Question 1

What kind of work can I automate by connecting Tidbyt to other tools?

Accepted Answer

You can automate the process of sending data to your Tidbyt display from external sources, so it updates without manual intervention. For example, you can set up a workflow that pulls metrics from a database or application and pushes them to Tidbyt to display in real time, or trigger notifications on your display based on events in other tools. This eliminates the need to manually update or refresh what appears on your physical display.

Question 2

How does data flow between Tidbyt and other business tools?

Accepted Answer

Tidbyt receives data through push notifications and app installations that can be triggered by external platforms and workflows. When you connect Tidbyt to other tools via automation, those tools can send formatted data or commands to update what displays on your device. Tidbyt itself does not pull data continuously from other sources, so the external system must be configured to push updates to Tidbyt on a schedule or when specific events occur.

Question 3

What are common problems when automating with Tidbyt?

Accepted Answer

Tidbyt updates are asynchronous and depend on successful delivery of push notifications, which can occasionally fail or be delayed due to network issues or rate limits. If your automation sends data in a format or structure that Tidbyt cannot parse, the display may not update correctly or at all. Additionally, Tidbyt has display size and refresh constraints, so automations sending very frequent updates or large amounts of text may not render as expected.

Question 4

How should I structure my Tidbyt setup so automations work reliably?

Accepted Answer

Design your automation workflows to send data to Tidbyt at intervals that match your notification needs rather than continuously, and test the data format before deploying. Keep the content you send to Tidbyt concise and aligned with the display's physical constraints. Set up error handling in your workflows to catch failed pushes or malformed data, and monitor your Tidbyt device regularly to confirm that automated updates are appearing as intended.

Automate the manual work in Tidbyt

Tidbyt by the numbers

Top 5 Tidbyt friction points when done manually

Manually updating Tidbyt display content

Tidbyt app switching between multiple displays

Scheduling Tidbyt rotations without automation

Tidbyt data entry from disconnected sources

Monitoring Tidbyt device status across locations

What you can automate in Tidbyt

Receive new inbound emails in Email by Zapier and send notifications with Tidbyt

Send notifications in Tidbyt for new emails in Gmail

Send notifications in Tidbyt for new Slack mentions

Send Tidbyt notifications for new Microsoft Teams chat messages

Send Tidbyt notifications for new private channel messages in Slack

Send Tidbyt notifications for new Slack public messages posted anywhere

Tools commonly connected to Tidbyt

Tidbyt Automation questions

Ready to automate your work in Tidbyt?