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Question

Google sheets API induced delays?

  • 15 April 2024
  • 7 replies
  • 41 views
B

I had a huge delay with the ‘instant’ trigger for google sheets (over two hours at times).

I was told to switch to a Shared Drive and use that trigger, as then my guaranteed 2-minute polling interval applies.

Now I’m still getting a delay of over an hour, and I’m told ‘One thing to clarify is that even though the polling interval for the 'New or Updated Spreadsheet Row (Shared Drive)' trigger should indeed follow the plan limits, the actual performance can still be affected by factors beyond our control, such as the Google Sheets API's responsiveness’.

Of course this wasn’t mentioned before I spent £300 upgrading my google workspace. 

So my question is--is this really likely to be the issue? Is this a known problem, where thousands of companies PAY to use google sheets integration with Zapier and it only kinda works sometimes? Do people just not actually have a need for a guaranteed polling interval:

I can’t understand how this is just standard. Maybe they prioritise solving the issue if you have a higher plan? 

7 replies

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @bunnykat 

This looks to be the similar to your other post:

 

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
B

The initiating context is the same, but the question is not. In my other post, I asked if anyone had a fix. No one did. You offered airtable, which for the record would have been my third attempt at using an integration that zapier is supposed to offer, after their integrations with Excel Online failed and their ‘trigger’ with sheets (both kinds) was takinghours. But in fact airtable doesn’t have the computational capacities I need.

This the question I asked in THIS post. Do experienced users find the explanation I am being given by tech ‘support’—that google sheets api just isn’t that reliable--reasonable? 

is this really likely to be the issue? Is this a known problem, where thousands of companies PAY to use google sheets integration with Zapier and it only kinda works sometimes? 

 

And yes, I am still looking for an answer. 
 

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@bunnykat 

Can you link to the documentation you mentioned for GSheets related to the “2 hours”?

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
B

The two hours was the delay I experienced at its worst, and this was the explanation that they gave me for it. See below from an email from tech support. 

11 months ago they said their ‘instant’ trigger could take ‘up to 30 minutes’. Now they say they check ‘every 3 minutes’. Yet they blamed the same ‘known bug’ for my hour+ delays. 

Re the screenshot below: note I am NOT using google forms, which I had already clarified. 

The most recent tech responses—from a support manager—was to ask me to show that it wasn’t an issue with Typeform sending data to sheets, which I’d first proven with screenshots about 10 days and 11 emails ago (and at least twice more since then).

 

 

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@bunnykat 

But in fact Airtable doesn’t have the computational capacities I need.

Can you share info about the computational capacities you need to help us determine if Airtable can be used?

Airtable Formulas: https://support.airtable.com/docs/formula-field-reference

Airtable has options to use JavaScript, which means custom logic could be configured.

Zapier has a Code step (JavaScript / Python) too.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@bunnykat 

To help us have more context, post screenshots with how your Zap steps are outlined and configured.

Also, post screenshots with the top 3 rows of your GSheet. (show row # and column letter)

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
SamB
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

Hi there @bunnykat 👋

So my question is--is this really likely to be the issue? Is this a known problem, where thousands of companies PAY to use google sheets integration with Zapier and it only kinda works sometimes? Do people just not actually have a need for a guaranteed polling interval:

With the workaround Support suggested it looks like the New or Updated Spreadsheet Row (Team Drive) trigger might not require you to have a paid Google account, as in the help text it states it works best with Team Drives it doesn’t mention that it requires them:
ff6aa8025bb5079a74726e3911818625.png
I’m not sure if that’s potentially why you’re still experiencing delays despite switching. Was the spreadsheet itself moved to a shared drive, or was the Google account just upgraded to allow for the ability to have shared drives?

Generally with polling triggers like the New or Updated Spreadsheet Row (Team Drive) one we’ll make a request to the app’s API to look for new information, in your case every 2 mins. But sometimes there can be delays on the apps end. This can be due to a delay in the app’s making the updated data available via it’s API, or there can be a temporary outage or issue in connecting with the app’s servers that prevents us from being able to retrieve the new information when we next poll for it. These kinds of delays are passed to the Zap, preventing it from triggering until it’s able to access the updated information via the app’s API.

I can’t understand how this is just standard. Maybe they prioritise solving the issue if you have a higher plan? 

This isn’t standard or intentional on our part and we do not just prioritise solving issues based on the plan type you have. There are a number of different factors that are considered when it comes to prioritising issues such as the number of users affected, the severity of the issue and the complexity of the fix. I can’t make any promises as to when that bug with the Google Sheets app will be resolved by but we’ll definitely notify you by email the moment it is.

In the meantime, I’ve recently posted a potential workaround on the related topic you added here: 


Hopefully that suggestion is helpful in getting around the issue and avoiding needing to pay for a upgraded Google Account. Do let me know if you have any additional questions or if there’s anything else I can help with on this - happy to further assist! 🙂 

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