Update spreadsheets

This document describes the basics of using the spreadsheets.batchUpdate method on the spreadsheets resource.

Aside from the value data contained in its cells, a spreadsheet includes many other types of data, such as:

  • Dimensions
  • Cell formats and borders
  • Named ranges
  • Protected ranges
  • Conditional formatting

These are some of the many kinds of data that control the appearance and operation of a spreadsheet. The spreadsheets.batchUpdate method lets you update any of these spreadsheet details. Changes are grouped in a batch so that if one request is unsuccessful, none of the other (potentially dependent) changes are written.

If you need to read and write cell value data, you can also use the spreadsheets.values resource as described in Read and write cell values.

Operation types

The particular operations supported by the spreadsheets.batchUpdate method can be grouped into the following broad operation types:

Category Description
Add (and Duplicate)Add new objects (sometimes based on old ones, as in the Duplicate requests).
Update (and Set)Update certain properties of an object, usually leaving the old properties alone (whereas a Set request overwrites the prior data).
DeleteRemove objects.

These categories are used in the next section to describe the behavior of specific operations.

Batch update operations

The spreadsheets.batchUpdate method works by taking one or more Request objects, each one specifying a single kind of request to perform. The following table lists the types of batch update requests, grouped by resource object and operation type:

Object ADD / DUPLICATE UPDATE / SET DELETE
BandedRange AddBandingRequest UpdateBandingRequest DeleteBandingRequest
Borders UpdateBordersRequest
Cells (including values, formats, data validation, etc.) InsertRangeRequest RepeatCellRequest
UpdateCellsRequest
AppendCellsRequest		 DeleteRangeRequest
ConditionalFormatRule AddConditionalFormatRuleRequest UpdateConditionalFormatRuleRequest DeleteConditionalFormatRuleRequest
DataSource AddDataSourceRequest UpdateDataSourceRequest
RefreshDataSourceRequest
CancelDataSourceRefreshRequest		 DeleteDataSourceRequest
DataValidationRule SetDataValidationRequest
developerMetadata CreateDeveloperMetadataRequest UpdateDeveloperMetadataRequest DeleteDeveloperMetadataRequest
Dimension (including DimensionRange) InsertDimensionRequest
AppendDimensionRequest		 UpdateDimensionPropertiesRequest
MoveDimensionRequest
AutoResizeDimensionsRequest		 DeleteDimensionRequest
DimensionGroup AddDimensionGroupRequest UpdateDimensionGroupRequest DeleteDimensionGroupRequest
EmbeddedChart AddChartRequest UpdateChartSpecRequest
UpdateEmbeddedObjectPositionRequest
UpdateEmbeddedObjectBorderRequest		 DeleteEmbeddedObjectRequest
FilterView (including BasicFilter) AddFilterViewRequest
DuplicateFilterViewRequest		 UpdateFilterViewRequest
SetBasicFilterRequest		 ClearBasicFilterRequest
DeleteFilterViewRequest
Merge cells (including MergeType) MergeCellsRequest UnmergeCellsRequest
NamedRange AddNamedRangeRequest UpdateNamedRangeRequest DeleteNamedRangeRequest
ProtectedRange AddProtectedRangeRequest UpdateProtectedRangeRequest DeleteProtectedRangeRequest
Sheets AddSheetRequest
DuplicateSheetRequest		 UpdateSheetPropertiesRequest DeleteSheetRequest
Slicer AddSlicerRequest UpdateSlicerSpecRequest
SpreadsheetProperties UpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest
Table AddTableRequest UpdateTableRequest DeleteTableRequest

Data manipulation requests

There are also some additional requests that mimic user actions for manipulating data:

Request Description
AutoFillRequest Automatically fills in more data based on existing data.
CopyPasteRequest Copies data from one area and pastes it to another.
CutPasteRequest Cuts data from one area and pastes it to another.
DeleteDuplicatesRequest Removes rows containing duplicate values in specified columns of a cell range.
FindReplaceRequest Finds and replaces occurrences of some text with other text.
PasteDataRequest Pastes data (HTML or delimited) into a sheet.
RandomizeRangeRequest Randomizes the order of the rows in a range.
SortRangeRequest Sorts data in a range.
TextToColumnsRequest Converts a column of text into many columns of text.
TrimWhitespaceRequest Trims cells of whitespace (such as spaces, tabs, or new lines).

