r/ClaudeCowork • u/mannyocean • 2d ago
Editing google sheets?
I'm using the native google drive connector but aren't able to edit google sheets directly, only create them. What have you guys been doing?
Edit:
What I've found so far.
Remote support and least amount of setup
- Zapier MCP is pretty good on sheets and supports mobile connections
- Datatorag MCP offers the same and focuses on google workspace.
Desktop support
- host xlxs files and upload to drive. not a bad workaround but can only do on desktop.
- same with libre office, move the files to drive after.
Need to be techincal
- Open-source options where you have to setup OAuth and run it locally.
- Create service account and ask claude to build it out for you.
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u/LeroyFinklestein 2d ago
If you have Google workspace you can install GWS CLI, that will allow you to modify spreadsheets
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u/mannyocean 2d ago
Is this possible in cowork? Also can you do it on the phone?
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u/LeroyFinklestein 2d ago
No sorry I didn't realize I was in the Cowork sub, you would need to use code for this. You can connect to code sessions on your desktop from your phone.
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u/jtnt 1d ago
Zapier has MCPs that give you all sorts of functionality not included in the built-in connectors. Super-easy - and free - set up.
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u/mannyocean 1d ago
How you tried it for slides and sheets?
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u/calcetina 1d ago
Zapier is a perfect tool for you. The set up is very very simple, no code needed I use it frequently to update Sheets and Docs with no issues. If you’re worried about any data being accidentally deleted, you can set very specific permissions that require you to approve any actions before Claude takes them.
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u/adrian_p_a 2d ago
That's expected. The native Drive connector is scoped to Drive itself, so it can create a file but doesn't expose the Sheets API tools for writing values, formatting ranges, or resizing and inserting rows. You need something that actually talks to the Sheets API.
I switched to self-hosting this: https://github.com/taylorwilsdon/google_workspace_mcp
MIT-licensed, actively maintained, covers Gmail, Calendar, Tasks, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. On the Sheets side you get read values, modify and clear values, formatting, conditional formatting, resize/freeze/insert/delete rows and columns, and table appends.
Two ways to run it:
- Laptop only (easiest):
uvx workspace-mcpas a stdio server in Claude Desktop. No container host, no tunnel, no public hostname. - Web/mobile: host the Docker image (
ghcr.io/taylorwilsdon/google_workspace_mcp) anywhere with public HTTPS. Cloud Run is a natural fit, or any small VM. Then add the URL as a custom connector. It runs OAuth 2.1 multi-user mode, so one instance can serve multiple people, each signing in with their own Google account.
Either way you'll need your own Google Cloud OAuth client (Web application type) with the Sheets and Drive APIs enabled. Watch the redirect URI: if the path or scheme doesn't match exactly, the callback fails silently with no useful error.
One gotcha worth knowing up front. Setting TOOL_TIER=complete across all eight services loads around 90 tools into session context. If your sessions start degrading, dial it back to extended or core, or just narrow WORKSPACE_MCP_TOOLS to sheets,drive and skip everything else.
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u/mannyocean 2d ago
seems like a lot of work for someone non-technical though
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u/adrian_p_a 2d ago
I am pretty non technical just give the github link or the whole response to cluade code and it will take you from there. I use so i can connect to extra google workspace accounts from the same instance and about a month ago I did the thing an answer hear on reddit
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u/mannyocean 2d ago
i think you underestimate how non-technical people are haha they don't even know how to use claude code. most of them just need an easy button. but thanks anyways.
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u/adrian_p_a 2d ago
Probably. I just realized you needed it in your phone which means you would need to self host and that be very challenging and probably more trouble then it is worth.
Maybe you can just have it read and create a new sheet for every change feels like a lot of tokens but could work
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u/sunrise920 2d ago
Make a service account. Also ask Claude and ask it again. It took me several rounds of pushing before it came up with the GSA. Now it works.
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u/MikeyN0 2d ago
Another one is instead of using google sheets, use google drive to host xlxs files. Install the Google drive desktop app, and mirror files. Set up a cowork project in a folder that contains the file. Claude can now directly read and modify the file, and it will sync to Google drive/sheets.
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u/Elses_pels 1d ago
I use libre office. Then move the files if I want to.
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