By @mhawksey

Templated Export for Google Spreadsheets

Update 16/01/14: One of the services originally used in this project has been deprecated by Google. The code has been updated to fix this. If you are using an existing version of Templated Export and would like to upgrade keeping your existing settings please follow the instructions in this document (comments are open if any step is unclear).

Templated Export allows users to reshape and selectively publish data from Google Spreadsheets in custom formats. The tool is powered by Google App Script which allows integration with Google Spreadsheets using existing authenticated access. Example uses include: turning data from a spreadsheet into a RSS feed and publishing data from a spreadsheet in JSON format to be used by other tools/services. The framework for creating a custom wrapper for your data means there are many more opportunities.

Main features

Setup

  1. Open Templated Export for Google Spreadsheets
  2. File > Make a copy of the script
  3. File > Manage Versions and enter a description and Save New Version
  4. Run > onInstall twice (first time to authorise, second to fun the function)
  5. Publish > Deploy as web app… and click Update and open the ‘Current web app URL’ or click on the ‘latest code’ link if available. Bookmark this link (there are many tutorials for turning chrome bookmarks into applications)

Example usage

Generating a custom RSS Feed of data from a Google Spreadsheet

Publishing data from other sources like Guardian Datastore

Selectively publishing cell ranges as JSON

Some example templates

If you download this JSON file it contains the templates used in the demonstrations above. Use the Local Template: Backup/Restore button in Templated Export to install them.

Comments/suggestions welcome

I make the usual warranties that I’m not a professional programmer and I’m already aware of some niggly bugs, but comments and suggestions are always welcome. If there is enough interest in this tool I’m happy to put it on a community coding site or donate it to someone who actually knows what they are doing 😉

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