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googlesheets-automation skill

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This skill automates Google Sheets tasks by reading, writing, formatting, and filtering data through Rube MCP for efficient spreadsheet workflows.

npx playbooks add skill composiohq/awesome-claude-skills --skill googlesheets-automation

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---
name: googlesheets-automation
description: Automate Google Sheets operations (read, write, format, filter, manage spreadsheets) via Rube MCP (Composio). Read/write data, manage tabs, apply formatting, and search rows programmatically.
requires:
  mcp: [rube]
---

# Google Sheets Automation via Rube MCP

Automate Google Sheets workflows including reading/writing data, managing spreadsheets and tabs, formatting cells, filtering rows, and upserting records through Composio's Google Sheets toolkit.

**Toolkit docs**: [composio.dev/toolkits/googlesheets](https://composio.dev/toolkits/googlesheets)

## Prerequisites

- Rube MCP must be connected (RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS available)
- Active Google Sheets connection via `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `googlesheets`
- Always call `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` first to get current tool schemas

## Setup

**Get Rube MCP**: Add `https://rube.app/mcp` as an MCP server in your client configuration. No API keys needed — just add the endpoint and it works.


1. Verify Rube MCP is available by confirming `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` responds
2. Call `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `googlesheets`
3. If connection is not ACTIVE, follow the returned auth link to complete Google OAuth
4. Confirm connection status shows ACTIVE before running any workflows

## Core Workflows

### 1. Read and Write Data

**When to use**: User wants to read data from or write data to a Google Sheet

**Tool sequence**:
1. `GOOGLESHEETS_SEARCH_SPREADSHEETS` - Find spreadsheet by name if ID unknown [Prerequisite]
2. `GOOGLESHEETS_GET_SHEET_NAMES` - Enumerate tab names to target the right sheet [Prerequisite]
3. `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_GET` - Read data from one or more ranges [Required]
4. `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_UPDATE` - Write data to a range or append rows [Required]
5. `GOOGLESHEETS_VALUES_UPDATE` - Update a single specific range [Alternative]
6. `GOOGLESHEETS_SPREADSHEETS_VALUES_APPEND` - Append rows to end of table [Alternative]

**Key parameters**:
- `spreadsheet_id`: Alphanumeric ID from the spreadsheet URL (between '/d/' and '/edit')
- `ranges`: A1 notation array (e.g., 'Sheet1!A1:Z1000'); always use bounded ranges
- `sheet_name`: Tab name (case-insensitive matching supported)
- `values`: 2D array where each inner array is a row
- `first_cell_location`: Starting cell in A1 notation (omit to append)
- `valueInputOption`: 'USER_ENTERED' (parsed) or 'RAW' (literal)

**Pitfalls**:
- Mis-cased or non-existent tab names error "Sheet 'X' not found"
- Empty ranges may omit `valueRanges[i].values`; treat missing as empty array
- `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_UPDATE` values must be a 2D array (list of lists), even for a single row
- Unbounded ranges like 'A:Z' on sheets with >10,000 rows may cause timeouts; always bound with row limits
- Append follows the detected `tableRange`; use returned `updatedRange` to verify placement

### 2. Create and Manage Spreadsheets

**When to use**: User wants to create a new spreadsheet or manage tabs within one

**Tool sequence**:
1. `GOOGLESHEETS_CREATE_GOOGLE_SHEET1` - Create a new spreadsheet [Required]
2. `GOOGLESHEETS_ADD_SHEET` - Add a new tab/worksheet [Required]
3. `GOOGLESHEETS_UPDATE_SHEET_PROPERTIES` - Rename, hide, reorder, or color tabs [Optional]
4. `GOOGLESHEETS_GET_SPREADSHEET_INFO` - Get full spreadsheet metadata [Optional]
5. `GOOGLESHEETS_FIND_WORKSHEET_BY_TITLE` - Check if a specific tab exists [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `title`: Spreadsheet or sheet tab name
- `spreadsheetId`: Target spreadsheet ID
- `forceUnique`: Auto-append suffix if tab name exists (default true)
- `properties.gridProperties`: Set row/column counts, frozen rows

**Pitfalls**:
- Sheet names must be unique within a spreadsheet
- Default sheet names are locale-dependent ('Sheet1' in English, 'Hoja 1' in Spanish)
- Don't use `index` when creating multiple sheets in parallel (causes 'index too high' errors)
- `GOOGLESHEETS_GET_SPREADSHEET_INFO` can return 403 if account lacks access

