🗂️ Import or Update Contacts from Google Sheets

Using Zapier, Pabbly or Make with Leadfwd webhooks you can seamlessly import and update Contacts from Google Sheets.

In this article we'll be using Zapier to connect Leadfwd to Google Sheets. For more info on using Zapier with Leadfwd for inbound data, review this article.

What can we do with Google Sheets <> Leadfwd?

1. Import new contacts into Leadfwd
2. Update data field properties for existing contacts in Leadfwd
3. Enroll new or existing contacts into Sequences
4. Apply tags to new or existing contacts in Leadfwd

Requirements:

• Leadfwd Admin Access to manage Integrations and Connectors
  • Integrations / Zapier / Outbound Connectors
  • Generate your Authorization Key + Secret
• Zapier, Pabbly or Make Account and Plan. We'll be using Zapier in this article.
• Google Workspace credentials with access to Google Sheets
  
  • Most Zapier apps use the Oauth token framework that requires a login to connect your app, like Hubspot, to Zapier. Other apps may require API keys or tokens. Consult the Zapier app guide to figure out which you will need. Expect to need credentials as an Admin or Owner from your third-party app to successfully connect to Zapier.
• Spreadsheet created in Google Sheets with headers in row one (1). 
  • Name header/column is required
  • Email header/column is required

Step by Step:

1. Create a new Zap
2. Connect Google Sheets
3. Select a Spreadsheet from Google Sheets to sync to Leadfwd
4. Create an Inbound Zapier Connector in Leadfwd for this integration
5. Configure the Zapier Webhook action
6. Map data from Google Sheets to Leadfwd custom data properties
7. Optional: Enroll in a Sequence or apply Tags
8. Inbound Connector Authorization: Key and Secret
9. Test and Publish

Step 1. Create a new Zap

When this happens... we want to trigger this action when a New Spreadsheet Row is added to our Google Sheet spreadsheet and the action we're selecting is 'Webhooks by Zapier' using POST

Step 2. Sign in to Google Workspace

Step 3. Grant Zapier Access to Google Sheets

Step 4. Select a source Spreadsheet, Worksheet and Refresh Fields

Spreadsheet selection:

Worksheet selection:

You may only have one option in this drop menu if your spreadsheet only contains a single page/worksheet. In our case we only have a single page, so we selected Sheet1.

Refresh fields to gather spreadsheet headers, then click Continue

Step 5. Select your sample from the spreadsheet test

Zapier will gather some recent additions to your spreadsheet so that you can verify that its collecting headers and row data correctly. You can then use these headers to setup the mapping between your Google Sheet and Leadfwd contact database.

Select any example (i.e. Row A, Row B, Row C) and click Continue

Step 6. Create and add your Leadfwd Inbound Connector (Webhook)

If you haven't already done so, create an Inbound Connector under Settings / Integrations / Zapier and click Create Connector

After clicking Save Connector, return to Inbound Connectors and find the newly created connector in the list. Copy the Endpoint (https:// included) to your clipboard, which we'll paste into Zapier.

Step 7. Configure Webhook in Zapier and Data Mapping

1. Paste the connector endpoint in the URL field
2. Payload Type, select json
3. Map Spreadsheet Column Headers to Leadfwd Data field properties
4. Optional: Add Contacts to a Sequence or apply Tags

Add the Connector Endpoint

Set Payload Type to json

Setup Data field mapping (Google Sheet Column Headers to Leadfwd Custom Data Fields)

Leadfwd list objects can maintain a vast number of custom data fields and each custom data field can be mapped to incoming data from Zapier. For example, Name, Email Address, Phone, etc.

The spreadsheet headers that Zapier collected when we connected our app, are now available as options to push into Leadfwd. You can create new custom fields in Leadfwd to support mapping data from your app via Zapier and you're not limited on how many fields you write to with your Zap.

The side-by-side view below is an easy approach to copying / pasting the Field Name from your Leadfwd list to the Zapier action configuration.

The left column 'Data' in the Zapier interface represents the Field name value from Leadfwd. The right column represents a data field or field(s) from your app via Zapier. The selection in the right column will map/write to the corresponding Leadfwd field that you enter in the left column. Each row represents one data field that is being mapped from App -> Zapier -> Leadfwd.

The field name values are not case sensitive, but you must include spaces if the field name includes a space.

The example below is taken from our HubSpot article, but the process is the same no matter which app you're using including Google Sheets.

Helpful tip: Leadfwd provides a single 'name' field, so as shown below you should combine both First and Last name fields from your app. You should also add a space in between the fields as we did below, otherwise first and last name get combined into a single word.

Add to Sequence or Add Tags

Seamlessly apply tags to inbound contacts that are being pushed to Leadfwd or enroll contacts into Sequences.

Simply create new parameter entries in the Data column:

leadfwd_sequence_id
leadfwd_tags

Authorization

In order to keep your Leadfwd account secure, all Inbound Connector requests are authenticated with a Key and Secret.

The Key and Secret are unique for every Leadfwd account and only a single pair can be generated. This process should be handled by the Leadfwd Account Owner or an authorized Administrator. The key and secret pair should be treated just like a password and never shared! If you suspect a breach has ever occurred or the pair have been compromised, immediately revoke the key and secret.

Upon generating a Key + Secret, the key will be sent securely to the account owner's email address and the secret will be available in your Zapier Connector settings view.

Combine the Authorization Key and Secret in the Zapier Basic Authentication input. You will need to separate the key and secret using a vertical | as shown below. Please note you will need replace $auth_key and $auth_secret with your own values.

Test the Zap and Publish

Using the sample data that was retrieved by Zapier in Step 5, you can how test by pushing that data to Leadfwd.

In our test case below:

1. Our record was successfully imported from our Google Sheet spreadsheet to Leadfwd Contacts
2. Our record was properly attributed as the source being our connector: Google Sheets (Prospect Log)
3. Our record was successfully enrolled in Sequence ID 724 as configured

Since this was a test record, now we'll set this contact record to 'Inactive' so that it doesn't receive any outreach and doesn't count against our plan limit.