7 ways to automate spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are way more versatile than we like to think they are. They can be used to store data, of course, but also used as to-do lists, a browser homepage, and even for games. They're also a great way to more efficiently analyze data or share information across teams, especially if not everyone has access to the same apps.

Spreadsheets can be central hubs of information connecting your business-critical apps. But manually moving information from app to spreadsheet to app doesn't allow you to scale your processes and increase the impact of your team and company's work.

With Zaps—our word for Zapier's automated, no-code workflows—your spreadsheets can do a lot more than help you keep track of data. They can update themselves, send information to your team or customers, and help you scale your workflows.

Table of contents

• Add leads to a spreadsheet

• Create tasks from your spreadsheet

• Keep your spreadsheets in sync

• Add form responses to a spreadsheet

• Get notifications from a spreadsheet

• Create calendar events from a spreadsheet

• Use webhooks with a spreadsheet

Add leads to a spreadsheet

While you likely use a CRM to collect lead information, not everyone in your department or your company may have access to the apps you use every day—seats may be limited, too expensive to share widely, or include sensitive customer data you don't want to share with everyone.

Large amounts of lead data can also be difficult to parse in a CRM, especially if you're collecting info from multiple sources. You might also send lead data to other tools for more in-depth analysis. Spreadsheets can make it easier to analyze and share data across teams, helping you improve the performance of your lead campaigns.

Try one of these Zaps to get started:

Create tasks from your spreadsheet 

Whether it's keeping yourself on track or organizing your team for the week, to-do lists are an essential part of getting things done. Using these Zaps, you can take advantage of the organizational power of spreadsheets, and turn rows into tasks in apps like Trello, Asana, and Notion. Easily create cross-functional tasks for team members across your company or keep your day organized without the extra effort.

Keep your spreadsheets in sync

Do you love Google Sheets, but Marsha in Accounting insists on using Excel? End the spreadsheet debate once and for all by linking everything together with these Zaps.

You can also use Zapier to send information from one sheet to another, if you keep one sheet for personal or team use and then need to send specific information to a shared sheet for wider use.

Add form responses to a spreadsheet

When you're collecting customer feedback, selling a product, or just trying to get everyone's lunch orders, using a form is a great way to make sure everyone gives you the information you need. But collecting information is usually just the first step.

By connecting your form app to a spreadsheet, you can automatically create a backup of your form responses so your important data is never lost, easily share your form data with other teams or apps, and more. Use the following Zaps to send form responses to a spreadsheet automatically, so it can be sorted, organized, and acted on efficiently.

Get notifications from your spreadsheets

One major benefit to collaborative office platforms like OneDrive or Google Suite is that you can collaborate on spreadsheets and documents with your team. If you need to know when changes happen or if it's important to share updates with others at—or outside—your company, adding custom notifications with Zapier helps you keep an eye on what's happening without sitting in the file all day. 

You might also have one team collect data and others act on it. Sending instant notifications for new or updated info will ensure you're acting on the latest data—which can often mean the difference between a sale or a churned customer.

These Zaps keep you posted on new and updated rows, so you're never out of the loop.

Via team chat

Via email

Create calendar events from a spreadsheet

If you're putting on a big event or scheduling shifts for your team, looking at everything in a calendar can get confusing pretty quickly. And if you're manually adding events one by one, scaling your efforts will be next to impossible.

Using these Zaps, you can add each event's information to a nice clean spreadsheet, and let Zapier fill out the calendar for you. More easily scale your work by adding events in bulk without the manual effort so you can focus on more important tasks—like planning your event or appointments.

Use webhooks with your spreadsheets

Zapier connects with thousands of apps, but depending on which app or workflow you need to achieve your goals, there might not be a Zapier integration that does exactly what you need. That's where webhooks come in.

Webhooks allow you to collect data from or push data to an app. With these Zaps, you can use webhooks to send information to or from your spreadsheets. 

Easy spreadsheet automation

Spreadsheets are powerful tools that help you organize and analyze information. Add automation to make it easier to collect the data that matters for your business and keep you and your team informed about changes.

This article was originally published in March 2021 and was most recently updated in February 2023.