### 3. Search and Filter Rows

**When to use**: User wants to find specific rows or apply filters to sheet data

**Tool sequence**:
1. `GOOGLESHEETS_LOOKUP_SPREADSHEET_ROW` - Find first row matching exact cell value [Required]
2. `GOOGLESHEETS_SET_BASIC_FILTER` - Apply filter/sort to a range [Alternative]
3. `GOOGLESHEETS_CLEAR_BASIC_FILTER` - Remove existing filter [Optional]
4. `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_GET` - Read filtered results [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `query`: Exact text value to match (matches entire cell content)
- `range`: A1 notation range to search within
- `case_sensitive`: Boolean for case-sensitive matching (default false)
- `filter.range`: Grid range with sheet_id for basic filter
- `filter.criteria`: Column-based filter conditions
- `filter.sortSpecs`: Sort specifications

**Pitfalls**:
- `GOOGLESHEETS_LOOKUP_SPREADSHEET_ROW` matches entire cell content, not substrings
- Sheet names with spaces must be single-quoted in ranges (e.g., "'My Sheet'!A:Z")
- Bare sheet names without ranges are not supported for lookup; always specify a range

### 4. Upsert Rows by Key

**When to use**: User wants to update existing rows or insert new ones based on a unique key column

**Tool sequence**:
1. `GOOGLESHEETS_UPSERT_ROWS` - Update matching rows or append new ones [Required]

**Key parameters**:
- `spreadsheetId`: Target spreadsheet ID
- `sheetName`: Tab name
- `keyColumn`: Column header name used as unique identifier (e.g., 'Email', 'SKU')
- `headers`: List of column names for the data
- `rows`: 2D array of data rows
- `strictMode`: Error on mismatched column counts (default true)

**Pitfalls**:
- `keyColumn` must be an actual header name, NOT a column letter (e.g., 'Email' not 'A')
- If `headers` is NOT provided, first row of `rows` is treated as headers
- With `strictMode=true`, rows with more values than headers cause an error
- Auto-adds missing columns to the sheet

### 5. Format Cells

**When to use**: User wants to apply formatting (bold, colors, font size) to cells

**Tool sequence**:
1. `GOOGLESHEETS_GET_SPREADSHEET_INFO` - Get numeric sheetId for target tab [Prerequisite]
2. `GOOGLESHEETS_FORMAT_CELL` - Apply formatting to a range [Required]
3. `GOOGLESHEETS_UPDATE_SHEET_PROPERTIES` - Change frozen rows, column widths [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `spreadsheet_id`: Spreadsheet ID
- `worksheet_id`: Numeric sheetId (NOT tab name); get from GET_SPREADSHEET_INFO
- `range`: A1 notation (e.g., 'A1:F1') - preferred over index fields
- `bold`, `italic`, `underline`, `strikethrough`: Boolean formatting options
- `red`, `green`, `blue`: Background color as 0.0-1.0 floats (NOT 0-255 ints)
- `fontSize`: Font size in points

**Pitfalls**:
- Requires numeric `worksheet_id`, not tab title; get from spreadsheet metadata
- Color channels are 0-1 floats (e.g., 1.0 for full red), NOT 0-255 integers
- Responses may return empty reply objects ([{}]); verify formatting via readback
- Format one range per call; batch formatting requires separate calls

## Common Patterns

### ID Resolution
- **Spreadsheet name -> ID**: `GOOGLESHEETS_SEARCH_SPREADSHEETS` with `query`
- **Tab name -> sheetId**: `GOOGLESHEETS_GET_SPREADSHEET_INFO`, extract from sheets metadata
- **Tab existence check**: `GOOGLESHEETS_FIND_WORKSHEET_BY_TITLE`

### Rate Limits
Google Sheets enforces strict rate limits:
- Max 60 reads/minute and 60 writes/minute
- Exceeding limits causes errors; batch operations where possible
- Use `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_GET` and `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_UPDATE` for efficiency

### Data Patterns
- Always read before writing to understand existing layout
- Use `GOOGLESHEETS_UPSERT_ROWS` for CRM syncs, inventory updates, and dedup scenarios
- Append mode (omit `first_cell_location`) is safest for adding new records
- Use `GOOGLESHEETS_CLEAR_VALUES` to clear content while preserving formatting

## Known Pitfalls

- **Tab names**: Locale-dependent defaults; 'Sheet1' may not exist in non-English accounts
- **Range notation**: Sheet names with spaces need single quotes in A1 notation
- **Unbounded ranges**: Can timeout on large sheets; always specify row bounds (e.g., 'A1:Z10000')
- **2D arrays**: All value parameters must be list-of-lists, even for single rows
- **Color values**: Floats 0.0-1.0, not integers 0-255
- **Formatting IDs**: `FORMAT_CELL` needs numeric sheetId, not tab title
- **Rate limits**: 60 reads/min and 60 writes/min; batch to stay within limits
- **Delete dimension**: `GOOGLESHEETS_DELETE_DIMENSION` is irreversible; double-check bounds

