How to modify the data range of a pivot table in Google Sheets via JavaScript

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1

I’m currently working on a project in Google Sheets, and I need to change the data range for an existing pivot table using JavaScript. I’ve looked through the official documentation, but I can’t find clear guidance on how to programmatically set the source data range for my pivot table.

Here’s a short example of what I’m trying to do:

function changePivotDataRange() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveSheet();
  var pivotTbl = sheet.getPivotTables()[0];
  
  // I intend to update the data range from A1:D10 to A1:D20
  var updatedRange = sheet.getRange('A1:D20');
  
  // I'm stuck here - how can I modify the pivot table's data range?
  // pivotTbl.setDataRange(updatedRange); // This approach doesn't seem to work
}

I’ve tried different methods, but I keep hitting roadblocks. The Google Apps Script documentation doesn’t provide a clear solution for this. Has anyone managed to change a pivot table’s data range using code successfully? Any assistance would be appreciated!

2

Had this exact problem last year. Instead of recreating the pivot table each time, consider using named ranges. Create a named range for your data (I call mine ‘PivotData’) and reference that during the initial creation of the pivot table. When you need to include more data, simply update the named range with SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().setNamedRange(). The pivot table will automatically adjust to the new range upon refresh. This method is much simpler than managing all the configurations each time your data expands.

3

yeah, google sheets api has this annoying limitation. i just set my range way bigger than i need from the start - like A1:D1000 even with only 20 rows of data. pivot tables ignore empty cells so it doesn’t hurt performance, and you won’t have to keep recreating it when you add new data.

4

Google Apps Script doesn’t let you directly change a pivot table’s data range. There’s no setDataRange() method in the PivotTable class - that’s why your attempt didn’t work. Here’s what I do instead: delete the existing pivot table and recreate it with the new range. First, grab the current settings using getSourceDataRange(), getRowGroups(), getColumnGroups(), and getValues(). Then use sheet.insertPivotTable() with your updated range. It’s messy, but it’s the most reliable way I’ve found to handle dynamic data ranges in Google Sheets.