In the dynamic world of productivity and automation, Google Sheets and Zapier are powerful tools that can streamline workflows for businesses of all sizes. This article will show you how to use Zapier with Google Sheets to improve your workflows.
Google Sheets is great for organizing data and Zapier is an automation powerhouse, so using them together can really boost your business processes. Let’s explore how to use these tools together to create powerful workflows.
Getting Started: The Anatomy of a Zap
The core of Zapier's functionality lies in "Zaps," which are automated workflows made up of two components:
1. Triggers
Triggers are events in one app that start a Zap. These triggers can include new entries submitted through Google Forms, new rows added to a Google Sheet, or new leads generated through Facebook Ads.
2. Actions
Actions are what happen in another app based on a trigger. Some examples of actions include: creating a new Trello card based on a new Google Sheets row, sending a Slack notification when a sheet is updated, or adding an event to your Google Calendar. You can even update a row in your CRM system.
How To Use Zapier With Google Sheets: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Zapier is a powerful automation tool that can streamline your workflow by connecting your most used apps and services. When combined with Google Sheets, it opens up a world of possibilities for data management and automation. Here's how to use Zapier with Google Sheets:
1. Set Up Your Zapier Account
If you haven't already, sign up for a Zapier account at zapier.com. They offer a free plan that's perfect for getting started.
2. Connect Google Sheets to Zapier
In Zapier, click on "Create Zap"
Choose Google Sheets as your app. Connect your Google account if you haven't already.
3. Choose a Trigger
Decide what action will start your Zap. For Google Sheets, common triggers include:
- New Spreadsheet
- New Worksheet
- New Row
- Updated Row
Select the one that best fits your needs.
4. Set Up the Action
After setting up the trigger, choose what action you want Zapier to perform. This could be in Google Sheets itself or in another app. For example:
- Add a row to another sheet
- Update a row in the same or different sheet
- Send an email
- Create a task in your project management tool
5. Test Your Zap
Before activating your Zap, test it to ensure it's working correctly. Zapier will guide you through this process.
6. Activate and Monitor
Once you're satisfied with the test results, turn on your Zap. Monitor its performance and make adjustments as needed.
Common Use Cases
1. Automatically add new form responses to a Google Sheet
2. Create tasks in your to-do app for each new row in a sheet
3. Send email notifications when specific cells are updated
4. Log data from other apps into Google Sheets for analysis
How To Use Zapier With Google Sheets For Lead Generation
Let’s look at how to use Zapier with Google Sheets to streamline lead generation. This common scenario involves transferring data from a lead generation form to a Google Sheet.
Scenario: Streamlining Lead Generation
Let’s say you are using Typeform to generate leads, and you want all new form submissions added to a Google Sheet for analysis. Zapier can help.
Steps:
- Sign in to your Zapier account (or create one). From your dashboard, click on "Create Zap."
- Name your Zap so you can identify it later.
- Select Typeform as the trigger app. Then, choose the "New Entry" trigger.
- Connect your Typeform account and provide Zapier with access to your Typeform data by following the authorization prompts.
- Select your Typeform and test the connection to make sure Zapier is receiving triggers from your form.
- Choose Google Sheets as the action app. From the list of actions, select "Create Spreadsheet Row." Connect your Google account to allow Zapier to interact with your sheets.
- Next, you’ll need to map the data from your Typeform entries to the corresponding columns in your Google Sheet. The fields from your Typeform will be on the left, and the fields from your Google Sheet will be on the right. Match the fields so that each data point from Typeform populates the corresponding field in your Sheet.
- Test your Zap to make sure the trigger, actions, and data mapping are correct. If everything looks good, activate your Zap. All new Typeform submissions will now be transferred to your Google Sheet. Congratulations, you’ve created your first automation using Zapier and Google Sheets.
Unleashing the Power of Zaps: More Ways to Use Zapier with Google Sheets
That simple lead capture example was just one example of how to use Zapier with Google Sheets. Below are a few more examples of Zaps that can be implemented with Google Sheets.
- Automatically Add Facebook Lead Ad Submissions to Your Sheets: You can transfer information about leads from Facebook Ads directly to a Google Sheet. This makes analysis and follow-up seamless.
- Transform New Sheet Rows into Trello Cards: If a new sheet row is added, perhaps representing a task or project, you can instantly create a Trello card. Details will be pulled from the spreadsheet row.
