Google Sheets

How do I change the detected column type?

How does Relay.app infer column types in Google Sheets?

As Google Sheets doesn't have native types for columns, Relay.app infers the data type for each column based on the values in the first row (below the headers) of that column.

If the there is no row below the header row, Relay.app will assume a type based on the name of the header.

Google Sheets showing a sample data table with headers and first row of data that Relay.app uses to infer column types
Relay.app infers data types for the columns based on the values in the first row

The depicted above is infered as follows in Relay.app:

Relay.app step configuration showing inferred column types with a refresh icon button to update the data type inference
To force-refresh the column types as inferred by Relay.app, click the little 'refresh' icon

Updating infered column types

To update the infered column types, add (or change) a/the value in the first row, and click the 'refresh' icon or 'Refresh data' from the overflow menu of a Step. After the column type has been re-inferred, you can remove data from the first row again if you just added it to force-infer the correct column type.

Step overflow menu dropdown showing the 'Refresh data' option to update column types and data
Generic way to refresh columns/data: click 'Refresh data' in the overflow menu of a Step

Why didn't my "New row added" trigger pick up on a new row?

For Relay.app to detect a row as new, the row has to have previously been empty, then set to some value(s).

If all of the data in a row is completely replaced, Relay.app won't be able to detect that the row is new, even if all of its cells have been updated.

Why can't I find my Google Sheet?

If the Google Sheet you need isn't coming up in search, try a few things:

  1. Confirm you're connected to the right Google account: The account listed in the Run as menu should match the account with access to the file.

  2. If it's a shared file, try moving or adding the file to My Drive: Google's API often omits files that are only under the Shared with me folder. Open the sheet in Drive, select Add shortcut to Drive under the File menu or move it to a folder in your Drive, and refresh the picker in Relay.app.

  3. Try pasting the spreadsheet URL directly into the file picker: Relay.app will try to fetch the sheet by URL, even if the name wasn't appearing in the list.

  4. Reauthorize access to your Google account: Go to your Apps page and reconnect the Google Sheets app to force Google to refresh permissions.

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