Are you looking to embed Google Sheets from Google Docs into your WordPress website? It's a great way to share data and information with your audience. Fortunately, it's a relatively simple process that can be done in a few easy steps. Here's the process of embedding Google Sheets into your WordPress site, whether you want to display tables or charts.
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To embed a Google Sheets spreadsheet into WordPress, you'll first need to generate an embed code. This can be done by opening the spreadsheet in Google Sheets and selecting “Publish to the web” from the “File” menu. From there, you can choose which sheets you want to publish and customize the settings to fit your needs. Once you've generated the embed code, you can copy and paste it into a WordPress blog post using a plugin or by manually adding it to your page or post.
If you're looking to display charts from your Google Sheets spreadsheet, there are several plugins available that can help you do so. These plugins allow you to easily create and customize charts based on your data, and then embed them directly into your WordPress site. With the right tools and a little bit of know-how, embedding Google Sheets into your WordPress website can be a breeze.
Understanding Google Sheets and WordPress
If you're looking to embed Google Sheets in WordPress, it's important to understand what both of these tools are and how they work together.
Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a cloud-based spreadsheet program that allows you to create, edit, and share spreadsheets online. It's part of the Google Drive suite of applications that includes Google docs and Google forms and is free to use with a Google account.
With Google Sheets, you can create and format spreadsheets, collaborate with others in real-time, and even use formulas and functions to perform calculations and analyze data. You can also import and export data to and from other programs, including Microsoft Excel.
WordPress
WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that allows you to create and manage websites. It's free to use and is known for its ease of use and flexibility.
With WordPress, you can create and publish blog posts, pages, and other types of content. You can also install plugins and themes to add functionality and customize the design of your site. WordPress is used by millions of websites around the world, from personal blogs to large e-commerce sites.
Using Google Sheets in WordPress
When you embed a Google Sheets spreadsheet in WordPress, you're essentially displaying the spreadsheet on your WordPress webpage. This can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as sharing data with your audience or creating interactive charts and graphs.
There are several ways to embed a Google Sheets spreadsheet in WordPress, including using plugins or simply copying and pasting the embed code. The method you choose will depend on your needs and level of technical expertise.
Embedding Google Sheets in WordPress can be a powerful way to enhance your website's functionality and provide valuable information to your audience.
Benefits of Embedding Google Sheets in WordPress
Embedding Google Sheets in WordPress has numerous benefits that make it a popular choice for website owners. Here are some of the key benefits of embedding Google Sheets in WordPress:
1. Real-time updates
When you embed a Google Sheet in a WordPress web page, any changes you make to the sheet will be automatically updated on your website in real-time. This means that your website visitors will always have access to the latest data without you having to manually update the information.
2. Easy to update
Google Sheets is a user-friendly tool that makes it easy to update and manage your data. You can add or remove data, change formatting, and apply formulas with just a few clicks. This means that you can keep your website up-to-date with the latest information without having to spend hours manually updating your website.
3. Customizable
Google Sheets is highly customizable, which means that you can create custom charts, tables, and graphs that match the look and feel of your website. You can also change the font, color, and size of your data to make it more visually appealing.
4. Accessible from anywhere
Google Sheets is a cloud-based tool, which means that you can access your data from anywhere with an internet connection. This makes it easy to update your data on-the-go and ensures that you always have access to the latest information.
5. Collaborative
Google Sheets is a collaborative tool, which means that you can share your data with others and work on it together in real-time. This makes it easy to collaborate with team members, clients, or stakeholders and ensures that everyone is working with the latest information.
Setting Up Google Sheets for Embedding
When embedding a Google Sheet into your WordPress website, it is important to properly set up the sheet to ensure that it is accessible and displays correctly. In this section, we will cover the two main steps to setting up your Google Sheet for embedding: creating a new sheet and configuring sharing settings.
Creating a New Google Sheet
To create a new spreadsheet, simply navigate to your Google Drive and click on the “New” button in the top left corner. From there, select “Google Sheets” from the drop-down menu. This will open a new sheet where you can begin entering your data.
When creating your Google Sheet, it is important to keep in mind the layout and design of your website. Consider the size and formatting of your sheet, as well as any colors or branding that you may want to incorporate.
Configuring Sharing Settings
Once you have created your Google Sheet, you will need to configure the sharing settings to make it accessible for embedding. To do this, click on the “Share” button in the top right corner of your sheet.
