# MY google sheets node keeps overwriting data

**URL:** <https://community.n8n.io/t/my-google-sheets-node-keeps-overwriting-data/295827>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [May 16, 2026, 2:03am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/my-google-sheets-node-keeps-overwriting-data/295827 "2026-05-16T02:03:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Vickyjay](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/vickyjay/32/60060_2.png) [@Vickyjay](https://community.n8n.io/u/Vickyjay)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 2:03am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/my-google-sheets-node-keeps-overwriting-data/295827/1 "2026-05-16T02:03:55Z")

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I utilized a Google sheet node in my workflow and when I tried appending, it kept replacing existing rows

## Describe the problem/error/question

## What is the error message (if any)?

## Please share your workflow

```auto
(Select the nodes on your canvas and use the keyboard shortcuts CMD+C/CTRL+C and CMD+V/CTRL+V to copy and paste the workflow.)

```

## Share the output returned by the last node

## Information on your n8n setup

- **n8n version:**
- **Database (default: SQLite):**
- **n8n EXECUTIONS\_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):**
- **Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):**
- **Operating system:**

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kyna\_Works](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/kyna_works/32/58808_2.png) [@Kyna\_Works](https://community.n8n.io/u/Kyna_Works)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/my-google-sheets-node-keeps-overwriting-data/295827/3 "2026-05-16T02:08:39Z")

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this is most likely because you added a wrong operation or missing unique ky and you can fix it by defining a proper lookup column when updating

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smalltoolslab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@smalltoolslab](https://community.n8n.io/u/smalltoolslab)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 2:17am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/my-google-sheets-node-keeps-overwriting-data/295827/4 "2026-05-16T02:17:41Z")

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I would debug this as an append-vs-update collision before changing more mappings.

The smallest useful check:

1. Add a Set node immediately before Google Sheets with a fake `source_row_id`, for example `test_a` and `test_b`, plus a timestamp.

2. In the Google Sheets node, confirm the exact operation is append/add row, not update, upsert, or append-or-update.

3. Check whether any row number, matching column, range, or key field is mapped. If a stable row number or the same matching key is being sent for every item, the node will keep targeting the same row.

4. After the Sheets node, log the returned row number / row id if n8n provides it.

5. Run only two fake items. Expected result: two new rows with different `source_row_id` values.

If the second fake item overwrites the first one, the likely cause is not the sheet itself; it is that the workflow is giving both items the same target row or same lookup key.

For a safer workflow, I would keep three fields in the sheet:

- `source_row_id` or `run_item_id`,

- `write_mode` such as `append` or `update`,

- `written_at`.

Then only use update/upsert when `source_row_id` is meant to be unique and stable. If you want an audit log, use plain append and avoid mapping any existing row number.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/system/32/195824_2.png) [@system](https://community.n8n.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2026, 2:18am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/my-google-sheets-node-keeps-overwriting-data/295827/5 "2026-05-23T02:18:06Z")

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