How to Connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets

If you want to learn how to easily connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets, this is the right guide for you.

For the past thirty years, PostgreSQL has remained one of the most dominant relational database management systems (RDMS), and is still broadly popular today. As a free and open source RDMS, PostgreSQL is built around extensibility and SQL compliance.

But sales and revenue teams have a slightly different use case than SQL-based users: they operate out of spreadsheets. 

SalesOps and RevOps teams use the flexibility of Google Sheets to blend and analyze PostgreSQL data. They need a way to quickly and easily connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets. Otherwise they’ll spend hours manually exporting tables or, more likely, go without the critical data they need.        

How can sales and revenue teams connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets effortlessly? Learn about the different ways to pull data from PostgreSQL into Google Sheets by reading the following how-to blog, or watching the video tutorial below. 

Video Tutorial: How to Connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets

TL;DR: Coefficient is the simplest way to connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets

If you don’t have the time to read the entire blog, here’s a summary: Coefficient is the easiest way to connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets.  

Coefficient provides the fastest way to connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets. The Coefficient app automatically pulls data from your PostgreSQL tables into Google Sheets without requiring custom SQL queries or any other coding. And you only have to set up the connection between Google Sheets and PostgreSQL once.  

With Coefficient, you can pull data from PostgreSQL into your spreadsheet in seconds. Now you can eliminate the hassles of manual data importing and syncing. Visualize PostgreSQL database tables with Coefficient’s data inline previewer, and point-and-click to choose the data you want to import. You can also run SQL queries against the database, if you choose to, alongside your GUI-based imports. 

Connect multiple databases to the same Sheet to combine your PostgreSQL data with data from other relational database management systems. Import data from CRMs such as HubSpot and Salesforce to expand the depth of your analysis. The possibilities are endless for business users who are typically locked out of PostgreSQL due to a lack of programming experience.      

Best Ways to Connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets

Coefficient

Connect Google Sheets to your PostgreSQL database with Coefficient in a few clicks by following these steps. 

Step 1: Install the Coefficient add-on in Google Sheets by clicking Extensions on the top menu. Then navigate to the Add-ons menu from the dropdown and click Get add-ons. 

Enter Coefficient in the Google Workspace Marketplace search bar. Click the Coefficient app and follow the steps to finish the installation. 

Select your Google account. Click Allow to authorize Coefficient’s access to the required permissions to complete installation. 

After installation, launch the Coefficient app from the Google Sheets menu. Click Extensions>Coefficient: Salesforce, HubSpot Data Connector>Launch. 

You’ll see Coefficient running as a side panel on Google Sheets. Now you can start pulling data from PostgreSQL into your Google spreadsheet.

Step 2: Select Import from… on the Coefficient side panel. 

Click PostgreSQL from the list of data sources.  

Choose whether to import from tables or custom SQL queries. With Coefficient, you can perform SQL queries on top of your PostgreSQL database directly from Google Sheets.

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Step 3: Click Import from tables.

Provide the connection details, such as the host, database username, password, port, and IP addresses. 

Click Connect when you’re done. 

Step 4: Select the data and tables you want to import. Coefficient provides a data inline preview for PostgreSQL. 

The data inline previewer allows you to import tables, columns, and rows using a GUI. This way, you can quickly import data without needing to provide specific identifiers or table names. You can also apply limits and custom filters to your data import. This means you don’t have to use SQL to pull and format your data.

Step 5: Click Import. Your data should auto-populate inside your spreadsheet in seconds. 

Step 6: Keep the PostgreSQL data up to date in your spreadsheet by setting up an auto-refresh schedule. You can set your data to auto-refresh hourly, daily, or weekly at your preferred day and time.

You can also refresh your data instantly by clicking the ‘Refresh’ button at the top of your data set. 

Google Apps Script

If you have coding knowledge and technical skills, you can use Google Apps Script to connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets. CData’s SQL Gateway lets you create a MySQL interface for ODBC drivers to connect PostgreSQL to your spreadsheet. 

The MySQL protocol has native support via the JDBC service within Google Apps Script. Using the SQL Gateway, you can get access to live PostgreSQL data in your Google spreadsheets. 

Before connecting PostgreSQL to your Google spreadsheet, you’ll need to provide the necessary connection properties within the Data Source Name (DSN). Leverage the built-in Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to set up the DSN. 

Then set the server, database, and port connection properties, including the ‘user’ and ‘password’ you want to authenticate to the server. The provider connects to your default database if the database property is unspecified. 

Next, create a connection to PostgreSQL data as a virtual MySQL database within the SQL Gateway UI. Once you’re done with the pre-configurations, harness Google Apps Script to access the MySQL remoting service and access your PostgreSQL data in Google Sheets. 

You’ll need to create a script to populate your spreadsheet with PostgreSQL data. To do this, open Apps Script from your active Google sheet. Then, make several class variables that should be available for functions created within the script. 

Next, include a function that adds a menu option. This allows you to use the UI in Google Sheets to call your function. 

Then write a helper function that can locate the first empty row in your spreadsheet. 

Finally, create a function that writes the PostgreSQL data to your spreadsheet. Use Apps Script JDBC to link to the MySQL remoting service. Then SELECT data, and populate your Google spreadsheet.  

Run the script and input the name of the Sheet and the PostgreSQL table you want to pull data from. The function is intended as a menu option, but you can extend its use as a spreadsheet formula. It will import your PostgreSQL data into your spreadsheet, allowing you to calculate, graph, and chart your datasets. 

But this option comes with limitations. First of all, it’s not for non-technical users. You’ll need to have a firm coding background to use Google App Script. However, even technical users will waste time debugging and maintaining the function. A pre-built connector is a better choice, if your team has the option.   

Zapier

Zapier lets you connect PostgreSQL to your Google spreadsheet via automated, no-code workflows called Zaps. For instance, you can make a Zap to:

• Update your database when you modify Google Sheets cells
• Send a new row in Google Sheets to PostgreSQL 
• Update Google Sheets data based on changes in PostgreSQL

Set up your Zaps by configuring triggers and actions that automate your repetitive tasks. Triggers start your Zaps, and actions are the events the Zaps perform. Below are the basic steps involved in setting up a Zap. 

• Authenticate your PostgreSQL and Google Sheets accounts
• Choose either Google Sheets or PostgreSQL as your trigger to initiate the automation
• Select the resulting event (action) in the other app
• Choose the PostgreSQL or Google Sheets data you want to send to the other app 
• Test your Zaps by running them to check for potential errors or issues in your configuration

Zapier can be a good option for automatically creating new records in Google Sheets when adding new data to PostgreSQL. 

The challenge is that Zapier only works based on the app’s pre-designed workflows, limiting what you can do with your data. You’ll likely need to write a bit of SQL or use an API to create and configure the specific automated workflows you want. And the more data you have, the more costly Zapier can get.   

Connect PostgreSQL to Google Sheets: Choose the Best Method for Your Use Case 

Connecting PostgreSQL to Google Sheets allows you to blend and analyze data from your RDMS using the flexibility of spreadsheets. While there are many ways to connect Google Sheets with PostgreSQL, Coefficient’s pre-built connector offers the quickest and most hassle-free method. 

With Coefficient, analyzing, visualizing, and combining your PostgreSQL data in spreadsheets has never been easier. Install Coefficient now to discover why sales and revenue teams rely on it every day.