Get started with Google Sheets on HexaSync

This guide explains how to connect Google Sheets to HexaSync Automation Engine so that HexaSync automatically gets the data of one tab in a Google Sheets spreadsheet. The data is refreshed every 5 minutes. HexaSync only reads the data so you can check it before you connect to another system, and does not change the spreadsheet content.

Before you start

• A Beehexa account to sign in to HexaSync Automation Engine. If you do not have one yet, sign up on the same page.
• A Google account (Gmail or Google Workspace) that can open the spreadsheet you want to connect. View access (Viewer) is enough for HexaSync to read the data.
  • Use an account that is an Owner or Editor of the spreadsheet, so that HexaSync can add team@beehexa.com to the sharing list automatically. If the account has view access only, you can still create the Connector, then ask the spreadsheet owner to share it with team@beehexa.com (see Step 7).
• A spreadsheet with the tab’s title row in row 1, the column name row in row 2 or 3, and the data starting right below the column name row. You can select the correct column name row in Step 6.

Part 1: Authorize the Google connection on HexaSync

Step 1: Sign in to HexaSync

• Sign in to HexaSync Automation Engine with your Beehexa account.

Step 2: Start connecting Google Sheets

1. Open the Google Sheets connection setup page on HexaSync.
2. On the Check connection details screen, select Connect in the Google Sheets section.

Step 3: Confirm the HexaSync app

1. On the Choose an app to connect to Google Sheets screen, check that the [HexaSync] Google Sheets Connector App app is selected.
2. Select Continue.

Step 4: Review the permissions and continue to Google

1. Review the permissions HexaSync will request from Google: sign in with Google, email and Google Drive (only the files you choose). HexaSync can open only the spreadsheets you choose in Step 6, and cannot see the other files in your Drive.
2. Select Continue.

Step 5: Authorize the app in Google

1. Choose the Google account that can open the spreadsheet you want to connect.
2. Google shows the permission HexaSync requests: See, edit, create and delete only the specific Google Drive files you use with this app.
3. Select Allow.

About this permission:

• This is how Google names the “only the files you choose” permission. Google has no read-only permission for individual files, so it always shows the full phrase “see, edit, create and delete”. If you select the ⓘ icon, Google lists more things this permission allows (download, share and so on), also only for the files you choose.
• HexaSync only reads the data of the tab you choose and adds team@beehexa.com with view access (Viewer). HexaSync does not edit or delete your content or files.
• HexaSync cannot see the other files in your Google Drive.
• You can remove the access at any time.

Step 6: Choose the spreadsheet, tab, and row with the column names

Google takes you back to HexaSync. When Google Sheets shows the status Connected, select Create Google Sheets Connector.

From this step on, you choose the Google Sheets file and the specific tab that HexaSync reads data from. The Choose The Google Sheet To screen has 3 sections on the same page. The Tab box and the Which row has the column names? box stay dimmed until you choose a spreadsheet.

Choose the spreadsheet

1. Select Select from Google Drive. The Google Drive window opens with the files of the account you just connected (the Showing files of … line tells you which account), including Shared with me and Shared drives.
2. Find the spreadsheet you want to connect, select it, then select Select. If Google asks Allow Google access to your necessary cookies, select Allow cookies.
3. The spreadsheet name appears on the form right away. Select Choose another file if you want to choose again, or select Continue to go on.

Choose the tab

1. HexaSync opens the spreadsheet with the Google account you just connected and lists the tabs.
2. Select the tab you want to connect, then select Submit.

If HexaSync cannot open the spreadsheet (the account has no view access, or the spreadsheet has been deleted), the screen shows an error and lets you choose again.

Choose the row with the column names

• The Which row has the column names? box stays empty until you make a choice.
• HexaSync does not choose for you. The box lists the first 20 rows of the tab that have data (empty rows are skipped), each with its row number and its first few cells so you can recognize it.
• Do not select a data row (for example Row 5: 1013 · Toy Set… · 90). Each column takes its name from the row you select. HexaSync copies only the rows below it; the rows above it are not copied.
• You cannot select Continue until you select a row. Select the ⓘ icon next to the box name to see an explanation.

• After you make your choice, select Continue.

Step 7: Confirm and create the Google Sheets Connector App

1. Check the Connector name, the spreadsheet name (Spreadsheet) and the Tab name. HexaSync names the Connector automatically after the spreadsheet and tab, in the form [Spreadsheet name - Tab name] Google Sheets Connector.
2. Select Continue.
3. Stay on the page for a few minutes while HexaSync creates the Connector App and turns on the data schedule. The system then moves to the Tasks page. You do not need to select Start.

Note about access:

• When you select Continue on this screen, HexaSync (team@beehexa.com) is added to the spreadsheet with view access (Viewer) so the HexaSync support team can help when there is a problem. HexaSync cannot edit your spreadsheet. The blue notice box right above the Continue button states this. You can remove this access at any time in the spreadsheet’s Share menu.
• If HexaSync cannot add this address (for example your company blocks sharing outside the organization), the Share The Spreadsheet With HexaSync screen appears. Select Continue to create the Connector as usual. If you want the support team to be able to view the spreadsheet, share the spreadsheet yourself with Viewer access to this address:

team@beehexa.com

After the Connector App is created, check the connection and the data as described in Part 3.

