Google Sheet append ignoring columns without name

Describe the problem/error/question

I am trying to create a new line on Google Sheets with the same data from the last row. The problem here is that I have columns with no name and I want to reproduce them again to the new line.

In “Data Mode”, when I select the option “Auto-Map Input Data to Columns” it will create new columns without reason.

When in “Data Mode”, I select the option “Map Each Column Below” I get an output with the right data but nothing is appended to the Google Sheet instead of a blank row. I assume that was because I didn’t select any values, but it did not let me pick the columns without names.
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What is the error message (if any)?

None

Please share your workflow

Share the output returned by the last node

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Information on your n8n setup

  • n8n version: 0.230.1
  • Database (default: SQLite): default
  • Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): Docker
  • Operating system: Debian

Hey @Auto.Matron

Welcome to the n8n community.

The problem is in the columns that are not named. If you name the columns, the workflow works without problems.

If the data that for n8n has a header that matches the column name, the Auto-Map function works. If not, whatever it does not find as a column header in the Google Sheets sheet, it will insert it in a new column, since it does not find a matching one to insert the data.

:wink:

1 Like

This could be a problem to spreadsheets that doesn’t have a name. Is there any alternative to identify using an ID or something else? Like, use column A or B and ignore the name?

The columns in a Google Sheets sheet act as the key in a database.

n8n passes to Google Sheets key:value pairs, therefore it needs to identify in the Google Sheets sheet the key (the column) to which it has to insert the value. If you do not provide that data, n8n will not know in which column the value should be inserted.

So, in your case add col_3, col_5, col_7, col_9 to the sheet to insert the values that have no key.

The ID you suggest, is the name of the column. If for whatever reason, the columns are not named, you can always name them in row 1, and then hide that row in Google Sheets.

The Workflow will still work without any problems.

2 Likes

Thank you! That’s a great alternative.

1 Like

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