly from Excel for the Web to seamlessly display the workbook on a custom dashboard or webpage.
This method creates an interactive iframe element that can be pasted into any standard HTML webpage. Viewers will see the latest data saved to the cloud, but they cannot edit the source file.
Upload your Excel workbook to OneDrive or SharePoint, then click on the file to open it in your web browser using Excel for the Web.
Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Share' from the sidebar, and then click 'Embed'.
In the Embed dialog box, choose whether to display the entire workbook, a specific chart, or a named range. Adjust the width and height dimensions to fit your facility monitor.
Copy the generated HTML iframe code and paste it into the source code of your custom webpage or digital signage software.
Use the SharePoint File Viewer Web Part
If your facility monitors display internal SharePoint sites, use the built-in File Viewer web part for an integrated, secure viewing experience.
Share Live Spreadsheets Easily with WPS Office
WPS Office offers an integrated cloud solution that allows you to instantly generate view-only web links for your spreadsheets. You can use this link to display your spreadsheet as a live webpage on any monitor, ensuring data updates in real-time as you edit.
- 1. Save to WPS Cloud: Open your spreadsheet in WPS Office and save it directly to your integrated WPS Cloud folder.
- 2. Generate a Sharing Link: Click the 'Share' button in the upper right corner of the WPS Spreadsheet interface.
- 3. Configure View-Only Permissions: In the sharing panel, select 'Anyone with the link' and ensure the permission is set to 'View Only' to prevent unauthorized edits.
- 4. Display on Monitors: Copy the generated web link and paste it into the full-screen browser on your facility monitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the embedded webpage update immediately when I change the Excel file?
Changes saved to OneDrive or SharePoint sync to the cloud almost immediately. However, the webpage displaying the iframe will not update visually until the page is refreshed. You can add a simple auto-refresh script to your webpage to automate this.
How do I ensure viewers cannot edit the live workbook on the monitor?
When creating the embed code or sharing link, ensure that you select 'View only' permissions and leave the 'Allow editing' checkbox unchecked in your OneDrive or SharePoint sharing settings.
Can I display only a specific chart instead of the entire spreadsheet?
Yes. When using the 'Embed' option in Excel for the Web, the customization menu provides an option to select a specific named item, such as a chart, pivot table, or a specific range of cells.
Why does my embedded Excel webpage show an access denied error?
This occurs when the sharing permissions on the workbook are restricted. Ensure the sharing settings are configured to 'Anyone with the link' can view, or ensure the monitor's browser is logged into an authorized Microsoft 365 account.
