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Google Sheets Integration Setup Guide

Follow these steps to connect your Google Sheets with BuddyActivity for seamless content management.

1

Create a Google Cloud Project

First, you need to create a project in Google Cloud Console to get API credentials.

  1. 1.Go to the Google Cloud Console
  2. 2.Click on the project dropdown at the top of the page
  3. 3.Click "New Project"
  4. 4.Enter a project name (e.g., "My WordPress Site")
  5. 5.Click "Create" and wait for the project to be created
Tip: Choose a descriptive project name that helps you identify which website this is for.
2

Enable Required APIs

Enable the Google Sheets and Google Drive APIs for your project.

  1. 1.In the Google Cloud Console, make sure your new project is selected
  2. 2.Click on "APIs & Services" > "Library" in the left sidebar
  3. 3.Search for "Google Sheets API" and click on it
  4. 4.Click "Enable"
  5. 5.Go back to the API Library
  6. 6.Search for "Google Drive API" and click on it
  7. 7.Click "Enable"
Important: Both APIs must be enabled for the integration to work properly. Without Google Drive API, the plugin cannot list your spreadsheets.
3

Create a Service Account

A service account allows your WordPress site to access Google Sheets without requiring user login.

  1. 1.Go to "APIs & Services" > "Credentials"
  2. 2.Click "Create Credentials" > "Service account"
  3. 3.Enter a service account name (e.g., "wordpress-sheets-sync")
  4. 4.Enter a description (optional)
  5. 5.Click "Create and Continue"
  6. 6.Skip the optional "Grant access" step by clicking "Continue"
  7. 7.Skip the optional "Grant users access" step by clicking "Done"
What is a Service Account?

A service account is a special type of Google account that represents your application. It has its own email address and can access resources when you share them with it.

4

Create and Download JSON Key

Generate a private key file that your WordPress site will use to authenticate with Google.

  1. 1.On the Credentials page, find your newly created service account in the "Service Accounts" section
  2. 2.Click on the service account email to open its details
  3. 3.Go to the "Keys" tab
  4. 4.Click "Add Key" > "Create new key"
  5. 5.Select "JSON" as the key type
  6. 6.Click "Create"
  7. 7.A JSON file will be automatically downloaded to your computer
Security Notice: Keep this JSON file secure! It contains your private key. Never share it publicly or commit it to version control.
{
  "type": "service_account",
  "project_id": "your-project-12345",
  "private_key_id": "abc123...",
  "private_key": "-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----\n...\n-----END PRIVATE KEY-----\n",
  "client_email": "wordpress-sheets-sync@your-project.iam.gserviceaccount.com",
  "client_id": "123456789...",
  "auth_uri": "https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth",
  "token_uri": "https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token",
  ...
}
5

Note Your Service Account Email

You'll need this email address to share your Google Sheets.

  1. 1.Open the JSON file you just downloaded
  2. 2.Find the "client_email" field
  3. 3.Copy the email address (it will look like: your-service-name@project-id.iam.gserviceaccount.com)
  4. 4.Keep this email handy for the next step
Example Service Account Email:
wordpress-sheets-sync@my-project-12345.iam.gserviceaccount.com
6

Share Your Google Sheet

Give your service account access to the Google Sheets you want to integrate.

  1. 1.Open the Google Sheet you want to integrate with WordPress
  2. 2.Click the "Share" button in the top-right corner
  3. 3.Paste your service account email address
  4. 4.Choose "Editor" permission level
  5. 5.Uncheck "Notify people" (service accounts don't check email)
  6. 6.Click "Share"
Success Tip: You can share multiple Google Sheets with the same service account. They will all appear in the plugin's spreadsheet selector.
7

Configure the WordPress Plugin

Upload your service account credentials to the plugin.

  1. 1.Open the JSON file you downloaded in Step 4
  2. 2.Copy the ENTIRE contents of the file
  3. 3.Go to Buddy Activity > Settings
  4. 4.Paste the JSON content into the "Service Account JSON" textarea
  5. 5.Click "Save Settings"
  6. 6.Wait for the success message confirming the connection
What happens next?

Once saved, the plugin will verify your credentials and show you all Google Sheets that you've shared with your service account.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"No spreadsheets found" error

  • •Make sure you've shared your Google Sheet with the service account email
  • •Verify that Google Drive API is enabled in your Google Cloud Console
  • •Check that the service account email is correct

"Invalid JSON" error

  • •Make sure you copied the ENTIRE contents of the JSON file
  • •Don't modify the JSON content
  • •Ensure there are no extra spaces or characters before or after the JSON

"Authentication failed" error

  • •Verify that Google Sheets API is enabled
  • •Make sure the service account is active
  • •Check if the private key in the JSON file is valid

Need More Help?

Still having trouble? Our support team is here to help you get set up.

Contact Support