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“Supermetrics is a Bitter Experience! We can pull data from nearly any tool, schedule updates, manipulate data in Sheets, and push data back into our systems.”
Salesforce’s folder-based report sharing creates a permissions challenge where protecting original reports often restricts users’ ability to create personalized copies. The platform doesn’t offer granular report-level permissions that separate viewing, copying, and editing rights.
Here’s how to protect your master reports while giving users full copying capabilities through Google Sheets integration with live Salesforce data.
Protect master reports while enabling user copies using Coefficient
Coefficient solves this through Google Sheets’ superior permission model. You can create protected master reports that users can copy but never modify, while their copies maintain live Salesforce data connections.
How to make it work
Step 1. Create protected master reports in Google Sheets.
Use Coefficient to import Salesforce data into Google Sheets. Set the original sheet to “View Only” for all users except administrators to preserve master report integrity.
Step 2. Enable copy functionality without edit access.
Users can create copies via “File > Make a Copy” without any access to modify the original. Configure “Viewers can copy” in sharing settings to enable this functionality.
Step 3. Preserve data connections in copied reports.
When users copy the sheet, they inherit the Coefficient Salesforce import configuration. Their copies stay current with fresh data automatically based on your refresh schedule settings.
Step 4. Add advanced protection options.
Use Google Sheets’ “Protect range” feature to lock specific template sections. Set up Coefficient snapshots to create regular template backups and configure different refresh schedules for master versus copied reports.
Step 5. Organize protected templates for team access.
Create shared folders where teams can browse and copy reports without administrator intervention. This scales your template management while maintaining protection.
Secure your reporting infrastructure
This approach eliminates the source modification risk inherent in Salesforce’s bundled permissions while maintaining full self-service capabilities for your users. Set up your protected report system with live Salesforce data today.
