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idea_builder Docs

Google Sheets

Google Sheets sync keeps your research where you like to work: in a spreadsheet. Connect your own Google account once per workspace, and idea_builder pushes your ideas, scores, and research data into a Google Sheets workbook — each data area on its own tab — so you can sort, chart, and share it like any other spreadsheet.

What it does

Section titled “What it does”
  • Syncs workspace data (ideas, scores, research results) into a Google Sheets workbook, organized into tabs.
  • Imports ideas back from a spreadsheet when you want to bulk-add existing data.
  • Exports a CSV copy of your data at any time.
  • Falls back to CSV export mode automatically when Google is unreachable, so you are never blocked from getting your data out.

This appears in your workspace, via the Sheets button in the workspace header.

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”
  • A Google account (any personal or company Google account works).
  • One connection per workspace: the workspace owner authorizes the account, and that account is used for all syncs in the workspace.
  • Plan: import is available on all plans; read/write sync requires the Starter plan or above.

Connect

Section titled “Connect”
  1. Open your workspace and click the Sheets button in the header.
  2. In the dialog, click Connect Google account.
  3. Authorize in the Google window that opens. If your browser blocks the popup, use the manual link shown in the dialog to authorize in a new tab.
  4. idea_builder creates a workbook for your workspace and starts the first sync automatically. The dialog shows which Google account is connected and the last sync time.

Use it

Section titled “Use it”
  • Sync. Click Sheets → Sync to push your latest ideas, scores, and research into the workbook. Choose which data areas (tabs) to include, and give the workbook a name when it is first created.
  • Open your workbook. The dialog links straight to your spreadsheet — open it in Google Sheets, sort and filter to your heart’s content, and share the link with collaborators.
  • Import. Paste a spreadsheet id from an existing workbook and click Import to pull ideas back into the workspace.
  • Export CSV. Download a CSV snapshot of your workspace data whenever you need a portable copy.

Disconnect / troubleshoot

Section titled “Disconnect / troubleshoot”
  • Disconnect. Open the Sheets dialog and click Disconnect. This revokes idea_builder’s access to that Google account and removes the connection from the workspace. Your Google workbook stays in your own account.
  • Authorization expired. If the connection lapses (for example, the account holder revoked access in Google), reconnect by going through the Connect steps again.
  • Google is down or slow. Syncs may fail or time out. idea_builder automatically falls back to CSV export, and you can retry the sync once Google is reachable.
  • Connected as the wrong account. Disconnect and reconnect using the account you want; each workspace can have only one connected Google account.
Section titled “Related”
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