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How to collect data with Google Spreadsheets

Helpdesk Updated by Helpdesk

Please note that this Google Spreadsheets feature is an add-on to the regular plan and is charged separately.

What is this about?

This is a feature within our Pro Plan add-on, which allows user to collect the data your users provide on WhatsApp and automatically feed it into Google Spreadsheets. This way, used doesn't need enter data manually. User doesn't need any additional installation for this.

How can it be useful?

This feature is useful for small business teams that don't have the budget for a standalone CRM feature, or if a team spends a lot of time manually filling data. With this feature, a team can capture the information it needs automatically in Google Spreadsheets. This way, both time and costs for the company will be reduced.

How to connect to the Google Spreadsheet node:
  1. Add Google Spreadsheet node to the flow by clicking on its icon on the left panel inside the flow
  1. Click ⋮ icon and choose "Edit"
  2. Connect your google account
  3. Choose a spreadsheet you intend to collect data into
  4. Choose a precise sheet you intend to collect data into
  5. Choose an option to insert new data gathered from WATI:
  • Insert a new row - choose this if spreadsheet is empty (but this is not required, new rows can be inserted even if spreadsheet is not empty), then enter variables that will become columns in sheet, make sure they're in sync with variables in the flow itself.
  • Update a row - choose this if there is some data in sheet already, reference column means the column that already exists in the sheet and update in and by means the value user wants to update.
Example:

User has a sheet with a column named equipment that he wished to be updated. Then, he needs to set up his settings like that:

The existing data user wishes to overwrite should be one of the rows filled in equipment column. For example, "no equipment". It will look like this:

So all already existing results in your sheet that has "no equipment" value will be overwritten by the newer data.

When all fields are configured to user's desire, click "Save".

How does this work exactly?

Where does new data in case of both options (Insert a new row and Update a row) comes from? It is collected from the recipients replies to buttons or list node. To learn more about them, look here.

So the new data is filling spreadsheets from the responses to the buttons/list nodes which has their @value configured correctly.

Example of a working flow to gather data:

In this case Buttons node is used to collect data into google spreadsheets. In its settings value is set up to @equipment, so everything could work in cohesion with the settings of Google Spreadsheet node.

How to test it ?

User can send configured flow directly to client through team inbox or set up an automation keyword so for example: when client will write user "I need help with my equipment", keyword equipment will be trigger which will result in this flow being executed.

The data will be automatically updated in the selected Google Spreadsheet.

In this sheet you will automatically enter the data each time the user activates the flow, you can proceed to share the spreadsheet with anyone else in your team to view it.

How did we do?

Flow Builder: What is a node and how many types of node?

Advance flow builder: Template

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