Automate Google Sheets with Make.com and OpenAI

The make.com Google Sheets add-on lets you bring powerful OpenAI automation directly into your spreadsheets, so you can generate, edit, and summarize content without leaving Google Sheets.

This how-to guide walks you step by step through installing the add-on, connecting it to your make.com account, and using the new OpenAI module to streamline your spreadsheet workflows.

What you need before using Make.com in Google Sheets

Before you start, prepare these requirements to ensure a smooth setup of the make.com Google Sheets add-on and OpenAI module.

• A Google account with access to Google Sheets
• A make.com account with permission to create or edit scenarios
• Access to the OpenAI module in make.com (enabled in your organization)
• Stable internet connection and a modern browser

Install the make.com Google Sheets add-on

Follow these steps to add the make.com extension to Google Sheets and prepare it for OpenAI automation.

1. Open Google Sheets in your browser.
2. Go to Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons.
3. In the search bar, type make.com and press Enter.
4. Select the official Make for Google Sheets add-on.
5. Click Install and follow the on-screen prompts to grant the requested permissions.
6. When installation completes, reload your current spreadsheet tab.

Connect Google Sheets to your Make.com account

Once the add-on is installed, connect Google Sheets to your make.com account so your spreadsheets can run OpenAI-powered scenarios.

1. In Google Sheets, open the spreadsheet you want to automate.
2. Click Extensions > Make for Google Sheets.
3. Select Launch to open the add-on sidebar.
4. Click Sign in or Connect account.
5. Authorize the connection to your make.com account when prompted.
6. Confirm that your account name or workspace appears in the sidebar.

Overview of the new OpenAI module in Make.com

The new OpenAI module inside make.com expands what you can do with spreadsheet data by using AI-based operations such as text generation, rewriting, and summarization.

From the Google Sheets add-on, you can trigger make.com scenarios that use the OpenAI module to process cell values and return results into your spreadsheet automatically.

Key capabilities of the OpenAI module in Make.com

• Generate new text based on prompts from cells
• Rewrite or improve existing content in your sheet
• Summarize long text stored in one or more cells
• Classify, tag, or extract key information from entries

Create a Make.com scenario for Google Sheets and OpenAI

The core of the integration is a scenario in make.com that receives data from Google Sheets, processes it with OpenAI, and returns the output.

1. Log in to your make.com account in a separate browser tab.
2. Click Create a new scenario.
3. Add the Google Sheets module as your trigger or data source (for example, Watch Rows or Search Rows).
4. Add the OpenAI module as the next step in the scenario.
5. Choose the appropriate OpenAI action, such as Create completion, Edit, or Chat.
6. Map the necessary input fields from the Google Sheets module to the OpenAI module (for example, map a column containing text you want to improve into the prompt field).
7. Add another Google Sheets module to write the AI output back into a target column or new row.
8. Save your scenario and run a test with sample data.

During testing, verify that the OpenAI module in make.com receives the correct values from your sheet and that the response is written to the intended cells.

Run your Make.com OpenAI scenario from Google Sheets

After your OpenAI scenario is configured, you can trigger it directly from the make.com Google Sheets add-on for selected cells or ranges.

1. Return to your spreadsheet where the add-on is installed.
2. Highlight the cells or rows that contain the data you want to send to OpenAI.
3. Open Extensions > Make for Google Sheets and launch the sidebar if it is not already open.
4. Choose the scenario that uses the OpenAI module from the list in the sidebar.
5. Review the configuration options (for example, which columns are mapped to which scenario fields).
6. Click Run to start processing the selected data with your make.com scenario.
7. Wait for the run to complete and confirm that the generated or updated content appears in the output cells you configured.

Tips for reliable Make.com runs with OpenAI

• Test scenarios on a small subset of rows before running them on an entire sheet.
• Keep prompts clear and structured to help the OpenAI module return consistent results.
• Use separate output columns so original data is not overwritten until you validate the AI output.
• Monitor run history in make.com to troubleshoot any failed operations.

Common issues when using Make.com with Google Sheets

When connecting the Google Sheets add-on to the OpenAI module in make.com, you may encounter a few typical configuration or permission issues.

Authorization and permission problems

• If you see authorization errors, disconnect and reconnect your make.com account from the add-on.
• Make sure you are logged in with the same Google account that installed the add-on.
• Verify that your make.com user has access to the organization and folder where the scenario is stored.

Scenario and module configuration errors

• Confirm that the Google Sheets modules in the scenario reference the correct spreadsheet and sheet name.
• Check that all required fields in the OpenAI module are mapped correctly from your Google Sheets data.
• Review output mappings to ensure AI responses are written into valid columns.

Learn more about the Make.com Google Sheets OpenAI integration

To dive deeper into all options and advanced settings, review the official documentation for the Google Sheets add-on and the new OpenAI module on make.com.

You can find the original help article here: make.com Google Sheets add-on and OpenAI module guide.

For broader automation strategy and implementation best practices around make.com, consider exploring expert resources such as Consultevo, which focuses on workflow design, integrations, and process optimization.

Next steps with Make.com and OpenAI in Sheets

By connecting Google Sheets to the OpenAI module through make.com, you can transform manual spreadsheet tasks into automated workflows that generate, refine, and summarize content at scale.

Experiment with different prompts, column mappings, and scenario triggers to tailor the automation to your use case, whether it is content creation, data cleaning, or analytics preparation. As you iterate, keep your scenarios organized in make.com and document which sheets and columns each automation touches, so your team can maintain and extend them over time.