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How to load data from Google Sheets to MongoDB

Learn how to use Airbyte to synchronize your Google Sheets data into MongoDB within minutes.

TL;DR

This can be done by building a data pipeline manually, usually a Python script (you can leverage a tool as Apache Airflow for this). This process can take more than a full week of development. Or it can be done in minutes on Airbyte in three easy steps:

  1. set up Google Sheets as a source connector (using Auth, or usually an API key)
  2. set up MongoDB as a destination connector
  3. define which data you want to transfer and how frequently

You can choose to self-host the pipeline using Airbyte Open Source or have it managed for you with Airbyte Cloud.

This tutorial’s purpose is to show you how.

What is Google Sheets

Google Sheets is a cloud-based spreadsheet program that allows users to create, edit, and share spreadsheets online. It is a free alternative to Microsoft Excel and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. Google Sheets offers a range of features including formulas, charts, and conditional formatting, making it a powerful tool for data analysis and organization. Users can collaborate in real-time, making it easy to work on projects with others. Additionally, Google Sheets integrates with other Google apps such as Google Drive and Google Forms, making it a versatile tool for personal and professional use.

What is MongoDB

MongoDB is a database that powers crucial applications and systems for global businesses. Designed for developers and specializing in the areas of open source, software development, and databases, it offers functionality such as horizontal scaling, automatic failover, and the capability to assign data to a location.

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Prerequisites

  1. A Google Sheets account to transfer your customer data automatically from.
  2. A MongoDB account.
  3. An active Airbyte Cloud account, or you can also choose to use Airbyte Open Source locally. You can follow the instructions to set up Airbyte on your system using docker-compose.

Airbyte is an open-source data integration platform that consolidates and streamlines the process of extracting and loading data from multiple data sources to data warehouses. It offers pre-built connectors, including Google Sheets and MongoDB, for seamless data migration.

When using Airbyte to move data from Google Sheets to MongoDB, it extracts data from Google Sheets using the source connector, converts it into a format MongoDB can ingest using the provided schema, and then loads it into MongoDB via the destination connector. This allows businesses to leverage their Google Sheets data for advanced analytics and insights within MongoDB, simplifying the ETL process and saving significant time and resources.

Step 1: Set up Google Sheets as a source connector

1. Open your Google Sheets account and create a new project or select an existing one.
2. Go to the Google Cloud Console and select your project.
3. Click on the "APIs & Services" tab and then select "Credentials".
4. Click on the "Create Credentials" button and select "Service Account Key".
5. Fill in the required fields and select "JSON" as the key type.
6. Click on "Create" and your JSON key file will be downloaded.
7. Open the JSON key file and copy the "client_email" and "private_key" values.
8. Go to Airbyte and select your workspace.
9. Click on "Sources" and then select "Google Sheets".
10. Paste the "client_email" and "private_key" values into the respective fields.
11. Enter the name of the spreadsheet you want to connect to.
12. Click on "Test Connection" to ensure that the connection is successful.
13. If the test is successful, click on "Create Source" to save the connection.
14. You can now use the Google Sheets source connector to extract data from your spreadsheet and integrate it with other tools and platforms.

Step 2: Set up MongoDB as a destination connector

Step 3: Set up a connection to sync your Google Sheets data to MongoDB

Once you've successfully connected Google Sheets as a data source and MongoDB as a destination in Airbyte, you can set up a data pipeline between them with the following steps:

  1. Create a new connection: On the Airbyte dashboard, navigate to the 'Connections' tab and click the '+ New Connection' button.
  2. Choose your source: Select Google Sheets from the dropdown list of your configured sources.
  3. Select your destination: Choose MongoDB from the dropdown list of your configured destinations.
  4. Configure your sync: Define the frequency of your data syncs based on your business needs. Airbyte allows both manual and automatic scheduling for your data refreshes.
  5. Select the data to sync: Choose the specific Google Sheets objects you want to import data from towards MongoDB. You can sync all data or select specific tables and fields.
  6. Select the sync mode for your streams: Choose between full refreshes or incremental syncs (with deduplication if you want), and this for all streams or at the stream level. Incremental is only available for streams that have a primary cursor.
  7. Test your connection: Click the 'Test Connection' button to make sure that your setup works. If the connection test is successful, save your configuration.
  8. Start the sync: If the test passes, click 'Set Up Connection'. Airbyte will start moving data from Google Sheets to MongoDB according to your settings.

Remember, Airbyte keeps your data in sync at the frequency you determine, ensuring your MongoDB data warehouse is always up-to-date with your Google Sheets data.

