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  • How do I troubleshoot for Google Doc placeholders not populating from a Google Spreadsheet Zap?
Best answer

How do I troubleshoot for Google Doc placeholders not populating from a Google Spreadsheet Zap?

T
Userlevel 1

Hi,

I have a Google Docs template that uses a two column table.

The placeholder is formatted as instructed, with the Google Spreadsheet’s column name in between brackets without spaces ie. {{BrandName}}.  

I made sure that there is no formatting for that text.  

The Google Docs template is pulling from a worksheet page that uses an auto population formula to pull data from another worksheet in the same spreadsheet doc.  I thought that might be the issue, but when I tried to pull it from the main source the problem remained.

 

I’m strapped for time to get this sorted.  Any suggestions for troubleshooting? 

 

icon

Best answer by christina.d 6 December 2021, 20:58

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This post has been closed for comments. Please create a new post if you need help or have a question about this topic.

13 replies

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @TheCollectiveLMG 

Can you post screenshot about how your Zap steps are currently configured?

Perhaps outline a specific example for us.

TIP: If you are testing with your Zap ON, then check your Zap Runs for the DATA IN/OUT for each step: https://zapier.com/app/history/

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

 

Yes, thank you for your response.

 

Here are the steps:

Action: Create Document from Template in Google Docs
Action: Create Document from Template in Google Docs
Action:New or Updated Spreadsheet Row in Google Sheets

 

Action: New or Updated Spreadsheet Row in Google Sheets

 

 

Action: New or Updated Spreadsheet Row in Google Sheets

 

 

Here are screenshots of the Spreadsheet & Google template:

THE SPREADSHEET

 

 

THE TEMPLATE

 

Let me know any clarifications that are needed!  Much appreciated.

 

 

 

 

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@TheCollectiveLMG

The provided screenshots don’t show how the data points are mapped from the GSheet trigger step to the fields in Step 2 where the GDoc Template is being created.

Please post those, thanks.

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

I’m sorry Troy,  can you clarify where I find that so that I can be sure I’m grabbing the correct info?

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@TheCollectiveLMG 

Should be underneath this screenshot

 

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

Thank you!  Here we go:

 

 

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@TheCollectiveLMG 

You need to map data points from the GSheet using the ‘Custom’ option OR insert static values to each of these GDoc Template fields in order for them to be populated.

 

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

Please excuse my ignorance...do you know if there is a tutorial that shows how to do that?

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@TheCollectiveLMG 

The same way you mapped this field in the “New Document Name”.

Use the ‘Custom’ mapping option.

See help article: https://zapier.com/help/create/basics/set-up-your-zap-action#set-up-your-action

 

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

Hi again,  Hopefully this will be the final issue to address for me - I noticed that some of the mapping info (data to be inserted) was not matching what is in the spreadsheet. I corrected the issue in the live spreadsheet, but it is not refreshing in the “set up action” section.  I tried refreshing the fields, refreshing the page (both for the live spreadsheet & Zapier page).  

 

Any suggestions?

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@TheCollectiveLMG 

Article about how to change the trigger test data: https://zapier.com/help/create/basics/change-the-test-data-in-your-zap-trigger

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

Troy, I cannot begin to thank you enough for your swift and succinct responses, it worked!

 

christina.d
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi friends! I wanted to pop in and consolidate some of the responses here into in case it helps other users who stumbled on here: 

@TheCollectiveLMG

You need to map data points from the GSheet using the ‘Custom’ option OR insert static values to each of these GDoc Template fields in order for them to be populated.

 

Which can be achieved by: 

@TheCollectiveLMG

The same way you mapped this field in the “New Document Name”.

Use the ‘Custom’ mapping option.

See help article: https://zapier.com/help/create/basics/set-up-your-zap-action#set-up-your-action

 

If you’re having any issues with trigger test data:

@TheCollectiveLMG

Article about how to change the trigger test data: https://zapier.com/help/create/basics/change-the-test-data-in-your-zap-trigger

 

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