- Notify Your Team on Slack When Sheets are Updated: You can send automatic notifications to your team’s Slack channel when changes are made to a spreadsheet. This is a great way to stay up-to-date if a critical metric updates or a task is completed. I often use this feature to get real-time updates from my virtual assistants.
- Automatically Create Google Calendar Events: If a row containing appointment details is added to your sheet, you can automatically generate a Google Calendar event.
- Trigger Gmail Emails from Sheet Updates: If an event occurs in your sheet, such as an order reaching "processing" status or a lead requiring follow-up, you can automatically send a customized Gmail email.
Advanced Strategies: Getting the Most out of Your Zapier-Google Sheets Integration
Use the strategies below to elevate your workflow efficiency as you learn more about using Zapier and Google Sheets together:
Use Filters to Fine-Tune Your Zaps
Using filters in your Zaps allows you to control the flow of data. For example, you could set up a Zap to automatically email leads from a specific region by filtering by ZIP code.
Harness Multi-Step Zaps
Although many Zaps consist of a trigger and an action, you can create a chain of actions. One way I streamline content operations is to create a multi-step Zap that extracts updated data from a master Google Sheet, uses the "Send Email in Gmail" action, and pastes a specifically formatted link—like this: # —directly into the email body. This gives my writers instant access to a customized spreadsheet view.
Empower your team with Zapier
If you're working in a team and everyone is using spreadsheets, explore Zapier templates together to discover ways to be more efficient.
Beyond the Basics: Uncommon Ways to Leverage Zapier
Below are a couple of examples of more dynamic scenarios you can create with Zapier and Google Sheets.
- Automate Email List Management: Connect your Mailchimp signup form to your Google Sheet to add new subscriber information (using Google Sheets integrations). You can then create targeted audience segments, categorize leads, and personalize email content right from your spreadsheet data. Your spreadsheet essentially becomes a control hub to manage subscriber data and boost the success of email marketing campaigns.
- Streamline Workflow Processes with Webhooks: If you use Gravity Forms for your customer service tickets, you can use Zapier to automatically add each new submission to a Google Sheet so you can manage your tickets efficiently. You can then use webhooks to automatically create new rows containing all ticket details so you don’t miss any support requests.
FAQs about how to use Zapier with Google Sheets
How does Zapier work on Google Sheets?
Zapier connects Google Sheets to various applications, acting as an intermediary. When a "trigger" event occurs (like adding a new row), Zapier instantly grabs the data.
It then sends this data as an "action" to a destination you set, which completes a task based on the Google Sheets event. You don't have to manually copy and paste anything; the process is completely automated.
Is there a way to automate Google Sheets?
You can automate Google Sheets with Zapier. You can connect Google Sheets to other apps like your email marketing platform or CRM system. Whenever something specific happens in one of these apps (like you get a new customer in your CRM), Zapier will automatically update your Google Sheets for you.
Why is Zapier not triggering Google Sheets?
There could be a few reasons why your trigger isn’t working. First, double check that you've chosen the right trigger for your Zap. Make sure the trigger matches what’s happening in your Sheet (for example, make sure you select “new row” if a new row was added, not “updated row”).
Remember that Google Sheets has specific formatting requirements: include headers in the first row, avoid blank rows between rows with values, and don’t use punctuation in Spreadsheet or Worksheet names. Google has more information about these guidelines: Work with Google Sheets in Zaps. And finally, ensure you have the correct user permissions.
How do I search Zapier in Google Sheets?
You can’t directly search Zapier in Google Sheets; however, the "Lookup Spreadsheet Row" feature will do the searching for you. Think of this feature like a reverse Zap where Zapier acts as the action.
You can define the criteria, like a specific value in a column, and Zapier will find the matching row in your Sheet. From there, you can use this data to automate other tasks, like using Zapier to update other apps with the data it found.
Boost Your Productivity
Learning how to use Zapier with Google Sheets is a game changer. This powerful duo allows you to seamlessly bridge different applications, eliminating manual data entry and countless hours wasted on tedious tasks. By mastering the basics and experimenting with more advanced workflows, you can truly unlock efficiency and empower your team to focus on higher-level initiatives.
If you want to make Google Sheets more powerful, try pairing it with the free Magical Chrome extension. Magical is loved at more than 50,000 companies and by over 700,000 users who are saving 7 hours a week on average on their repetitive tasks.