To learn more about cell and row limits in Google Sheets, see Files you can store in Google Drive.

Use field masks to update specific fields

Many update requests require a FieldMask. A field mask is a comma-delimited list of fields used to indicate which fields in an object to update, while leaving all other fields unchanged. Using a field mask prevents accidental overwrites of fields that aren't specified in the request.

For more information about field masks, see Update with a field mask.

The following code sample shows how to use the UpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest to update only the title of a spreadsheet:

Request

POST https://sheets.googleapis.com/v4/spreadsheets/spreadsheetId:batchUpdate

Request body

{
  "requests": [{
      "updateSpreadsheetProperties": {
          "properties": {"title": "TITLE"},
          "fields": "title"
      }
  }]
}

Replace TITLE with the new title of the spreadsheet.

Batch update responses

When updating a spreadsheet, some kinds of requests might return responses. These are returned in an array, with each response occupying the same index as the corresponding request. Some requests don't have responses and for those the response is empty.

Typically, "add" requests have responses that return information such as the ID of the added object. For the list of supported responses, see Responses.

Code sample: Batch update spreadsheet

The following code sample shows how to perform these actions:

  1. Update the spreadsheet's title using the title variable.
  2. Find and replace cell values in the spreadsheet using the find and replacement variables.

Apps Script

sheets/api/spreadsheet_snippets.gs
/**
 * Updates the specified sheet using advanced sheet services
 * @param {string} spreadsheetId id of the spreadsheet to be updated
 * @param {string} title name of the sheet in the spreadsheet to be updated
 * @param {string} find string to be replaced
 * @param {string} replacement the string to replace the old data
 * @returns {*} the updated spreadsheet
 */
Snippets.prototype.batchUpdate = (spreadsheetId, title, find, replacement) => {
  // This code uses the Sheets Advanced Service, but for most use cases
  // the built-in method SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet()
  //     .getRange(range).setValues(values) is more appropriate.

  try {
    // Change the spreadsheet's title.
    const updateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest =
      Sheets.newUpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest();
    updateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest.properties =
      Sheets.newSpreadsheetProperties();
    updateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest.properties.title = title;
    updateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest.fields = "title";

    // Find and replace text.
    const findReplaceRequest = Sheets.newFindReplaceRequest();
    findReplaceRequest.find = find;
    findReplaceRequest.replacement = replacement;
    findReplaceRequest.allSheets = true;

    const requests = [Sheets.newRequest(), Sheets.newRequest()];
    requests[0].updateSpreadsheetProperties =
      updateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest;
    requests[1].findReplace = findReplaceRequest;

    const batchUpdateRequest = Sheets.newBatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest();
    batchUpdateRequest.requests = requests;

    // Add additional requests (operations)
    const result = Sheets.Spreadsheets.batchUpdate(
      batchUpdateRequest,
      spreadsheetId,
    );
    return result;
  } catch (err) {
    // TODO (developer) - Handle exception
    console.log("Failed with error %s", err.message);
  }
};

Java

sheets/snippets/src/main/java/BatchUpdate.java
import com.google.api.client.googleapis.json.GoogleJsonError;
import com.google.api.client.googleapis.json.GoogleJsonResponseException;
import com.google.api.client.http.HttpRequestInitializer;
import com.google.api.client.http.javanet.NetHttpTransport;
import com.google.api.client.json.gson.GsonFactory;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.Sheets;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.SheetsScopes;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.model.BatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.model.BatchUpdateSpreadsheetResponse;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.model.FindReplaceRequest;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.model.FindReplaceResponse;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.model.Request;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.model.SpreadsheetProperties;
import com.google.api.services.sheets.v4.model.UpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest;
import com.google.auth.http.HttpCredentialsAdapter;
import com.google.auth.oauth2.GoogleCredentials;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.List;

