Copying data from Firebase Realtime Database to a Google Sheet in real time via Cloud Functions

README.md

Copying data from Firebase Realtime Database to a Google Sheet in real time via Cloud Functions

If you're trying to do this, you came to the right place!

Watch this code work in real time: https://twitter.com/CodingDoug/status/940022568089554944

See also this gist for copying in the other direction: https://gist.github.com/CodingDoug/44ad12f4836e79ca9fa11ba5af6955f7

Setup

1. Follow step 1 to enable Google Sheets API in your Firebase project: https://developers.google.com/sheets/api/quickstart/nodejs

2. Create a service account in your project; save the json file in the functions folder with the file name serviceAccount.json.

3. Create a spreadsheet in Drive; rename the first worksheet 'Scores'; add Player and Score headers in row 1, columns A and B.

4. Share it with edit access to the email address in your service account.

5. Copy the spreadsheet id (from its URL) to the spreadsheetId string in the TypeScript source.

6. npm install firebase-admin firebase-functions googleapis@34 lodash

7. Deploy this (TypeScript) code.

8. Update the keys/values in your database under /scores and watch them get updated in the sheet!

Helpful documentation

• https://firebase.google.com/docs/functions/database-events
• https://developers.google.com/sheets/api/
• http://google.github.io/google-api-nodejs-client/

firesheetz.ts

// Copyright 2017 Google LLC.
//
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
// You may obtain a copy of the License at
//
// https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
//
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
// limitations under the License.

import * as functions from 'firebase-functions'
import * as _ from 'lodash'
import { google } from 'googleapis'
const sheets = google.sheets('v4')

const spreadsheetId = 'YOUR_SPREADSHEET_ID_HERE'

const serviceAccount = require('../serviceAccount.json')

const jwtClient = new google.auth.JWT({
    email: serviceAccount.client_email,
    key: serviceAccount.private_key,
    scopes: [ 'https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets' ],  // read and write sheets
})
const jwtAuthPromise = jwtClient.authorize()

type Scores = { string: number }

export const copyScoresToSheet = functions.database.ref('/scores').onUpdate(async change => {
    const data: Scores = change.after.val()

    // Sort the scores.  scores is an array of arrays each containing name and score.
    const scores = _.map<Scores, [string, number]>(data, (value, key) => [key, value])
    scores.sort((a,b) => { return b[1] - a[1] })

    await jwtAuthPromise
    await sheets.spreadsheets.values.update({
        auth: jwtClient,
        spreadsheetId: spreadsheetId,
        range: 'Scores!A2:B7',  // update this range of cells
        valueInputOption: 'RAW',
        requestBody: { values: scores }
    }, {})
})

I've done this tutorial so I'm gonna scribble some of problems I have faced woking out.

1. In step two, it says to create a service in your project.
   To make a project, in your terminal, make a directory and
   npm install -g firebase-tools
firebase login
firebase init functions and I've chosen Use an existing project since I already had project. Select your project, select TypeScript, TSLint no, install dependencies yes and you are all set.

• (if npm install firebase-tools gives error, try npm install firebase-tools and when firebase returns command not found, type alias firebase="npm config get prefix/bin/firebase")

2. Now, you will see functions folder. This is where you should save serviceAccount.json file.

Get your json file from APIs & Auth > Credentials in the Google Developers Console and select Service account from the Add credentials dropdown, not from the link in step1. This is the mistake I’ve made. It will result in giving out errors No key or keyFile set at GoogleToken.getTokenAsync.

3. In your directory, from functions/src/index.ts, copy & paste the file firesheetz.ts from above.
   You should fill out spreadSheetId in index.js file. If your docs link looks like this,
   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/As1ksdflk8QL7XCXMnS3rpQ/edit#gid=12345678 (This is made up but your link will look like this anyway)

spreadSheetId is behind /d/ and before /edit/.

4. Now, to Deploy,

firebase deploy

• if you get errors about googleapis not existing, try

cd functions
npm install googleapis

and it worked well.

5. Also, don’t forget to share your document with Service account.
   ( my service account looked like firebase-adminsdk-somekeyword@jsceno-93906.iam.gserviceaccount.com )

6. Also, this example adds only up to 6 rows. Filling out more than 6 items in firebase realtime db also causes error.

Hope this helps many people and saves time... I spent a lot of time figuring these out.

I've done this tutorial so I'm gonna scribble some of problems I have faced woking out.

1. In step two, it says to create a service in your project.
   To make a project, in your terminal, make a directory and
   npm install -g firebase-tools
firebase login
firebase init functions and I've chosen Use an existing project since I already had project. Select your project, select TypeScript, TSLint no, install dependencies yes and you are all set.

