A Guide to Unito’s Google Sheets Integration

Looking to add Google Sheets to your workflow? Here's what you can expect from our integration.

What does this article cover?

• Supported fields and other features
• Setting rules in Unito to manage your spreadsheets
• Creating spreadsheets with Unito
• Finding spreadsheets with a URL
• Limitations and other considerations for Unito's Google Sheets integration
• Which permissions are necessary to connect Google Sheets and Unito?
• Installation instructions

Unito's Google Sheets integration enables you to pull crucial data out of your other tools and into a spreadsheet or vice versa when you create a flow.

A flow is the connection between Google Sheets and your other apps or tools that enables Unito to keep your data synced in real-time with automated updates based on rules set by you.

Supported fields and other features of this Google Sheets integration

Any text or number field in your other tools will appear in Google Sheets synced to your columns.

In order to know where to sync your data, you'll first need to create a row header (or table header) in Google Sheets.

So be sure to give each cell in the first row a similar name to each of the fields you'll be syncing. It doesn't need to be case-sensitive. We also recommend freezing the first row once your fields are set.

Unito syncs rows as individual work items. So if you sync a Google sheet to a Trello Board, row two of your sheet will become a Trello card, populated with the information in each column.

Syncing dropdowns with other tool

Did you know you can sync dropdowns in Google Sheets with fields in other tools? As long as these fields have multiple options — like Trello labels or Asana tags — then you can map them. One thing to keep in mind; when you make changes to dropdowns in Google Sheets, you'll get this pop-up:

Make sure you hit Apply to all to keep things working right.

What counts as an item in sync?

For Google Sheets, Unito counts every synced row as an item in sync.

Setting rules in Unito to manage your spreadsheets

With Unito, you can build rules that filter information out of your flow. For this integration, you can build two types of rules:

• Sync column if it has a value: e.g., create a rule in Unito to only sync rows with "any value" in a column you've called "Priority." This would mean only rows with text in that column would sync.
• Sync column if it's empty: The exact opposite of the previous rule. Taking that Priority example again, a row will not sync if it has anything in the Priority column.

Read more about setting rules in Unito.

Creating spreadsheets with Unito

When building a flow with Google Sheets, you can create a new spreadsheet directly from Unito. Just click Create a new Google Sheet after connecting your Google account.

Your new spreadsheet will be created at the root of your Google Drive — not in any specific folder. Once it's created, it will automatically be selected as the block of work used in your flow.

Note that you'll still need to install the Unito add-on for Google Sheets in this new spreadsheet, otherwise you won't be able to sync any data over.

Finding spreadsheets with a URL

When it's time to connect your spreadsheet, all you have to do is paste its URL into Unito to add it to a flow.

Limitations and other considerations for Unito's Google Sheets integration

• Cleared Rows vs. Deleted Rows: To remove a row from your spreadsheet, you must delete the row entirely. If you only clear the row, it will continue to count as an item in sync, and subsequent rows will simply appear beneath it.

• Attachments: Not currently supported for this integration.

• Rich text: That means bold and italic text won't sync over.

• Hyperlinks: These are considered rich text, so they're not supported by this integration. Note: If you try to sync a hyperlink from one Google Sheet to another, the link might get deleted in the destination sheet.

• Webhooks: These aren't supported yet. This means that a Google Sheets flow will check for changes every few minutes rather than syncing changes in real-time.

• Google Sheets sorting and filters: If you use filters in your Google Sheets, avoid sorting them. That's because sorting will only impact unfiltered rows, which will prevent your Unito flow from accurately reading the information in them. If you do need to sort your Sheet, make sure that it has no filters whatsoever.

• Dates: Unito only supports some date and time formats in Google Sheets. You can see them here.

You can get a full list of this integration's limitations here.

Which permissions are necessary to connect Google Sheets and Unito?

During the authorization process, you'll need to give Unito access to your Google account so your flow can see and edit your sheets.

Installation instructions for Unito's Google Sheets integration

Before syncing your data with Unito, you'll need to set up a header row (or table header) in the first row of your sheet. Name your headers after the fields you plan on syncing from another source. Unito will then use those headers to sync fields into the columns below.

Next, you'll need to install the Unito add-on for Google Sheets. Add-ons let you do more with your sheets, and you need to install this for Unito to work.

You can either click the link above or install the add-on directly from Google Sheets. To do so, click on Extensions, then Add-ons, and Get add-ons and search for Unito.

Type "Unito" in the search bar to find the add-on.

Once the add-on is installed, you just need to follow the on-screen instructions.

The add-on prompts you to insert two columns into your sheet. These columns determine what data will sync (or not) between your Sheet and other tool(s). You can hide them once they're created, but they need to exist in every sheet you sync with Unito.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use the first row as a header. Make sure the first row contains distinct and descriptive names for your columns (like priority or due date).

• When you click on Insert the two columns in this sheet, Unito will automatically create a column named UnitoID at the beginning of your sheet and one named Last Modified at the end.

• Don't add, remove, or modify anything in the UnitoID and Last Modified columns. Doing so can disrupt your flow. Instead we recommend hiding them.

• Once you've been through the two steps above, log in to Unito's standalone sync platform and you can start building your first flow.

Ready to get going? Here's a step-by-step guide to connect Google Sheets and another app or tool to Unito so you can start populating spreadsheets with real-time data.