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How To Use Siri Shortcuts with Google Sheets and Zapier

Here’s a nifty workflow for integrating Siri shortcuts and Google Sheets via Zapier.

Here’s a nifty workflow for integrating Siri shortcuts and Google Sheets via Zapier. Use it to experiment with dictating or typing text into Siri on your iPhone or other iOS device and sending it directly into Google Sheets.

This post was syndicated from Dan Wright after we noticed it on the Shortcuts community on Reddit. See more of Dan’s photography and productivity insights on Danwrightphotography.com.

About Siri Shortcuts

Siri Shortcuts

With iOS 12 or later, Siri Shortcuts let you quickly do everyday tasks with just a tap or by asking Siri on your iOS device. Siri will suggest Shortcuts based on your common routines. But you can also easily create your own Shortcuts.

After you add a shortcut to Siri on your iOS device, you can run the shortcut by saying “Hey Siri,” then say the personal phrase you created for the shortcut.

About Zapier

Zapier moves info between your web apps automatically using simple workflows called “zaps.” It’s a powerful and useful tool. More than a million people use Zapier, and the service has a fantastic security record.

However, we always urge common sense caution when connecting various services and apps. Here is Zapier’s security policy.

Here’s a helpful guide to using Shortcut from Zapier.

Now, to the good stuff…

How To Integrate Siri Shortcuts with Zapier and Google Sheets

In January 2019 I began tracking my daily moods (or more accurately outlook on the day) and more recently I decided to track my sleep habits as well.

Unfortunately I do not have very much data for the moods yet because it’s only been a month and I have even less because it’s been two days.

I have some extra data because I’ve inconsistently tracked sleep for years, but I’m looking forward to seeing what a year or so of data will show me. Here is what I have so far:

Dashboard

I’m not anticipating that all of this will be useful, but I figured it’s best to have a lot of data and decide later what is useful.

Step 1: Siri Shortcut Setup

Once you’ve decided what you want to track it’s time to set up the shortcut. For this you will need a Zapier account as well in order to automatically import the data to Google Sheets.

1 – Set up your Shortcut to gather whatever data you would like. This can look like using “Ask for Input” blocks or other data gather tools, for the purpose of this tutorial I’m going to assume you’re already comfortable with Siri Shortcuts.

2 – Now head over to Zapier.com. When you get to Zapier click “Make a Zap.”

3 – Select “Webhooks by Zapier” for your trigger app.

4 – Select “catch hook” and then save and continue. Skip the optional step to pick off a child key.

5 – On the next step you will see a link. Copy that link. Now it’s time to go back to the Shortcuts app.

Zapier Trigger
Set up your zap

6 – Back in the Shortcuts app underneath all of you information gathering add in a “URL” block with the URL you just copied and then add a “Get Contents of URL” block”

7 – Tap “Advanced” in the “Get Contents of URL” block. Set “Method” to “POST” and leave everything else the same.

Under “Request Body” tap “Add New Field” and select “Text”. In the “Key” give a description, this will be used as the header in your columns on google sheets. You can add as many of these as you want. In the “Text” field add your variable.

Ask for input
IMG_A7937C90B822-1.jpeg

8 – Now run your Shortcut. Head back to Zapier and click the button that says “Ok, I did this”. Click continue again and then let’s add an action step.

Step 2: Zapier Setup

1 – Select “Google Sheets” for your Action App. You will need a sheet already made for this step, so if you don’t have it set up head over to Google Sheets and create a new file and name it something that makes sense. You will also need to add headers with the same name as the “Key Field” that you made up earlier in your Siri Shortcut”

2 – On the next page select “Create Spreadsheet Row.” Click next and it will ask you to sign into Google.

3 – Select the spreadsheet you created and the worksheet you would like to import the data to. You’ll then need to select the matching key term from the dropdown menu.

Set up Google Sheets

4 – That’s all you need to do to get the data from your shortcut to google sheets!

Click through to name your Zap and make sure it’s turned on, and then every time you run that shortcut it will be imported to Google Sheets.

From there you can use that data in any way you’d like. As you see in my screenshot above I chose to look for relationships between mood and sleep times among other things.

Further reading: How to Create Siri Shortcuts Beyond Your iPhone

Read more productivity tips from on Danwrightphotography.com

Dan Wright

Dan Wright

Dan Wright is a photographer and writer. His work (including posts about productivity) can be seen on Danwrightphotography.com.

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