/* Class to demonstrate the use of Spreadsheet Batch Update API */
public class BatchUpdate {
  /**
   * Updates spreadsheet's title and cell values.
   *
   * @param spreadsheetId - Id of the spreadsheet.
   * @param title         - New title of the spreadsheet.
   * @param find          - Find cell values
   * @param replacement   - Replaced cell values
   * @return response metadata
   * @throws IOException - if credentials file not found.
   */
  public static BatchUpdateSpreadsheetResponse batchUpdate(String spreadsheetId,
                                                           String title,
                                                           String find,
                                                           String replacement)
      throws IOException {
        /* Load pre-authorized user credentials from the environment.
           TODO(developer) - See https://developers.google.com/identity for
            guides on implementing OAuth2 for your application. */
    GoogleCredentials credentials = GoogleCredentials.getApplicationDefault()
        .createScoped(Collections.singleton(SheetsScopes.SPREADSHEETS));
    HttpRequestInitializer requestInitializer = new HttpCredentialsAdapter(
        credentials);

    // Create the sheets API client
    Sheets service = new Sheets.Builder(new NetHttpTransport(),
        GsonFactory.getDefaultInstance(),
        requestInitializer)
        .setApplicationName("Sheets samples")
        .build();

    List<Request> requests = new ArrayList<>();
    BatchUpdateSpreadsheetResponse response = null;
    try {
      // Change the spreadsheet's title.
      requests.add(new Request()
          .setUpdateSpreadsheetProperties(new UpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest()
              .setProperties(new SpreadsheetProperties()
                  .setTitle(title))
              .setFields("title")));
      // Find and replace text.
      requests.add(new Request()
          .setFindReplace(new FindReplaceRequest()
              .setFind(find)
              .setReplacement(replacement)
              .setAllSheets(true)));

      BatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest body =
          new BatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest().setRequests(requests);
      response = service.spreadsheets().batchUpdate(spreadsheetId, body).execute();
      FindReplaceResponse findReplaceResponse = response.getReplies().get(1).getFindReplace();

      System.out.printf("%d replacements made.", findReplaceResponse.getOccurrencesChanged());
    } catch (GoogleJsonResponseException e) {
      // TODO(developer) - handle error appropriately
      GoogleJsonError error = e.getDetails();
      if (error.getCode() == 404) {
        System.out.printf("Spreadsheet not found with id '%s'.\n", spreadsheetId);
      } else {
        throw e;
      }
    }
    return response;
  }
}

JavaScript

sheets/snippets/sheets_batch_update.js
function batchUpdate(spreadsheetId, title, find, replacement, callback) {
  const requests = [];
  // Change the spreadsheet's title.
  requests.push({
    updateSpreadsheetProperties: {
      properties: {
        title: title,
      },
      fields: 'title',
    },
  });
  // Find and replace text.
  requests.push({
    findReplace: {
      find: find,
      replacement: replacement,
      allSheets: true,
    },
  });
  try {
    // Add additional requests (operations) ...
    const batchUpdateRequest = {requests: requests};
    gapi.client.sheets.spreadsheets.batchUpdate({
      spreadsheetId: spreadsheetId,
      resource: batchUpdateRequest,
    }).then((response) => {
      const findReplaceResponse = response.result.replies[1].findReplace;
      console.log(`${findReplaceResponse.occurrencesChanged} replacements made.`);
      if (callback) callback(response);
    });
  } catch (err) {
    document.getElementById('content').innerText = err.message;
    return;
  }
}

Node.js

sheets/snippets/sheets_batch_update.js
import {GoogleAuth} from 'google-auth-library';
import {google} from 'googleapis';

/**
 * Performs a batch update on a spreadsheet.
 * Updates the spreadsheet title and finds and replaces a string.
 * @param {string} spreadsheetId The ID of the spreadsheet to update.
 * @param {string} title The new title for the spreadsheet.
 * @param {string} find The string to find.
 * @param {string} replacement The string to replace the found string with.
 * @return {Promise<object>} The response from the batch update.
 */
async function batchUpdate(spreadsheetId, title, find, replacement) {
  // Authenticate with Google and get an authorized client.
  const auth = new GoogleAuth({
    scopes: 'https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets',
  });

  // Create a new Sheets API client.
  const service = google.sheets({version: 'v4', auth});

  // Create a list of requests to be executed in the batch update.
  const requests = [];

  // Request to change the spreadsheet's title.
  requests.push({
    updateSpreadsheetProperties: {
      properties: {
        title,
      },
      fields: 'title',
    },
  });

  // Request to find and replace text.
  requests.push({
    findReplace: {
      find,
      replacement,
      allSheets: true,
    },
  });

  // Add more requests here if needed.

