Importing pandas DataFrame to Google Sheets: Numbers appearing as text

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1

Hey everyone! I’m having trouble with df2gspread when I try to move my pandas DataFrame to Google Sheets. Everything seems to work fine, but all my numbers end up as text in the sheet. This is causing problems when I try to use functions like sum or average. They just give me zero as the result. I’ve even tried to change the format manually in Sheets, but it doesn’t do anything.

Here’s a simplified version of what I’m doing:

import pandas as pd
from sheet_uploader import upload_to_sheets

# Get data and create DataFrame
data = fetch_data_from_source()
my_df = pd.to_frame(data)

# Set up Google Sheets access
sheet_id = 'my_sheet_id_here'
tab_name = 'Data Import'

# Upload DataFrame
upload_to_sheets(my_df, sheet_id, tab_name, start_cell='B3')

Does anyone know how to fix this so my numbers stay as numbers? I’d really appreciate any help!

2

hey mia, i had similar issues. try using the to_numeric() function on ur columns b4 uploading. like this:

my_df[‘column’] = pd.to_numeric(my_df[‘column’], errors=‘coerce’)

do this for all numeric columns. it forces pandas to treat them as numbers. hope it helps!

3

I’ve encountered this issue before when working with df2gspread. One solution that worked for me was to explicitly set the data types in your DataFrame before uploading. Try using the astype() method to convert your numeric columns to the appropriate data type, like float or int.

For example:

my_df[‘numeric_column’] = my_df[‘numeric_column’].astype(float)

Do this for all your numeric columns before uploading. This should ensure that Google Sheets recognizes them as numbers rather than text.

Another approach is to use the ‘value_input_option’ parameter when uploading. Set it to ‘USER_ENTERED’ instead of the default ‘RAW’. This tells Sheets to interpret the data as if it were manually entered, which often results in correct number formatting.

If these don’t work, you might need to check your data source to ensure it’s not introducing any formatting issues before it reaches your DataFrame.

4

I’ve dealt with this frustrating issue before. What worked for me was using the ‘value_render_option’ parameter when uploading. Set it to ‘UNFORMATTED_VALUE’ like this:

upload_to_sheets(my_df, sheet_id, tab_name, start_cell=‘B3’, value_render_option=‘UNFORMATTED_VALUE’)

This tells Google Sheets to interpret the data as raw values rather than formatted text. It’s been a lifesaver for keeping my numbers intact.

Also, double-check your data types in pandas before uploading. Sometimes sneaky string values can slip in. Use df.info() to see the data types of each column. If any number columns show up as ‘object’, that’s a red flag.

If all else fails, you might need to dig into your data source. Sometimes the issue starts there, especially if you’re pulling from an API or a messy CSV file.