--- title: "How to send an email when updates are made to Google Sheets rows" description: "Spreadsheets serve many purposes, from organizing budgets and project plans to managing email lists and new leads. Google Sheets already notifies users for spreadsheet changes, but the alerts can be pretty general." image: "https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/6vBWB6OJuXFDT6MA0xQDu5/a3600e539d918e8640965c6ac1145b48/Group_4071.jpg" --- # How to send an email when updates are made to Google Sheets rows Spreadsheets serve many purposes, from organizing budgets and project plans to managing email lists and new leads. Google Sheets already notifies users for spreadsheet changes, but the alerts can be pretty general. Spreadsheets may not always look the prettiest, but they're the unsung heroes of the business world. They can do everything from tracking inventory to organizing project plans and managing budgets.    But while [Google Sheets](https://zapier.com/apps/google-sheets/integrations) is great for storing data, you also probably need to _do something_ with that information later. For example, if you use a spreadsheet to track inquiries from new leads, wouldn't it be nice if you could automate the process of following up on those inquiries by email? Zapier is a no-code automation tool that can help you connect apps and set those business-critical tasks on autopilot. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to use a Zap (our word for our automated workflows) to automatically send emails from spreadsheet data. Use it to follow up on leads, send confirmation emails, notify your team of updates, and more—all without the manual data entry. ## Before you begin Create your spreadsheet in Google Sheets if you haven't yet. Make sure you have your columns labeled. This Zap will **not work** if your columns aren't labeled. If you anticipate that the value in a cell will change between two values often—for example, if a cell value changes from `yes` to `no`, and then back to `yes`—it requires an extra step to make sure this Zap works. Set up a separate column where you can enter the timestamp when you make that change. ## Send email notifications from updates to Google Sheets spreadsheets You can create your own Zap from scratch with our point-and-click editor, but we also have quick templates to get you started.  Here's how to set it up: 1. [Connect a Google Sheet and customize your trigger](#trigger) 2. [Connect to Gmail and customize your email's appearance](#action) 3. [Test your Zap and turn it on](#test) ## Connect and customize Google Sheets Start by setting up your Google Sheets trigger—the event that starts a Zap.  If you're creating a Zap from scratch, select **Google Sheets** as the app and **New or Updated Spreadsheet Row** as your_ Event. _(If you're using our Zap template, the Zap editor will do this for you.) Next, if you haven't connected Google Sheets before, you'll need to sign in to your Google account. Otherwise, select your Google Sheets account from the dropdown menu. Click** Continue**. Then, select the Google Sheet and specific worksheet you'd like to use. Click on the dropdown under _Trigger Column _and select the column in your spreadsheet you want Zapier to watch for. Whenever a cell in your selected _Trigger Column_ changes, Google Sheets will tell Zapier to kick off your workflow. Once you've customized your trigger, click **Continue**. Now it's time to test your trigger. Zapier will find a recent spreadsheet row in your Google Sheets account, according to the instructions you've customized in the previous step. Once you see a success message, be sure to check the results of your test to make sure you have the data you want. If something doesn't look right, repeat the earlier step until you get the data you want. You'll use this information in later steps to customize your Zap. When you're happy with your test data, click **Continue**. ### Optional: Add a filter if your spreadsheet includes checkboxes  In the example below, our result shows empty rows, even though we specified a trigger column earlier. This may occur if you've formatted a spreadsheet column to include a checkbox.  If this occurs, it's an easy fix. [Just add a filter step.](https://zapier.com/blog/filter-by-zapier-guide/) Below, I've added a filter to ensure this Zap only triggers if the _Email_ column has an email and _Product Qualified_ is checked. ## Connect and customize Gmail Now you'll set up your action—the event your Zap will perform once it's triggered.  If you're creating a Zap from scratch, the Zap editor will prompt you to choose your app and action event. Select **Gmail** for your app and **Send Email** as the _Event. _If you're using the Zap template above, your action app and event will be pre-selected for you._ _Next, like you did with Google Sheets, click **Sign in** if you haven't connected your Gmail account to Zapier before. Otherwise, select your Gmail account from the dropdown menu and click **Continue**. ## Customize your email Now you'll customize the email notification you'd like to send each time your Zap triggers. In this example, our spreadsheet is an email list, but you may be using this Zap to communicate spreadsheet changes to your team. The same principles apply. In order to pass information from Google Sheets into your email, you need to map fields from your trigger. Click the **plus sign** in the _To_ field and choose the Google Sheets step in the modal to see all the data from your trigger, then select the information you want to map. Since this spreadsheet is an email list, the _Email_ column field is the recipient. It will act as a placeholder field; any time there's an updated row that meets the criteria you set, the Zap will email that address. You can customize the fields for additional recipients, sender name, and a reply address if you'd like, but it's not required for the Zap to work. Under the _Subject_ field, you can either type in your subject (for something that will be the same each time), use your spreadsheet fields if you'd like it to change based on spreadsheet data, or a mix of both. If you plan to include hyperlinked text or any special formatting in your email, you'll need to click on the dropdown menu under _Body Type_ and select **HTML**. When you use HTML as the body type, you'll need to use HTML for hyperlinks, paragraphs, and other formatting to show up in your email. Type your email copy in the _Body_ field. You can also use spreadsheet information in your email body copy. Just type `/` or click the **plus sign** inside the _Body_ field to add whichever spreadsheet information you'd like. In our example, we have a list of names and emails in our spreadsheet, so we're using that to personalize our email message. When you're finished customizing your email, click **Continue**. ## Test your Zap Now it's time to test the Zap to ensure it's configured properly and your email shows up how you'd like. Zapier will send a new email according to how you've customized your message in the previous step. Once you've tested the Zap, check your email to see how the message looks. Once everything is set up correctly, you're ready to begin using your Zap. ## Power business-critical communication with automation Spreadsheets don't have to bog you down. With Zapier, you can use information you store in Google Sheets to send business-critical emails to your team or customers. **Related reading:** - [More ways to automate Google Sheets](https://zapier.com/blog/automate-google-sheets/) - [Create custom notifications for critical business information](https://zapier.com/blog/custom-notifications-for-critical-business-information/) - [Send a Slack message for new Google Sheets activity](https://zapier.com/blog/slack-message-for-new-google-sheets-rows/) - [How to connect Gmail with Google Sheets](https://zapier.com/blog/connect-gmail-with-google-sheets/) _This article was originally published in September 2020. It was most recently updated in November 2024 by Nicole Replogle._