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Getting Started with Smarter Advent Calendar

Step-by-step guide for installing and setting up your first advent calendar.

Table of Contents

Welcome!

Delight your team throughout Advent with our virtual calendar for Microsoft 365 and SharePoint. The countdown flies by and every colleague gets a daily chance to win exciting prizes.

1

App Installation

To work with the Smarter Advent Calendar SPFx web part, add the app to your tenant app catalog first.

📝 Helpful note

Learn how to request and install apps from the SharePoint Store.

  1. Deploy the app to the tenant app catalog
  2. Install it on the desired site collection via "Add an app"
  3. Place the Smarter Advent Calendar SPFx web part on any SharePoint page
Screenshot: Add the Smarter Advent Calendar web part

Here is how to add the Smarter Advent Calendar to your SharePoint page

Microsoft guide: Add an app to a site →

2

Configure Permissions

Admins (editors) can curate door content and start prize draws, while participants can open doors and join the giveaway.

👨‍💼

Administrators

Access to edit mode, test mode, raffles, SharePoint lists, and settings

🎁

Participants

Can open doors, collect tickets, and join the prize draw

3

Create Door Content

In Edit mode every one of the 24 doors shows a pencil icon so you can update the content instantly.

Animation: Edit mode of the Smarter Advent Calendar

Edit mode highlights every door with a pencil icon

Supported content types:

🖼️

SharePoint images

Use the original image link and make sure participants have access.

🎥

SharePoint videos

Copy the link directly from SharePoint and respect existing permissions.

📝

Forms quizzes

Link to Microsoft Forms surveys or quizzes for playful challenges.

📺

YouTube videos

Use the embed link for videos you want to show directly in the door.

Illustration: Opened door inside the Advent calendar

This is what an opened door looks like for participants

4

Testing & Raffles

🧪

Test mode

Administrators can review every door in test mode at any time, without creating entries in the participant list.

🎰

Raffles (PRO)

Use raffle mode to draw winners from all participant entries with interactive cards for suspenseful live raffles.

Additional Features

📋

SharePoint lists

Automatically created lists: "Advent Calendar Content" for all 24 doors and "Advent Calendar Participants" for entries and tickets.

⭐

PRO features

Custom background (1200x660px) and custom text below the calendar in the PRO version.

Animation: Adjust the background in the PRO version

Upload your company background in the PRO version

5

Frequently Asked Questions

📺 How do I embed YouTube videos?

Click "Share" → "Embed" under the video and copy the URL. Paste this URL into the Link field.

Important: Only publicly accessible content is supported because there is no authentication.

🧪 Can admins test the system?

Yes. Users who are assigned as administrators can use test mode at any time. These actions are not written to the participant list and do not count toward the raffle.

⚠️ What causes error messages?

Errors usually appear when:
  • The linked resource is not publicly accessible
  • The URL is formatted incorrectly or invalid

Need Support?

Our support team is happy to help you with any questions about Smarter Advent Calendar.

Get in Touch Request Support