• (if npm install firebase-tools gives error, try npm install firebase-tools and when firebase returns command not found, type alias firebase="npm config get prefix/bin/firebase")

1. Now, you will see functions folder. This is where you should save serviceAccount.json file.

Get your json file from APIs & Auth > Credentials in the Google Developers Console and select Service account from the Add credentials dropdown, not from the link in step1. This is the mistake I’ve made. It will result in giving out errors No key or keyFile set at GoogleToken.getTokenAsync.

1. In your directory, from functions/src/index.ts, copy & paste the file firesheetz.ts from above.
   You should fill out spreadSheetId in index.js file. If your docs link looks like this,
   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/As1ksdflk8QL7XCXMnS3rpQ/edit#gid=12345678 (This is made up but your link will look like this anyway)

spreadSheetId is behind /d/ and before /edit/.

1. Now, to Deploy,

firebase deploy

• if you get errors about googleapis not existing, try

cd functions
npm install googleapis

and it worked well.

1. Also, don’t forget to share your document with Service account.
   ( my service account looked like firebase-adminsdk-somekeyword@jsceno-93906.iam.gserviceaccount.com )
2. Also, this example adds only up to 6 rows. Filling out more than 6 items in firebase realtime db also causes error.

Hope this helps many people and saves time... I spent a lot of time figuring these out.

If you are facing error with realtime database you can use firestore.
Here is a link to the gist.

I've done this tutorial so I'm gonna scribble some of problems I have faced woking out.

1. In step two, it says to create a service in your project.
   To make a project, in your terminal, make a directory and
   npm install -g firebase-tools
firebase login
firebase init functions and I've chosen Use an existing project since I already had project. Select your project, select TypeScript, TSLint no, install dependencies yes and you are all set.

• (if npm install firebase-tools gives error, try npm install firebase-tools and when firebase returns command not found, type alias firebase="npm config get prefix/bin/firebase")

1. Now, you will see functions folder. This is where you should save serviceAccount.json file.

Get your json file from APIs & Auth > Credentials in the Google Developers Console and select Service account from the Add credentials dropdown, not from the link in step1. This is the mistake I’ve made. It will result in giving out errors No key or keyFile set at GoogleToken.getTokenAsync.

1. In your directory, from functions/src/index.ts, copy & paste the file firesheetz.ts from above.
   You should fill out spreadSheetId in index.js file. If your docs link looks like this,
   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/As1ksdflk8QL7XCXMnS3rpQ/edit#gid=12345678 (This is made up but your link will look like this anyway)

spreadSheetId is behind /d/ and before /edit/.

1. Now, to Deploy,

firebase deploy

• if you get errors about googleapis not existing, try

cd functions
npm install googleapis
and it worked well.

1. Also, don’t forget to share your document with Service account.
   ( my service account looked like firebase-adminsdk-somekeyword@jsceno-93906.iam.gserviceaccount.com )
2. Also, this example adds only up to 6 rows. Filling out more than 6 items in firebase realtime db also causes error.

Hope this helps many people and saves time... I spent a lot of time figuring these out.

If you are facing error with realtime database you can use firestore.
Here is a link to the gist.

Thanks for the link but I've already made it with RealtimeDB and that comment was guide for others.

Here are detailed steps on syncing Google Sheets and Firebase: https://github.com/alexandermckay/sync-firebase-with-google-sheets

im already lost in step 2, can you explain more specific?

im already lost in step 2, can you explain more specific?

You can create the service account by following this link

I've done this tutorial so I'm gonna scribble some of problems I have faced woking out.

1. In step two, it says to create a service in your **project**.
   To make a project, in your terminal, make a directory and
   `npm install -g firebase-tools`
   `firebase login`
   `firebase init functions` and I've chosen **Use an existing project** since I already had project. Select **your project**, select **TypeScript**, **TSLint no**, **install dependencies yes** and you are all set.


* (if npm install firebase-tools gives error,  try `npm install firebase-tools` and when firebase returns command not found, type `alias firebase="`npm config get prefix`/bin/firebase"`)


1. Now, you will see `functions` folder. This is where you should save **`serviceAccount.json`** file.

Get your json file from APIs & Auth > Credentials in the Google Developers Console and select Service account from the Add credentials dropdown, not from the link in step1. This is the mistake I’ve made. It will result in giving out errors No key or keyFile set at GoogleToken.getTokenAsync.

