Recipe: Send your intake form data to Google Sheets using Slack Workflow Builder
This integration is only compatible with the legacy version of Slack Workflow Builder (SWB). Starting in August 2023, Slack will begin migrating existing SWB workflows to their new version.
Ingredients needed:
Edit access for your Wrangle workflow
A spreadsheet in Google Sheets where you'd like to pass your Wrangle form data
Google Sheets for Workflow Builder installed in your Slack workspace
Access to Slack Workflow Builder (by default, all members in a paid workspace have access)
While Wrangle includes both a workflow dashboard and a CSV export, you might find that you'd like a bit more flexibility in your reporting, like being able to analyze specific values from your intake form or form steps. You can easily create an automation that sends each workflow instance's form values to a Google Sheet using Slack Workflow Builder (SWB).
If you use this recipe, your requesters will have to submit a request using a channel shortcut, rather than the "/wrangle" command in Slack. Alternatively, you could launch the workflow via webhook, but this recipe assumes you will use the former method.
Prep your Wrangle form and Google Sheet
Let's start with your form. There are a few ways that SWB's native form functionality differs from Wrangle's. See the below table to understand what changes you might need to make to your Wrangle form in order to make it compatible with SWB:
| If your Wrangle form has this: | Then change it to this in Wrangle: | And set it to this in Slack Workflow Builder: |
|---|---|---|
Select a date | Short answer | Short answer |
Number input | Short answer | Short answer |
Select from a list | Short answer | Select from a list |
Let's move on to your spreadsheet. Your sheet should include column headers that correlate to your form fields. You can also include columns for requester name, workflow started date, and workflow completed date. For example, if this is our Wrangle form:
Then our column headers in Google Sheets will look something like this:
Set up your Slack shortcut and form
Now we're ready to start building our Slack workflow. In Slack Workflow Builder, click "Create," then name your new workflow. Then, choose "Shortcut" under "Choose a way to start this workflow."
Choose a channel and name your shortcut, then click "Next."
Add a workflow step, and choose "Send a form."
Create a form to match your Wrangle form questions, then click "Save."
Set up your Wrangle workflow step
Now we're ready to add our next step, which is our Wrangle step. Under "Add a workflow step" choose "Start a Wrangle Workflow."
Add "Person who submitted form" under "Which user is considered to be starting the Wrangle Workflow," choose your workflow, then use "Insert a variable" to map all the answers to the Slack form to your Wrangle form. Click "Save" when you're done.
Set up your Google Sheets step
Now it's time to add our Google Sheets step. Under "Add a workflow step," find "Add a spreadsheet row."
Find your spreadsheet and sheet, then map your form fields to their respective columns using "Insert a variable." In addition to your form data, you can also add fields like the person who started the workflow, the time the Wrangle workflow step started, and the time the Wrangle workflow step completed.
Publish your Slack workflow, and you're ready to go! Whenever a new request comes from your new channel shortcut, you'll see a new row in your Google Sheet like this:
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