Reasons to Integrate BigQuery with Google Sheets

• Access, analyze, visualize, and share billions of rows of BigQuery data from within Google Sheets.
• Streamline data exploration by connecting directly to BigQuery with just a few clicks using Connected Sheets.
• Conduct ad-hoc analyses, apply formulas, and generate visualizations using real-time data in Google Sheets.
• Enhance real-time collaboration by enabling multiple team members to work on the same spreadsheet simultaneously.
• Easily create impactful reports and dashboards by transforming BigQuery data into visualizations within Google Sheets.
• Facilitate business planning through comprehensive data analysis in a familiar spreadsheet environment.
• Analyze sales data to determine product performance in various locations directly within Google Sheets.
• Improve customer service by analyzing patterns in customer complaints relative to the number of customers.
• Create detailed finance and sales reports that can be easily shared and understood by stakeholders.
• Share up-to-date revenue reports with sales representatives, enhancing transparency and performance tracking.

Setting Up Integration Between BigQuery and Google Sheets

Integrating BigQuery with Google Sheets through Connected Sheets enables users to access and work with BigQuery data directly within Google Sheets. This integration is key for performing data analysis, visualization, and collaboration without leaving the spreadsheet environment. To ensure a seamless connection between these two powerful tools, several setup steps must be followed.

1. Click on Data, then select Data connectors, and choose Connect to BigQuery from within Google Sheets.
2. Ensure that the Google Cloud project you are connecting to has billing enabled.
3. From Google Sheets, select a public dataset or table from the BigQuery options presented and click Connect.
4. If the Data connectors option is not visible, perform the additional setup as required for enabling the connection to BigQuery.
5. Consult the Google Workspace Get started with BigQuery data in Google Sheets topic for general information on the integration process.
6. Refer to the Connected Sheets tutorial for a step-by-step guide on using BigQuery with Google Sheets.
7. To open tables directly from the Google Cloud console in Connected Sheets, use the Explorer pane or the table toolbar.

Integrating BigQuery with Google Sheets

Integrating BigQuery with Google Sheets can be achieved through several methods, each designed to facilitate seamless access, analysis, visualization, and sharing of BigQuery data directly within Google Sheets. These integrations leverage Connected Sheets to provide a powerful interface for handling large datasets without the need for SQL knowledge, and they ensure that BigQuery's capabilities are fully accessible from the familiar environment of a spreadsheet.

Using Connected Sheets

Connected Sheets is the primary method for integrating BigQuery with Google Sheets. It acts as a mediator, allowing users to run BigQuery queries from within Google Sheets and then automatically saving the results for further analysis and sharing. This method does not require users to know SQL, making it accessible to a wider audience. To initiate this integration, users simply navigate to Data > Data connectors > Connect to BigQuery in their Google Sheets spreadsheet, thereby accessing the full suite of Connected Sheets features for their BigQuery data.

Scheduled Queries and On-Demand Access

Connected Sheets offers the flexibility of running BigQuery queries on a predefined schedule or on-demand, depending on the user's needs. This means that users can ensure their data is always up-to-date for the latest analysis or trigger a refresh at any time to pull the most recent data from BigQuery. It's important to note that the use of end-user context in Connected Sheets may impact the success of scheduled refreshes, but on-demand queries can be run with the current user's permissions.

Access Control and Restrictions

While Connected Sheets provides broad access to BigQuery data, it is important to manage who has access to what data. Access to BigQuery data can be restricted using VPC Service Controls. However, Connected Sheets itself does not support VPC Service Controls directly. To enable Connected Sheets to query BigQuery data that is protected by VPC Service Controls, specific configurations using a YAML file may be necessary to adjust the VPC Service Controls perimeter accordingly.

Requirements and Setup

Before integrating BigQuery with Google Sheets, users must ensure they have a project with billing enabled, as Connected Sheets requires this to function. Additionally, BigQuery is automatically enabled in new projects which streamlines the setup process. Following the step-by-step guidance for using Connected Sheets, users can begin to open BigQuery datasets in Google Sheets and take full advantage of the integration features.

Alternative Integration Method: Sourcetable

As an alternative to the direct integration methods, users might consider Sourcetable as a tool for syncing live data from various apps or databases, including BigQuery, into their Google Sheets. This can be a valuable alternative for those looking for additional ways to integrate their data with Google Sheets beyond what Connected Sheets offers.

Common Use Cases

• B

  
  Analyzing and visualizing bigquery data in google sheets for reporting purposes
• B

  
  Importing data from google sheets into bigquery for advanced analytics and data processing
• B

  
  Automating data updates between bigquery and google sheets for real-time data analysis and collaboration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Connected Sheets and how does it integrate with BigQuery?

Connected Sheets is the BigQuery data connector in Google Sheets that allows you to access, analyze, visualize, and share BigQuery data. It enables you to run BigQuery queries on your behalf, either on demand or on a set schedule, directly within Google Sheets.

Can Connected Sheets be used for collaboration?

Yes, Connected Sheets can be used to collaborate with partners, analysts, and other stakeholders. It allows multiple users to find insights from data in spreadsheets without needing to know SQL, and it logs who accessed the data and when for enhanced collaboration.

Are there any limitations to using Connected Sheets on the Google Sheets mobile app?

Connected Sheets works on the Google Sheets mobile app, allowing you to view data, calculated column formulas, filters, sorts, and connection settings. However, editing data is not supported in the mobile app, although you can copy and paste data from Connected Sheets.

What are the benefits of using Connected Sheets for BigQuery data in Google Sheets?

Connected Sheets is useful for analyzing large amounts of data in a sheet, ensuring that your data is a single source of truth, and streamlining your reporting and dashboard workflows. It also saves queries in your spreadsheet for analysis and sharing.

Can anything restrict access to BigQuery data when using Connected Sheets?

VPC Service Controls might block access to BigQuery data for Sheets, which could restrict the functionality of Connected Sheets.