How to Connect OpenClaw to Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a powerful data store for AI workflows, but integration requires navigating Google Cloud Console, OAuth 2.0 credentials, and API quotas. This intermediate guide walks you through creating a Google Cloud project, enabling the Sheets API, configuring OAuth, installing the Sheets skill, and building automation workflows that read from and write to spreadsheets.
Why This Is Hard to Do Yourself
These are the common pitfalls that trip people up.
Google OAuth setup
Google Cloud Console has dozens of settings. OAuth 2.0 credentials, consent screens, and API enablement must all be configured correctly.
API quotas
Google Sheets API has read/write quotas (100 requests/100 seconds per user). High-volume automation requires quota monitoring and batch operations.
Data formatting
Sheets use A1 notation (A1:B10) for ranges. Converting between row/column indexes and A1 notation requires careful formatting logic.
Step-by-Step Guide
Create Google Cloud project
Set up a new Google Cloud project to manage API credentials.
# 1. Go to https://console.cloud.google.com
# 2. Click "Select a project" → "New Project"
# 3. Set:
# - Project name: OpenClaw Sheets Integration
# - Location: No organization
# 4. Click "Create"
# 5. Note your Project ID (openclaw-sheets-xxxxx)Enable Sheets API
Activate the Google Sheets API for your project.
# 1. In Google Cloud Console, go to "APIs & Services" → "Library"
# 2. Search for "Google Sheets API"
# 3. Click "Google Sheets API" → "Enable"
# 4. Wait for enablement to complete (usually instant)Warning: The Sheets API is free for most use cases, but high-volume usage may incur charges. Check the pricing page for quota limits.
Configure OAuth credentials
Create OAuth 2.0 credentials for OpenClaw to authenticate with Google.
# 1. Go to "APIs & Services" → "Credentials"
# 2. Click "Create Credentials" → "OAuth client ID"
# 3. Configure consent screen (one-time setup):
# - User type: Internal (for workspace) or External (for personal)
# - App name: OpenClaw
# - Scopes: Add "../auth/spreadsheets" (full Sheets access)
# 4. Create OAuth client ID:
# - Application type: Desktop app (for CLI) or Web app (for hosted)
# - Name: OpenClaw Sheets Client
# 5. Download JSON credentials file (client_secret_xxx.json)Install Sheets skill
Install the Google Sheets skill and authenticate with OAuth.
# Install the Google Sheets skill:
openclaw skill install google-sheets
# Configure credentials:
# In config/skills/google-sheets.yaml:
google_sheets:
enabled: true
credentials_path: "/path/to/client_secret_xxx.json"
token_path: "~/.openclaw/google-sheets-token.json" # OAuth token storage
scopes:
- "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets"
# Authenticate (opens browser for OAuth flow):
openclaw skill auth google-sheetsWarning: The OAuth token is stored locally and grants access to ALL your spreadsheets. Keep the token file secure and never commit it to version control.
Test read/write operations
Verify that OpenClaw can interact with Google Sheets.
# Read a sheet:
openclaw chat "Read data from Google Sheet <SHEET_URL>"
# Write data:
openclaw chat "Add a new row to <SHEET_URL> with columns: Name='John Doe', Email='john@example.com', Status='Active'"
# Update a cell:
openclaw chat "Update cell B2 in <SHEET_URL> to 'Completed'"
# Batch operation:
openclaw chat "Read all rows from <SHEET_URL> where column C equals 'Pending' and update column D to 'In Progress'"
# Check logs:
tail -f ~/.openclaw/logs/skills.log | grep google-sheetsBuild automation workflows
Create workflows that sync data between OpenClaw and Google Sheets.
# Example: CRM sync workflow
# config/workflows/sheets_crm_sync.yaml:
workflows:
sheets_crm_sync:
trigger:
type: webhook
path: /webhooks/new-lead
steps:
- name: Extract lead data
action: ai.extract
input: "{{ webhook.body }}"
schema:
name: string
email: string
company: string
- name: Append to Sheets
action: google_sheets.append_row
params:
spreadsheet_id: "YOUR_SPREADSHEET_ID"
range: "Leads!A:D"
values:
- "{{ steps.extract_lead_data.output.name }}"
- "{{ steps.extract_lead_data.output.email }}"
- "{{ steps.extract_lead_data.output.company }}"
- "{{ timestamp }}"Warning: Google Sheets API quota is 100 requests per 100 seconds per user. For high-frequency workflows, use batch operations (batchUpdate) to write multiple rows in one request.
Sheets Integration Has Hidden Complexity
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