## Quick Reference

| Task | Tool Slug | Key Params |
|------|-----------|------------|
| Search spreadsheets | `GOOGLESHEETS_SEARCH_SPREADSHEETS` | `query`, `search_type` |
| Create spreadsheet | `GOOGLESHEETS_CREATE_GOOGLE_SHEET1` | `title` |
| List tabs | `GOOGLESHEETS_GET_SHEET_NAMES` | `spreadsheet_id` |
| Add tab | `GOOGLESHEETS_ADD_SHEET` | `spreadsheetId`, `title` |
| Read data | `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_GET` | `spreadsheet_id`, `ranges` |
| Read single range | `GOOGLESHEETS_VALUES_GET` | `spreadsheet_id`, `range` |
| Write data | `GOOGLESHEETS_BATCH_UPDATE` | `spreadsheet_id`, `sheet_name`, `values` |
| Update range | `GOOGLESHEETS_VALUES_UPDATE` | `spreadsheet_id`, `range`, `values` |
| Append rows | `GOOGLESHEETS_SPREADSHEETS_VALUES_APPEND` | `spreadsheetId`, `range`, `values` |
| Upsert rows | `GOOGLESHEETS_UPSERT_ROWS` | `spreadsheetId`, `sheetName`, `keyColumn`, `rows` |
| Lookup row | `GOOGLESHEETS_LOOKUP_SPREADSHEET_ROW` | `spreadsheet_id`, `query` |
| Format cells | `GOOGLESHEETS_FORMAT_CELL` | `spreadsheet_id`, `worksheet_id`, `range` |
| Set filter | `GOOGLESHEETS_SET_BASIC_FILTER` | `spreadsheetId`, `filter` |
| Clear values | `GOOGLESHEETS_CLEAR_VALUES` | `spreadsheet_id`, range |
| Delete rows/cols | `GOOGLESHEETS_DELETE_DIMENSION` | `spreadsheet_id`, `sheet_name`, dimension |
| Spreadsheet info | `GOOGLESHEETS_GET_SPREADSHEET_INFO` | `spreadsheet_id` |
| Update tab props | `GOOGLESHEETS_UPDATE_SHEET_PROPERTIES` | `spreadsheetId`, properties |

---
*Powered by [Composio](https://composio.dev)*

Overview

This skill automates Google Sheets tasks via Rube MCP (Composio) so agents can read, write, format, filter, and manage spreadsheets programmatically. It exposes toolkit calls for spreadsheet discovery, tab management, batch reads/writes, upserts by key, and cell formatting. The workflow handles connection setup, ID resolution, and common pitfalls like rate limits and range notation.

How this skill works

Start by calling RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS to fetch current tool schemas and then ensure an active Google Sheets connection with RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS. Use search and metadata calls to resolve spreadsheet IDs and numeric sheetIds, then run specific toolkit actions (batch get/update, upsert, format, filter, delete) in recommended sequences. The skill enforces bounded ranges, 2D value arrays, and provides error-aware patterns for retries and rate-limit batching.

When to use it

Sync rows from an external system into a sheet using upsert-by-key to avoid duplicates
Bulk read or write large ranges efficiently with batch get/batch update
Create or reorganize spreadsheets and tabs programmatically
Apply consistent formatting (fonts, colors, frozen rows) across reports
Find specific rows or apply filters for data extraction and sorting

Best practices

Always call RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS first and confirm RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS shows an ACTIVE Google connection
Resolve spreadsheet name -> ID and tab title -> numeric sheetId before data/format calls
Use bounded A1 ranges (avoid unbounded 'A:Z') to prevent timeouts on large sheets
Batch reads/writes to stay within Google Sheets rate limits (60 reads/min, 60 writes/min)
Provide headers for UPSERT rows or let the first row be treated as headers; always pass 2D arrays

Example use cases

CRM sync: upsert contacts by Email to update existing records and append new ones
Monthly reporting: batch-read multiple ranges, format header rows, and export a cleaned CSV
Inventory management: find SKU rows, update quantities, and append new SKUs automatically
Template creation: create a spreadsheet, add named tabs, and set frozen header rows and column widths
Data cleanup: clear values in a range while preserving formatting before loading fresh data

FAQ

What connection steps are required before running actions?

Call RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS, then use RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS for the googlesheets toolkit and follow the returned OAuth link until the connection status is ACTIVE.

How do I specify ranges for formatting versus read/write?

Prefer A1 notation for ranges (e.g., 'Sheet1!A1:F100'), quote sheet names with spaces, and use numeric worksheet_id when calling format operations.