  // Create the batch update request.
  const batchUpdateRequest = {requests};

  // Execute the batch update request.
  const response = await service.spreadsheets.batchUpdate({
    spreadsheetId,
    requestBody: batchUpdateRequest,
  });

  // Get the response from the find and replace request and log the number of occurrences.
  const findReplaceResponse = response.data.replies[1].findReplace;
  console.log(`${findReplaceResponse.occurrencesChanged} replacements made.`);
  return response;
}

PHP

sheets/snippets/src/SpreadsheetBatchUpdate.php
<?php
use Google\Client;
use Google\Service\Drive;
use Google\Service\Sheets\BatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest;

/**
 * to batch update a spreadsheet
 */
function batchUpdate($spreadsheetId, $title, $find, $replacement)
    {   
        /* Load pre-authorized user credentials from the environment.
           TODO(developer) - See https://developers.google.com/identity for
            guides on implementing OAuth2 for your application. */
        $client = new Google\Client();
        $client->useApplicationDefaultCredentials();
        $client->addScope(Google\Service\Drive::DRIVE);
        $service = new Google_Service_Sheets($client);
        try{
            //execute the request
            $requests = [
                new Google_Service_Sheets_Request([
              'updateSpreadsheetProperties' => [
                  'properties' => [
                      'title' => $title
                    ],
                    'fields' => 'title'
              ]
          ]),
          new Google_Service_Sheets_Request([
              'findReplace' => [
                  'find' => $find,
                  'replacement' => $replacement,
                  'allSheets' => true
                  ]
                  ])
                ];
                $batchUpdateRequest = new Google_Service_Sheets_BatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest([
                    'requests' => $requests
                ]);
        $response = $service->spreadsheets->batchUpdate($spreadsheetId, $batchUpdateRequest);
        $findReplaceResponse = $response->getReplies()[1]->getFindReplace();
        printf("%s replacements made.\n",
        $findReplaceResponse->getOccurrencesChanged());
        return $response;
    }
    catch(Exception $e) {
        // TODO(developer) - handle error appropriately
        echo 'Message: ' .$e->getMessage();
      }
    }

Python

sheets/snippets/sheets_batch_update.py
import google.auth
from googleapiclient.discovery import build
from googleapiclient.errors import HttpError


def sheets_batch_update(spreadsheet_id, title, find, replacement):
  """
  Update the sheet details in batch, the user has access to.
  Load pre-authorized user credentials from the environment.
  TODO(developer) - See https://developers.google.com/identity
  for guides on implementing OAuth2 for the application.
  """

  creds, _ = google.auth.default()
  # pylint: disable=maybe-no-member

  try:
    service = build("sheets", "v4", credentials=creds)

    requests = []
    # Change the spreadsheet's title.
    requests.append(
        {
            "updateSpreadsheetProperties": {
                "properties": {"title": title},
                "fields": "title",
            }
        }
    )
    # Find and replace text
    requests.append(
        {
            "findReplace": {
                "find": find,
                "replacement": replacement,
                "allSheets": True,
            }
        }
    )
    # Add additional requests (operations) ...

    body = {"requests": requests}
    response = (
        service.spreadsheets()
        .batchUpdate(spreadsheetId=spreadsheet_id, body=body)
        .execute()
    )
    find_replace_response = response.get("replies")[1].get("findReplace")
    print(
        f"{find_replace_response.get('occurrencesChanged')} replacements made."
    )
    return response

  except HttpError as error:
    print(f"An error occurred: {error}")
    return error


if __name__ == "__main__":
  sheets_batch_update("spreadsheet_id", "title", "find", "replacement")

Ruby

sheets/snippets/lib/spreadsheet_snippets.rb
requests = []
# Change the name of sheet ID '0' (the default first sheet on every
# spreadsheet)
requests.push({
                update_sheet_properties: {
                  properties: { sheet_id: 0, title: 'New Sheet Name' },
                  fields:     'title'
                }
              })
# Find and replace text
requests.push({
                find_replace: {
                  find:        find,
                  replacement: replacement,
                  all_sheets:  true
                }
              })
# Add additional requests (operations) ...

body = { requests: requests }
result = service.batch_update_spreadsheet(spreadsheet_id, body, {})
find_replace_response = result.replies[1].find_replace
puts "#{find_replace_response.occurrences_changed} replacements made."