Google Sheets Integration Setup

Community Surveys supports Google Sheets integration, allowing survey responses to automatically sync to a Google Sheets spreadsheet in real-time. This guide covers the initial setup of Google API credentials required for the integration.

New Integrations Dashboard

Community Surveys 7.0+ includes a comprehensive Integrations Dashboard that provides a unified interface for managing Google Sheets, Webhooks, and other integrations. See the complete integrations documentation for details on configuring and managing all integration types.

Prerequisites

Before setting up Google Sheets integration, you need:

1. A Google account
2. Access to Google Cloud Console
3. Administrator access to your Joomla site

Step 1: Create Google OAuth Credentials

First, create an OAuth 2.0 application in Google Cloud Console:

1.1 Access Google Cloud Console

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Create a new project or select an existing one

1.2 Enable Required APIs

1. Navigate to APIs & Services → Library
2. Search for and enable:
   • Google Sheets API
   • Google Drive API

1.3 Configure OAuth Consent Screen

1. Go to APIs & Services → OAuth consent screen
2. Select External user type (or Internal for Google Workspace)
3. Fill in the required fields:
   • App name: "Community Surveys Integration"
   • User support email: Your email
   • Developer contact email: Your email
4. Add scopes:
   • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets
   • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file
5. Add your email as a test user (for External apps)

1.4 Create OAuth Credentials

1. Go to APIs & Services → Credentials
2. Click Create Credentials → OAuth client ID
3. Select Web application
4. Configure the application:
   • Name: Community Surveys
   • Authorized redirect URIs: Add your callback URL

Determining Your Callback URL

The callback URL format is:

https://yoursite.com/your-surveys-menu?task=integration.oauth

Where your-surveys-menu is the alias of your Surveys Listing menu item.

Examples:

• https://example.com/surveys?task=integration.oauth
• https://example.com/feedback/surveys?task=integration.oauth

Important

The callback URL must exactly match what you enter in Google Cloud Console, including the protocol (https) and any subdirectories.

5. Click Create and note your Client ID and Client Secret

Step 2: Configure Community Surveys

Add your Google OAuth credentials to Community Surveys:

1. Go to Components → Community Surveys
2. Click Options in the toolbar
3. Navigate to the Integrations tab
4. Enable Google Sheets Integration
5. Enter your OAuth Client ID
6. Enter your OAuth Client Secret
7. Click Save & Close

Your site is now configured for Google Sheets integration.

Step 3: Connect a Survey to Google Sheets

With credentials configured, you can now connect individual surveys:

Using the Integrations Dashboard (Recommended)

1. Go to Components → Community Surveys → Surveys
2. Click on a survey to edit
3. Click the Integrations button in the toolbar
4. Click Add Integration
5. Select Google Sheets from the catalog
6. Click Connect to authorize with Google
7. Enter your Spreadsheet ID (or create a new spreadsheet)
8. Configure additional options as needed
9. Click Save

For detailed configuration options, see the Integrations Documentation.

Finding Your Spreadsheet ID

From your Google Sheets URL:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms/edit

The Spreadsheet ID is: 1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms

How It Works

Once connected:

1. When a user submits a survey response, the integration is triggered
2. Response data is formatted and sent to Google Sheets API
3. A new row is appended to your spreadsheet with the response data
4. Headers are automatically created on first sync
5. Sync status is logged for monitoring

Configuration Options

Option	Description	Required
Spreadsheet ID	The ID from your Google Sheets URL	Yes
Sheet Name	The specific sheet tab to use (default: "Survey Responses")	No
Include Metadata	Add columns for response ID, timestamp, IP, location, browser	No

Troubleshooting

"Access Denied" or "Invalid Client"

• Verify Client ID and Secret are copied correctly
• Ensure the redirect URI matches exactly
• Check that required APIs are enabled

"Token Expired"

• Re-authorize by clicking Connect in the integration settings
• Tokens are automatically refreshed but may expire after long periods

"Spreadsheet Not Found"

• Verify the Spreadsheet ID is correct
• Ensure the spreadsheet exists and hasn't been deleted
• Check that you're using the same Google account

For more troubleshooting tips, see the Integrations Troubleshooting Guide.

Next Steps

• Complete Integrations Documentation - Full guide to all integration features
• Webhook Integration - Connect to Zapier, Make, and custom backends
• Field Mapping - Customize how data is mapped