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How to stop your Google Sheets zaps breaking

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When updating a Google Sheet that is connected to an active zap, there are some things to avoid doing.

Most of the time, you won't encounter any problems with the Google Sheets zaps you set up - but if you need to make any changes to the sheet's layout or existing data, there are some rules you need to follow.

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Doing the following things while a Google Sheets zap is switched on might cause errors


- Adding rows anywhere other than to the bottom of your sheet.

- Deleting or moving any existing rows.

- Doing any sort of sorting on the sheet.

- Renaming, rearranging or adding any new columns except for to the right of existing columns.

Before making any changes to rows, switch off the zap first, then switch it back on when you're done.

If you make changes to sheet columns, please open the zap editor and check as you may need to remap the fields in your Google Sheet steps.

Will blank rows in my Google Sheet cause errors?

Blank rows in a Google Sheet can cause problems in two ways

  • When there is a Google Sheets "Lookup Spreadsheet Row" step, it will search the sheet until it finds the first blank row, and won't check anything below that. So, if you have gap rows in your Google Sheet, Zapier might not find rows, even where they exist.
  • When you have a "Create Spreadsheet Row" step, it will always add the row after the last existing filled row on a sheet. So if you have any sort of key or calculation table beneath your regular rows of data, new rows will get added below that.

How to get help with a Google Sheets zap

There are a few other types of problems associated with Google Sheets zaps - but if you're still having issues, you can contact Zapier, or book a support call with us to do some troubleshooting.

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May 27, 2020
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