How can I Automatically Add Header Rows to a New Google Sheet in n8n?

When you create a new Google Sheet via the Create Sheet node, it doesn't pre-populate headers. The Append Row node relies on a header row to map incoming data. In other words, n8n doesn’t automatically create headers for you.

To work around this, you can add a separate step in your workflow that adds a header row immediately after the sheet is created. For example, you can use the Append Row node (or an Update Row node) with your header names as data so that the first row becomes your header row. Once the headers are in place, subsequent Append Row operations can map your incoming lead data to the correct columns.

Here's a high-level outline of the approach:

1. Create the Sheet: Use the Create Sheet node to generate a new Google Sheet.
2. Add Header Row: Use an Append Row node (or another appropriate node like a Code or Set node) to insert a row containing your header values (e.g. Name, Email, etc.).
3. Append Data: Continue with your workflow by appending the lead data to the sheet now that the headers are available.

This extra step makes sure that your sheet structure is set up properly before you start adding your lead data.

Below is an explanation of how to work around the issue:

When you create a new Google Sheet using the Create Sheet node, no header row is present. The Append Row node (or similar row operations) relies on existing headers to map your incoming data. n8n does not automatically add headers to a newly created sheet, so you’ll need to add them yourself.

Workaround Options:

1. Add a Header Row Manually:
   After creating the sheet, you can use another Google Sheets node (for example, using the Append Row operation) to insert a header row as the very first row. For example, use a Set node to define an object containing your header fields and then append that as your first row.

2. Automate the Header Insertion with a Code or Set Node:
   If you’d prefer an automated solution, add a Code or Set node right after the Create Sheet node. In that node, construct an object (or an array that you then convert to JSON with key/value pairs) with the header values you need. Then, use the Append Row node to add this header row to your sheet.

Example using a Set Node to Define Headers:

JSONCopied
{
  "headerRow": {
    "firstName": "First Name",
    "lastName": "Last Name",
    "email": "Email"
  }
}

Then, pass this output into the Append Row node configured with Mapping Column Mode. Ensure that you update the mapping so that it correctly matches the keys in your object to the corresponding columns.

By handling the header row explicitly as the first insertion into your sheet, you can then safely use subsequent row operations to add your LeadGen data.

If you need further details on handling data formats (or converting arrays into valid JSON key/value pairs for insertion), see the related sections on appending an array of data and node options available in the documentation.