Google Sheets Source

Overview

The Google Sheets Source connects Sourcesible to a spreadsheet hosted in Google Drive, allowing you to import structured tabular data as a data source for customer unification, segmentation, and activation workflows. This source type falls under the Spreadsheets category in Sourcesible and authenticates via Google OAuth — no API keys, service accounts, or database credentials are required.

Before starting, ensure the Google Sheet you want to connect is a native Google Sheets file (not an uploaded Excel file), is accessible to the Google account you will authorize, and has a properly formatted first row of column headers.

2. Google Sheets Formatting Requirements

Before connecting, verify your spreadsheet meets Sourcesible's requirements. These are shown on the Google Sheets source detail page under Google Sheets formatting requirements.

• File type: The file must be a native Google Sheets document. Excel files (.XLS or .XLSX) uploaded to Drive are not supported. To convert an Excel file, open it in Google Drive and select File → Save as Google Sheets.
• Column headers: The first row of the sheet must contain column headers (e.g., id, created_at, name, website, description). Sourcesible uses these as field names when ingesting the data.

3. Connection Configuration (Inside Sourcesible)

The Google Sheets setup is a two-step wizard: Step 1 – Connect handles Google OAuth authorization, and Step 2 – Set up Google Sheets handles naming the source and selecting the specific file.

3.1 Navigate to Data Sources

1. In the left navigation, under Connections, click Data Sources.
2. Click Add Data Sources in the top-right corner.

3.2 Select Google Sheets as Your Source

1. On the Sources catalog page, locate the Spreadsheets section.
2. Click the Google Sheets tile.
3. On the Google Sheets detail page, review the Google Sheets formatting requirements and Overview sections.
4. Click Add Source → in the top-right corner to launch the setup wizard.

Step 1 – Connect (Google OAuth Authorization)

The wizard opens on the Authorize connection to Google Sheets screen. Sourcesible requires limited access to your Google Sheets account. Your credentials are encrypted and authorization can be revoked at any time.

1. Click Log in to Google Sheets.
2. Google's account chooser will appear. Select the Google account that owns or has access to the sheet you want to connect. If the required account is not listed, click Use another account to sign in with a different one.
3. If a "Google hasn't verified this app" warning appears, click Continue. This warning is expected in sandbox or pre-production environments and does not indicate a security risk.
4. On the Google permissions consent screen, review the access being requested and click Continue to grant Sourcesible access to your Google Account.

Once you complete the OAuth flow, Sourcesible redirects back to the wizard and advances automatically to Step 2. A green Authorization Successful badge confirms your Google Sheets account is now connected.

Step 2 – Set up Google Sheets

1. In the Source Name field, enter a descriptive name to identify this connection within Sourcesible (e.g., Marketing Leads Sheet or Customer Data - Q1 2026). The field accepts up to 50 characters and can be updated later under data source settings.
2. In the Google Sheets section, click Open Google Drive. The Select file from Google Drive modal opens, showing the folders and files accessible to the authorized Google account.
3. To find your file, use the search box at the top of the modal. Type part of the filename (e.g., student) and the picker will display matching Google Sheets files as thumbnails. You can also browse folders directly.
4. Click the file you want to connect to select it (it will appear highlighted).
5. Click Select to confirm your file selection. The modal closes and the selected filename appears in the Google Sheets field.
6. Click Save to finalize the connection.

4. Test Your Connection

Google Sheets uses an OAuth-based flow, so there is no separate Test Connection step. Sourcesible validates the connection implicitly during the authorization process:

• That the Google OAuth token was successfully issued and is valid
• That Sourcesible can access Google Drive on behalf of the authorized account
• That the selected Google Sheets file is accessible to the authorized user

If authorization fails at any point in the OAuth flow, Sourcesible returns you to Step 1. Retry by clicking Log in to Google Sheets again. If the error persists, verify that the correct Google account was selected and that Sourcesible's access has not been previously revoked from Google Account settings.

5. Next Steps

Once your Google Sheets source is active, you can begin using the spreadsheet data within Sourcesible:

• Create a Dataset — Define which columns from the Google Sheet to include as a structured dataset
• Configure a Dataset Model — Map sheet columns to Sourcesible's identity model for customer unification
• Build Audiences — Use Google Sheets data as a segmentation source in the Audiences module
• Set Up Computed Fields — Define derived traits from sheet columns to enrich customer profiles
• Configure Reverse ETL Sync — Activate unified customer data to Destinations via Sync

6. Tips and Troubleshooting

"Google hasn't verified this app" Warning Appears During OAuth

Symptom: After selecting a Google account, Google displays a warning that the app has not been verified.

Cause: This warning appears when Sourcesible's OAuth app is in a test or pre-verification state with Google. It is expected behavior in non-production or sandbox environments.

Fix: Click Continue to proceed through the authorization flow. This warning does not affect the functionality or security of the connection.

Google Sheets File Does Not Appear in the File Picker

Symptom: After clicking Open Google Drive and searching for the file, it does not appear in results.

Cause: The file is either not a native Google Sheets document, or it is not accessible to the authorized Google account.

Fix:

1. Confirm the file is a native Google Sheets file and not an Excel file stored in Drive. To convert it, open the file in Google Drive and select File → Save as Google Sheets.
2. Confirm the file has been shared with the Google account used during OAuth authorization.
3. If you need a file owned by a different Google account, click Back in the wizard and re-authorize with the correct account.

Data Syncs with Incorrect Field Names

Symptom: After the connection is saved, dataset field names appear as generic labels (e.g., Column 1, Column 2) or contain data values instead of header names.

Cause: The connected Google Sheet does not have column headers in the first row.

Fix:

1. Open the Google Sheet.
2. Insert a new row at the top of the sheet and add descriptive column headers (e.g., id, email, name, created_at).
3. Return to Sourcesible, open the data source settings, and re-sync or reconnect the source to pick up the updated headers.

Authorization Revoked — Source Stops Syncing

Symptom: A previously active Google Sheets source shows an error or stops updating data.

Cause: Sourcesible's access was revoked from Google Account settings, or the OAuth token has expired.

Fix:

1. In Sourcesible, navigate to Data Sources and click on the affected Google Sheets source.
2. Open the source settings and look for a Re-authorize or Reconnect option.
3. Complete the OAuth flow again by clicking Log in to Google Sheets and granting access.

Wrong Google Account Was Used During Authorization

Symptom: After completing the OAuth flow, the file picker does not show the expected files, or the target file is missing.

Cause: The OAuth flow was completed using a different Google account than the one that owns or has access to the target sheet.

Fix:

1. Click Back in the wizard to return to Step 1.
2. Click Log in to Google Sheets again.
3. On the Google account chooser, select Use another account and sign in with the correct account.
4. Complete the authorization and proceed to Step 2 to select the correct file.