Use Cases to transfer your Google Sheets data to MongoDB

Integrating data from Google Sheets to MongoDB provides several benefits. Here are a few use cases:

  1. Advanced Analytics: MongoDB’s powerful data processing capabilities enable you to perform complex queries and data analysis on your Google Sheets data, extracting insights that wouldn't be possible within Google Sheets alone.
  2. Data Consolidation: If you're using multiple other sources along with Google Sheets, syncing to MongoDB allows you to centralize your data for a holistic view of your operations, and to set up a change data capture process so you never have any discrepancies in your data again.
  3. Historical Data Analysis: Google Sheets has limits on historical data. Syncing data to MongoDB allows for long-term data retention and analysis of historical trends over time.
  4. Data Security and Compliance: MongoDB provides robust data security features. Syncing Google Sheets data to MongoDB ensures your data is secured and allows for advanced data governance and compliance management.
  5. Scalability: MongoDB can handle large volumes of data without affecting performance, providing an ideal solution for growing businesses with expanding Google Sheets data.
  6. Data Science and Machine Learning: By having Google Sheets data in MongoDB, you can apply machine learning models to your data for predictive analytics, customer segmentation, and more.
  7. Reporting and Visualization: While Google Sheets provides reporting tools, data visualization tools like Tableau, PowerBI, Looker (Google Data Studio) can connect to MongoDB, providing more advanced business intelligence options. If you have a Google Sheets table that needs to be converted to a MongoDB table, Airbyte can do that automatically.

Wrapping Up

To summarize, this tutorial has shown you how to:

  1. Configure a Google Sheets account as an Airbyte data source connector.
  2. Configure MongoDB as a data destination connector.
  3. Create an Airbyte data pipeline that will automatically be moving data directly from Google Sheets to MongoDB after you set a schedule

With Airbyte, creating data pipelines take minutes, and the data integration possibilities are endless. Airbyte supports the largest catalog of API tools, databases, and files, among other sources. Airbyte's connectors are open-source, so you can add any custom objects to the connector, or even build a new connector from scratch without any local dev environment or any data engineer within 10 minutes with the no-code connector builder.

We look forward to seeing you make use of it! We invite you to join the conversation on our community Slack Channel, or sign up for our newsletter. You should also check out other Airbyte tutorials, and Airbyte’s content hub!

What should you do next?

Hope you enjoyed the reading. Here are the 3 ways we can help you in your data journey:

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Take the first step towards extensible data movement infrastructure that will give a ton of time back to your data team. 
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Talk to a data infrastructure expert
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Connectors Used

What should you do next?

Hope you enjoyed the reading. Here are the 3 ways we can help you in your data journey:

flag icon
Easily address your data movement needs with Airbyte Cloud
Take the first step towards extensible data movement infrastructure that will give a ton of time back to your data team. 
Get started with Airbyte for free
high five icon
Talk to a data infrastructure expert
Get a free consultation with an Airbyte expert to significantly improve your data movement infrastructure. 
Talk to sales
stars sparkling
Improve your data infrastructure knowledge
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and get the community’s new enlightening content along with Airbyte’s progress in their mission to solve data integration once and for all.
Subscribe to newsletter

Connectors Used

Frequently Asked Questions

What data can you extract from Google Sheets?

Google Sheets API provides access to a wide range of data types that can be used for various purposes. Here are some of the categories of data that can be accessed through the API:

1. Spreadsheet data: This includes the data stored in the cells of a spreadsheet, such as text, numbers, and formulas.
2. Cell formatting: The API allows access to the formatting of cells, such as font size, color, and alignment.
3. Sheet properties: This includes information about the sheet, such as its title, size, and visibility.
4. Charts: The API provides access to the charts created in a sheet, including their data and formatting.
5. Named ranges: This includes the named ranges created in a sheet, which can be used to refer to specific cells or ranges of cells.
6. Filters: The API allows access to the filters applied to a sheet, which can be used to sort and filter data.
7. Comments: This includes the comments added to cells in a sheet, which can be used to provide additional context or information.
8. Permissions: The API allows access to the permissions set for a sheet, including who has access to view or edit the sheet.

What data can you transfer to MongoDB?

You can transfer a wide variety of data to MongoDB. This usually includes structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data like transaction records, log files, JSON data, CSV files, and more, allowing robust, scalable data integration and analysis.

What are top ETL tools to transfer data from Google Sheets to MongoDB?

The most prominent ETL tools to transfer data from Google Sheets to MongoDB include:

  • Airbyte
  • Fivetran
  • Stitch
  • Matillion
  • Talend Data Integration

These tools help in extracting data from Google Sheets and various sources (APIs, databases, and more), transforming it efficiently, and loading it into MongoDB and other databases, data warehouses and data lakes, enhancing data management capabilities.