Part 2: Re-authorize the Google connection on HexaSync

Normally you do not need to re-authorize: HexaSync refreshes its access automatically. Re-authorize only when HexaSync reports a connection details error, for example when you have removed HexaSync’s access in your Google account, or your company’s Google Workspace administrator blocks the app. You must sign in again with the same Google account that was connected.

Step 1: Open the Connector App Settings

• Open Connector Apps and select the matching Google Sheets Connector. Select Settings in the left menu.

Step 2: Select Re-authorize

• Find the Google Sheets connection details and select Re-authorize.

Cannot use Re-authorize? Only the owner (the creator) of the Google Sheets connection details can re-authorize. Contact the owner of the Google Sheets Connector App.

Step 3: Confirm the app

• The app in use is already selected (the Selected label). Select Continue.

Step 4: Confirm again in Google

1. Sign in with the same Google account that was connected before.
2. Keep all permissions and select Continue. HexaSync updates the existing connection and does not create a new one.

Part 3: Check that the connection works

Check the connection details

• Open the Google Sheets Connector in Connector Apps and select Settings.
• Google Sheets shows the connection details [Google Sheets] <email> Credential with the status Connected.

Check the data

• Open the Tasks page of the Connector App.
• The [Google Sheets] Sheet Rows task has data after the first run, then refreshes automatically every 5 minutes. Each row has the tab name, the row number and the column values by the column name row you selected in Step 6. Empty rows are skipped.
• Compare a few rows with the spreadsheet.
• No data yet? Check that the column name row you selected in Step 6 is correct and has data below it, then select Pull All on the Tasks page to get the data right away.

Part 4: Revoke Google access

1. Open the guide to managing the permissions of apps connected to your Google Account.
2. In your Google Account, select Access to your Google Account, select HexaSync, then select See details > Remove access > Confirm.
3. After you revoke access, Google does not let HexaSync access the account. To connect again, repeat the authorization steps in Part 1.

The Viewer access of team@beehexa.com on the spreadsheet is a separate sharing permission. If you need to remove it, open the spreadsheet, select Share and delete the address from the sharing list.

Part 5: Common errors and how to fix them

Write down the message on the screen, then follow the table below.

Check these first

• Sign in with the Google account that can open the spreadsheet before you select Continue.
• Complete the whole process in one go, without closing the page partway through.

For other cases, send a screenshot (with sensitive information hidden) to support@beehexa.com.

Part 6: Frequently asked questions

Does HexaSync write or change data in Google Sheets?

No. The Google Sheets Connector App only reads data, and does not write or change data in the spreadsheet. The Google permission shown covers see, edit, create and delete, but it applies only to the files you choose, and the Connector uses read access only. The only change is that HexaSync adds team@beehexa.com to the spreadsheet’s sharing list with Viewer access when the Connector App is created.

Can HexaSync see my whole Google Drive?

No. HexaSync can open only the spreadsheets you chose in the Select from Google Drive window. HexaSync cannot see or read the other files in your Drive.

What do I do if the spreadsheet is not in the file picker window?

The window shows only the files that the connected Google account can view. Check that the spreadsheet has been shared with that account, then look under Shared with me or Shared drives, or type the spreadsheet name in the search box.

Which Google account should I use to authorize the connection?

Use a Google account that can open the spreadsheet you want to connect. Use a shared company account (for example integrations@yourcompany.com) instead of a personal account, so the Connector App does not stop when an employee leaves.

Why does my spreadsheet have team@beehexa.com added?

When the Connector App is created, HexaSync adds team@beehexa.com to the spreadsheet you chose with Viewer access so the support team can view the spreadsheet when there is a problem. Getting the data does not depend on this access. To remove it, open the spreadsheet, select Share, then delete team@beehexa.com from the list. If HexaSync cannot add it (for example your company blocks sharing outside the organization), the Share The Spreadsheet With HexaSync screen reminds you, and the Connector App is still created as usual when you select Continue.

What data does HexaSync get?

The task gets the data rows of the selected tab, by the column names in the header row you chose. Empty rows are skipped. If the tab has a code column (for example ID, SKU, Product code or Order ID) that has a value in every row with no duplicates, HexaSync automatically uses that column to identify rows. In that case, inserting or deleting a row in the middle does not make the other rows count as changed. If there is no such code column, HexaSync identifies rows by row number. To change the identifying column, contact support@beehexa.com.

Does renaming a tab in the spreadsheet break getting the data?

Yes. After you rename a tab, the next data run stops and the Jobs page reports that the tab was not found. Change the name back to the old one or send the new name to support@beehexa.com to update the Connector App. Renaming the spreadsheet does not affect getting the data.

Can one Connector App get data from several spreadsheets or several tabs?

Yes. When it is created, the Connector App reads one tab. To add another tab or spreadsheet, send a request to support@beehexa.com so the support team can add it to the Connector App. For another spreadsheet, you first need to choose that spreadsheet in Select from Google Drive (as in Step 6) once, because HexaSync can open only the files you have chosen. The data of all tabs is in the same [Google Sheets] Sheet Rows task, and each row states its spreadsheet and tab.

Can I rename the Connector App?

Yes. Open the Google Sheets Connector in Connector Apps, select Settings, then select Change Name.

How do I choose the row with the column names?

The Which row has the column names? box asks for the row that contains the column names, for example SKU, Name, Quantity. Most spreadsheets have the column names in the first row, so select Row 1. If there is a title or note above the column names, select the row that has the column names. If the spreadsheet has no column names, select None: the columns are named column_1, column_2, … See the details of each option in Step 6.