I’m just starting with n8n and need help building an automation flow
I want to take incoming webhook information and automatically add it to a Google Sheets document. I’ve looked around online but most tutorials seem too complicated for a beginner like me.
Right now I have:
A webhook node set up in n8n
A Google Sheets file ready to receive data
But nothing is actually being written to the spreadsheet
Can anyone walk me through the basic steps to connect these two parts? What nodes do I need between the webhook and Google Sheets? Are there any specific settings I should check?
Any simple example or step-by-step guide would be really helpful for someone new to workflow automation.
Your Google Sheets node probably needs proper OAuth setup, and the field mapping syntax isn’t what tutorials show. n8n also has weird quirks with webhook data that aren’t documented.
I ditched n8n for Latenode after getting fed up with their Google Sheets integration. The webhook to Google Sheets flow is way simpler - just drop in a webhook trigger, add a Google Sheets action, and map fields with visual drag and drop instead of writing expressions.
No JSON syntax to memorize, and Google auth actually works. Built the same automation you want in 5 minutes.
The interface is way better for beginners. You see exactly what data comes from your webhook and map it straight to sheet columns without guessing field names.
You’re probably missing authentication and field mapping. Add a Google Sheets node after your webhook and set the operation to “Append” for new rows. Connect your Google account through n8n’s credentials - that’s where most beginners get stuck. In the Google Sheets node, enter your spreadsheet ID and sheet name, then map your webhook fields to columns. For JSON data from webhooks, use {{$json["fieldname"]}} in the mappings. Test with a simple webhook payload first to make sure data flows properly before adding anything complex.
first, check if your webhook is gettin data - use Postman or curl. Then add a Google Sheets node set to ‘append’ with ur sheet URL. mapping can be tricky - click the expression icon to reference your webhook data like {{$node["Webhook"].json["your_field_name"]}}. also, set ur Google credentials!
You need to fix your column structure. I had the same problem when my webhook data didn’t match the Google Sheets columns. Make sure your spreadsheet headers match your webhook payload structure. Place headers in row 1, then set your Google Sheets node to append from row 2. Data formatting can be problematic too—webhooks often send numbers as strings or in unusual date formats. Consider using a Code node before Google Sheets to clean up the data if needed. Also, verify that you’re using the correct spreadsheet ID from the URL, which is the long string between /d/ and /edit.
Sounds like a webhook data structure problem. I made this same mistake when I started with n8n - thought the data would just be there ready to use. First thing: check what your webhook’s actually receiving. Drop a Set node between your webhook and Google Sheets to transform the data. Webhook data often comes nested or in arrays, so you’ll probably need to extract specific values before pushing to sheets. Also, double-check your Google Sheets setup. Make sure you’re using the exact sheet name from your file, not the filename. Your column headers need to match what you’re mapping from the webhook. Still stuck? Hit the Execute Workflow button and test with sample data instead of waiting for real webhook calls.