1. In your directory, from **functions/src/index.ts**, copy & paste the file **firesheetz.ts from above**.
   You should fill out **spreadSheetId** in index.js file. If your docs link looks like this,
   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/As1ksdflk8QL7XCXMnS3rpQ/edit#gid=12345678 (This is made up but your link will look like this anyway)

spreadSheetId is behind /d/ and before /edit/.

1. Now, to Deploy,

firebase deploy

* if you get errors about googleapis not existing, try

cd functions
npm install googleapis

and it worked well.

1. Also, **don’t forget to share your document with Service account.**
   ( my service account looked like  `firebase-adminsdk-somekeyword@jsceno-93906.iam.gserviceaccount.com` )

2. Also, this example adds only up to 6 rows. Filling out more than 6 items in firebase realtime db also causes error.

Hope this helps many people and saves time... I spent a lot of time figuring these out.

Thank you 👍

I created a detailed post out this, i have also improved the code to automatically flatten the deep JSON place it in the sheet. This works with nested json documents as well.

https://websiddu.com/blog/sync-data-from-firebase-to-google-sheets.html

I created a detailed post out this, i have also improved the code to automatically flatten the deep JSON place it in the sheet. This works with nested json documents as well.

https://websiddu.com/blog/sync-data-from-firebase-to-google-sheets.html

I

I created a detailed post out this, i have also improved the code to automatically flatten the deep JSON place it in the sheet. This works with nested json documents as well.

https://websiddu.com/blog/sync-data-from-firebase-to-google-sheets.html

I got stuck in step-4 pls help websiddu
i am working android studio i dont know node js pls help me wht to do

i am getting this error.............................

Seems like you don't have the uptodate version of the firebase-tools try updating the firebase tools and rerun the command.

websiddu i need your help. im following your step but, i got stuck when deploy it. igot messege " Functions deploy had errors with the following functions:
SyncToSheets" how i can solve this messege?

The error says update your node version. In you package.json try changing to "node": 12

Any idea about the above error, it does not like the script. Because of the cli version or ts version?

Hellow, i got problem after firebase deploy

I have the same problem as @Drewan-25

Any idea about the above error, it does not like the script. Because of the cli version or ts version?

@guillegregoret and @Drewan-25

i think you must install this npm install firebase-admin firebase-functions googleapis lodash –save. in functions folder

Any idea about the above error, it does not like the script. Because of the cli version or ts version?

@guillegregoret and @Drewan-25

i think you must install this npm install firebase-admin firebase-functions googleapis lodash –save. in functions folder

Thanks!!! It deployed correctly in the first try

Is this only possible with Firebase's blaze plan? Anyone has experience with how the charges are like for pretty small scale projects (< 1000 calls)?

can i do vice versa?

have you find any solution , if yes than please suggest

Any idea about the above error, it does not like the script. Because of the cli version or ts version?

@guillegregoret and @Drewan-25
i think you must install this npm install firebase-admin firebase-functions googleapis lodash –save. in functions folder

Thanks!!! It deployed correctly in the first try

I had the same challenge...
I realized that it was caused by dependencies versions..... in package.json

I used the following versions, and it worked afterwards

{
"name": "functions",
"description": "Cloud Functions for Firebase",
"scripts": {
"serve": "firebase emulators:start --only functions",
"shell": "firebase functions:shell",
"start": "npm run shell",
"deploy": "firebase deploy --only functions",
"logs": "firebase functions:log"
},
"engines": {
"node": "10"
},
"main": "index.js",
"dependencies": {
"firebase-admin": "^9.8.0",
"firebase-functions": "^3.14.1",
"googleapis": "^39.2.0",
"lodash": "^4.17.21"
},
"devDependencies": {
"firebase-functions-test": "^0.1.6"
},
"private": true
}

Hi all, thanks for all these inputs. I succeeded to create an automatic sync with one database. I have a second data base with more than 26 columns, does anyone know how we can create a log to replicate the Google Sheets algorithm of range generation ?
Thanks a lot !

Functions deploy had errors with the following functions:
        SyncToSheets(us-central1)

I am getting this error while deploying the function. Here is my package.json

{
  "name": "functions",
  "description": "Cloud Functions for Firebase",
  "scripts": {
    "serve": "firebase emulators:start --only functions",
    "shell": "firebase functions:shell",
    "start": "npm run shell",
    "deploy": "firebase deploy --only functions",
    "logs": "firebase functions:log"
  },
  "engines": {
    "node": "12"
  },
  "main": "index.js",
  "dependencies": {
    "firebase-admin": "^9.8.0",
    "firebase-functions": "^3.14.1"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "firebase-functions-test": "^0.2.0"
  },
  "private": true
}