I’m working on an automation that connects my Google Sheets to Firebase using Zapier. Every time I add a new row to my spreadsheet, it should create a new entry in my Firebase products collection. Everything works fine except for one issue - I can’t figure out how to make each Firebase entry have a unique identifier.
Right now when Zapier creates the Firebase entries, they don’t have proper unique IDs. I need each new entry to have its own distinct identifier so I can reference them later without conflicts.
I thought about adding a timestamp column in my Google Sheet that updates automatically when a row is added, but that feels like extra work and might not be the cleanest solution. Is there a better way to handle unique ID generation in this Zapier workflow? Maybe Firebase has some built-in functionality I’m missing, or Zapier has a feature for this that I haven’t found yet.
What’s the most reliable method to ensure each new Firebase entry gets a proper unique identifier when created through this Google Sheets and Zapier integration?
Had the exact same issue a few months back. Zapier’s got a built-in formatter that generates UUIDs - just add a formatter step before your Firebase action and pick “utilities > uuid”. Then map that generated ID to your document ID field in Firebase. Works like a charm and you don’t have to mess around with sheets columns or anything.
I’ve had good luck using Google Sheets’ CONCATENATE function to make unique IDs before Zapier even touches the data. I set up a formula that mixes a prefix, row number, and today’s date - like “PROD” + ROW() + TEXT(TODAY(),“YYYYMMDD”). You get readable IDs like PROD3420241201 that won’t duplicate and actually mean something when you spot them in Firebase. Plus you can see the ID right in your sheet and follow it through everything. Just make sure this column fills out before Zapier kicks in - either through the formula or as a calculated field that updates when you create the row.
Firebase creates unique document IDs automatically when you don’t set one yourself. Just leave the document ID field blank in your Zapier workflow and Firebase will handle it. I’ve used this approach in similar setups and never had ID conflicts. The auto-generated IDs are solid - no duplicates. Make sure your Zapier step is set to create new documents instead of updating existing ones. No need for timestamps or any manual workarounds.