From here, you can choose to make your sheet either public or private. If you want to embed the sheet on your website, you will need to make it public. You can also choose to allow anyone with the link to view the sheet, or restrict access to specific users or groups.
It is important to note that when you make your sheet public, anyone with the link will be able to view it. Make sure to only include information that you are comfortable sharing publicly.
Want to learn more about Google Sheets?
Check out Spreadsheetables, and learn to make beautiful spreadsheets!
How to Embed Google Sheets in WordPress
There are two different options to embed Google Sheets in WordPress: using a plugin or without a plugin. Here's how to do it:
Using a Plugin
The easiest way to embed Google Sheets in WordPress is by using a plugin. There are several plugins available that can help you with this. Here are two popular ones:
EmbedPress plugin:
EmbedPress is a powerful plugin that lets you embed Google Sheets, as well as other types of content, in your WordPress site. It adds an Embedpress block to your wordpress page for an easy Google sheets integration. It's easy to use and comes with a variety of customization options.
This pie chart was embedded using Embed Press. After you install the plugin, go to your post and add a block. Search your blocks for embed. Look for the “Google Sheets” block.
Go to the Google Sheet that you want to embed and go to File – Share – Publish to web. Under “Link” you can choose the entire document, just one sheet or a pie chart like I have chosen in this example.
Please note!
The embed is not responsive, meaning that the whole pie chart or sheet will not show on mobile devices! However, you can swipe the sheet to the left or up and down to view the entire sheet.
WPForms:
WPForms is a popular form builder plugin that has an addon that lets you embed Google Sheets in your WordPress site. This addon is not available with the free version: it requires the premium version of WPForms.
Without Using a Plugin
If you don't want to use a plugin, you can still embed Google Sheets in WordPress. Here's how:
- First, open the Google Sheets file you want to embed.
- Next step, click on the “File” menu and select “Publish to the web”
- In the “Publish to the web” dialog box, select the sheet you want to embed.
- Choose the “Embed button” option.
- Finally, click on the “Publish” button to generate the embed code.
- Copy the embed code
- Go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to add new wordpress posts.
- Choose a custom html block and paste the embed code.
This is what my html code looks like for my pie chart example:
To make this “scrollable” on mobile devices, change the code! Where it says scrolling=”no”, change it to scrolling=”yes”. Also, if you hold your phone in landscape mode, you may be able to see the entire pie chart without scrolling.
That's it! Your Google Sheet should now be embedded in your WordPress site.
Embedding Google Sheets in WordPress is a simple process that can be done with or without a plugin. Choose the method that works best for you and start embedding your sheets today!
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you encounter issues when embedding Google Sheets in WordPress, don't worry. Here are some common issues and their solutions.
Google Sheets Not Updating
If your Google Sheets data is not updating on your WordPress site, try the following solutions:
- Check your internet connection. A poor connection can prevent your data from updating.
- Verify that your Google Sheets document is set to “Anyone with the link can view.” If it's not, your data may not be visible on your WordPress site.
- Make sure that your Google Sheets document is not protected. Protected documents can prevent data from updating.
- Clear your browser cache. A full cache can prevent your Google sheet data from updating.
Embedding Issues
If you're having trouble embedding your Google Sheets in WordPress, try the following solutions:
- Check that you've copied the correct embed code from Google Sheets.
- Make sure that your WordPress theme is compatible with Google Sheets embedding. Some themes may not support embedding.
- Clear your browser cache. A full cache can cause issues with embedding.
Best Practices for Embedding Google Sheets
Embedding Google Sheets on your WordPress website can be a great way to share data and information with your audience. However, it's important to follow some best practices to ensure that your embedded sheets are easy to read and use. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
1. Keep it Simple
When embedding a Google Sheet on your website, it's important to keep things simple. Avoid cluttering the sheet with too much information or making it difficult to read. Use clear headers and formatting to make it easy for your audience to understand the data.
2. Regularly Update Your Sheet
If you're embedding a Google Sheet that contains dynamic data, make sure to regularly update it. This will ensure that your audience is always viewing the most up-to-date information. You can set up automatic updates or manually update the sheet as needed.
3. Test Your Sheet
Before embedding your Google Sheet on your website, make sure to test it. Check that it's easy to read and that all of the Google spreadsheet data is displayed correctly. You can also ask someone else to test it to get feedback on how it looks and functions.
By following these best practices, you can ensure that your published Google Sheet is easy to use and provides value to your audience.
