Why Does My n8n Workflow Create Google Sheets but Not Populate Cells?

Based on your description and common issues documented in our Google Sheets node troubleshooting guides, here are some suggestions to investigate:

Possible Cause: Data Format Issues

The Google Sheets node requires that the data you want to add is provided as valid JSON key-value pairs that match your sheet's column names. If you pass in an array directly, the node may create the file or sheets but not populate the cells. Consider the following:

• Format Your Data Properly:
  Ensure that your data is transformed into JSON objects where each key corresponds exactly to a column name in your sheet. For example, rather than passing an array like:

  JSONCopied
  ["John", "Doe", "john@example.com"]

  use a properly formatted object:

  JSONCopied
  {
    "First Name": "John",
    "Last Name": "Doe",
    "Email": "john@example.com"
  }

• Transform Nodes:
  If your data isn’t already in the required format, try using nodes like the [Code node], [Split Out] node, or [AI Transform] node to convert your raw array data into the key-value format expected. For instance, with a Code node you might write:

  JAVASCRIPTCopied
  // Assuming 'items' contains your array data
  return items.map(item => {
    return {
      json: {
        "First Name": item[0],
        "Last Name": item[1],
        "Email": item[2],
      }
    }
  });

Possible Cause: Mapping or Column Name Mismatch

Another common issue is when the column names in your Google Sheet differ from those set up in the node configuration. This can happen if you create a new file or update column headers after the node was configured. To address this:

• Refresh the Column Mapping:
  Open the node settings, re-select the Mapping Column Mode, and let the node reload your sheet’s column names.

• Verify Column Names:
  Double-check that each key in your JSON data exactly matches the corresponding column header in the sheet.

Next Steps

1. Review Data Formatting: Verify that your workflow outputs data as proper JSON objects mapping to your sheet’s columns.
2. Apply Data Transformation: Use the Code, Split Out, or AI Transform node to modify the data if needed.
3. Refresh Mappings: Revisit your Google Sheets node settings and refresh the mapping if the sheet’s columns were changed after the node was initially set up.

If you implement these adjustments and still experience issues, please share specific details of your data output after transformation, and we can take a closer look.