Upload a Google Sheet as Reference Data

By integrating your GoCanvas account with Google Sheets, you can use your Google spreadsheets as reference data in GoCanvas.

Google Sheets Integration

Reference Data is a handy automation tool that uses data uploaded to your account to automatically populate fields, saving time and eliminating manual entry. This also ensures that your users have the most up to date information that you provide them. 

In order to use your Google Sheets files as reference data, you will need to authenticate your Google Account with GoCanvas. Your authorized credentials will be kept confidential. GoCanvas will not have access to your Google password. We will only know that you have provided us authorization to have read only access your Google Sheets files and data.

GoCanvas must be provided access to certain data to import your files.

What is GoCanvas is requesting?

To see and download all your Google Drive files and to view your Google Spreadsheets.

Why is GoCanvas requesting this data?

GoCanvas must have access to see and download all of your Google Drive files so that we can display the files that are compatible with reference data. GoCanvas must have access to view your Google Spreadsheets in order to import the data from your selected spreadsheet into GoCanvas as reference data.

Authorize and Add a Google Sheet

Authenticating your account is an integrated step within adding your first file from Google Sheets.

1. Navigate to the Reference Data & Images page. Reference Data from Google Sheets can only be added from this page.
2. Select Add Reference Data.
3. Import your Google Sheet by selecting Import from Google Sheets and Next.
4. Select Authorize to start this process.
5. Sign into the Google account that you would like to import reference data from, and then select Allow.
6. When the authorization is complete, a pop-up will confirm that it was successful. Select Next to continue to the next step.
7. Select the file that will be you reference data. You'll be able to select any Google Sheets file that has been shared with you. Files up to 20MB are supported. This screen also has a Search bar to quickly find files or the option to select Change Account if the file you are looking for is not in the current account.
    
8. Additionally, the optional step of selecting the sheet where the data is located will only occur if the file selected has more than one sheet.

Final Upload Settings

Editing the file name and description is an optional step that we recommend for keeping your files organized. Several other optional steps will occur in this last page before the file is uploaded to your account.

• The name of the file will automatically populate from Google but it can be changed. Renaming the file in GoCanvas:
  • DOES NOT change the name in Google Sheets,
  • DOES NOT impact our ability to refresh data from Google Sheets.
• Next, you may want to add a description about the file to quickly indicate what is in the file;
• Check the box to Divide by User Groups, only if the file is designed for that;
• If the file has more than 15 columns, you will be asked if you want to proceed with the upload of only the first 15 columns or if you want to cancel the upload.

After saving, you will see all uploaded files on the Reference Data & Images page. Icons denoting whether the file is from Google Sheets or a CSV file will be visible at the start of each file row.

If there are any changes to the Google Sheet, simply select the file name on the Reference Data page, then select Re-Sync Data in the upper right corner to automatically update the file in GoCanvas.