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Question

Creating Airtable Invoice (Supporting Line Items) with Google Docs

  • 21 March 2023
  • 9 replies
  • 167 views
woodielanderos
Userlevel 1

Problem: I am having a problem with inserting a table of line items from an Airtable invoice. I am looking for some form of format to not have to use Google Sheets. I try everything and was unable to separate each item into a separate row. I tried formater to use the comma to line break but then the dollar format ($1,000) got all chaotic. It would essentially use the comma in the $1,000 to break it in half and separate it down.

Goal: Add Airtable Line Items to Google Docs Invoice that is automated from Zapier.

Note: I don't want to use Documint, Quickbooks, Google Sheets, or even Page Designer.

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

9 replies

Charie
Userlevel 3
Badge +4

Hi @woodielanderos 

Welcome to the Community!

Just to ensure I understand what you're trying to accomplish, could you elaborate more on the issue? Would you be able to outline it step-by-step?

If you can phrase it in the “When A happens in Service X, B should happen in Service Y” format, that’ll help me make sure I give you the best suggestion possible.

I want to ensure we're on the same page so I can point you in the right direction!

Also, could you kindly send a screenshot of how you set up the Zap? If there are confidential information, please blur them.

Looking forward for your response! 😊

woodielanderos
Userlevel 1

@Charie Okay, I am making an invoice in the ‘invoice’ tab in my database, then using zapier to pull information from both, ‘invoice’ and ‘line items’ to make something in Google Docs. I just need to make the line items come up as a table in the invoice that I create. So that Service A, Service B, and Service C come out as a table view instead.

Name Description Price Quantity Discount Subtotal
Service A Service Description $500 1 $50 $450
Service B Service Description $400 1   $400
Service C Service Description $50 2   $100

 

4 Attachments
Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @woodielanderos 

Good question.

Perhaps consider a different approach by using Airtable Automations.

https://support.airtable.com/docs/en/how-to-create-email-digests-with-automations#insert-records-as-a-grid

 

 

 

Insert records as a grid

Instead of inserting records as a list, you can also insert them as a grid. To do so, follow the same steps as above, but instead select the "insert as grid" option.

4410201465751sendemailinsertrecordsasgrid.gif

Here’s an example of how this grid of records would be rendered in an email.

1500003392661asgrid.png

All characters in text fields will be included in your grid by default, but you can choose to truncate text fields by checking the box next to the option when setting up the grid.

1500019744621truncatetextfieldsoption.png

After you’ve customized the rest of the email options, run a test to make sure everything is set up correctly.

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

@Troy Tessalone I have seen this before but can you do the left and right text align? I want to eventually make the invoice more than just text and a table. I want it to keep some styles and wasn't able to do that inside of Airtable alone, it's a bit too basic.

 

I am essentially trying to get something like that grid view into my invoice on Google Docs Template.

1 Attachment
Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@woodielanderos 

If you want to use GDocs, then you’ll likely have to use custom HTML to format and style the table with a dynamic number of rows.

The issue with that approach is the GDocs Create Doc from Template Zap action doesn’t support HTML.

However, the GDocs Append Text to Doc Zap action does support HTML, but then causes other existing formatting to break.

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

@Troy Tessalone @Charie I got to this point where it's formatted into Google Docs with comma separation but not separated into table breaks.

1 Attachment
Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@woodielanderos 

If you want to use GDocs, then you’ll likely have to use custom HTML to format and style the table with a dynamic number of rows.

The issue with that approach is the GDocs Create Doc from Template Zap action doesn’t support HTML.

However, the GDocs Append Text to Doc Zap action does support HTML, but then causes other existing formatting to break.

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

@Troy Tessalone I understand, I guess I am just trying to find a way to make it work. Thank you for the help.

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@woodielanderos 

I know you originally mentioned you are against using other apps, but some of those apps would make the generation of invoices using a template much easier.

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