Guides
How to Integrate Thoughtly with Google Sheets for Reporting
Connect Thoughtly to Google Sheets so lead rows trigger calls, live call outcomes write back cleanly, and operators can report on speed-to-lead, handoffs, and source quality.
Guides
Connect Thoughtly to Google Sheets so lead rows trigger calls, live call outcomes write back cleanly, and operators can report on speed-to-lead, handoffs, and source quality.
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Google Sheets is where a lot of lead-conversion reporting starts because everyone already knows how to open it. A manager can sort a sheet, a rep can work a handoff list, and an operator can build a quick dashboard without waiting on a BI project. The risk is that the sheet becomes another manual export: stale by lunch, full of pasted summaries, and disconnected from the calls that actually happened.
Thoughtly can make the sheet operational instead. The Google Sheets integration reads lead rows, uses row data as call context, and writes call outcomes, dispositions, transcriptTranscriptThe text record of a voice conversation, used for review, training, compliance audit, and search. links, and captured fields back to rows in real time. For teams running insurance quote follow-up, mortgage inquiries, education enrollment, home services estimates, elective healthcare consultations, automotive leads, legal intake, or similar high-volume consumer funnels, that turns a spreadsheet into a live operating view.
This guide walks through how to design the spreadsheet, connect Google Sheets, choose the right triggerTriggerThe event or condition that starts an automated workflow, such as a new lead, missed call, CRM status change, calendar booking, or completed call., map reporting fields, write call results back cleanly, and build views that humans can actually use. Tiny miracle: the spreadsheet can help run the workflowWorkflowAn automated, multi-step process — usually triggered by an event (form fill, new lead) and orchestrating one or more voice / SMS / email actions. instead of quietly judging it.
Thoughtly's public Google Sheets integration is built for lightweight campaign launch and live reporting. The website describes it as a way to drop a list of phone numbers and context columns into a sheet, point Thoughtly at it, let the agent work the queue, and append outcomes such as disposition, transcript, and captured fields back to each row as calls happen.
| Capability | How it works in the workflow | Reporting value |
|---|---|---|
| Read lead rows | Thoughtly reads phone numbers and context columns from the selected sheet | The sheet remains the visible queue for operators |
| Trigger from rows or updates | New rows, changed cells, or scheduled sweeps can start outreach | Operators can control when a lead becomes callable |
| Pass row context | Columns such as intent, location, source, owner, and preferred next step can be passed into the call | The agent sounds prepared and reports against the same fields |
| Append or update outcomes | Disposition, summary, transcript link, captured fields, and status can write back to the row | Managers can watch live state without waiting for exports |
| Feed dashboards | Sheets can power pivots, Looker Studio, or rep handoff views | Teams get a fast reporting layer before building full BI |
The current Thoughtly docs page for Google Sheets is intentionally brief and uses the standard integration page component. The broader automation docs fill in the mechanics: use Automations, choose a trigger, add steps, use the data picker to map fields from the trigger or previous steps, test in Draft mode, then switch to Live only after the test passes.
A reporting sheet should answer operating questions quickly: who should be called, what happened, who needs a human next, what should stop, and which source is converting. If it only mirrors a CRMCRMThe system of record for leads, contacts, deals, and activity. Thoughtly reads from and writes to your CRM continuously. export, it will become stale. Start with a compact structure that separates input fields from Thoughtly write-back fields.
For most first deployments, the safest model is one row per person, quote requestQuote requestAn inbound request for pricing or coverage information, common in insurance, mortgage, home services, solar, automotive, and other high-consideration funnels., application, appointment request, or intake inquiry. If one person can have multiple policies, properties, cases, or appointments, add a stable external ID or source record ID so post-call updates land on the right row.
Google's Sheets API documentation uses spreadsheet IDs and sheet IDs as stable references. In practical operator terms: do not rely only on spreadsheet names or tab names when you document the workflow. Store the spreadsheet URL and tab name in your runbook, and keep a stable lead key in the row itself.
| Column group | Example columns | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | lead_id, full_name, phone, email | Lets Thoughtly identify the contact and lets humans recognize the row |
| Consent and eligibility | consent_status, consent_source, do_not_contact, service_area, eligibility_status | Prevents the workflow from calling rows that should not be contacted |
| Context | intent, urgency, location, product_interest, prior_status, preferred_next_step | Gives the Voice Agent useful context without overloading the prompt |
| Control | call_status, call_now, owner, retry_after, attempt_count | Lets operators decide when rows are callable and when they should pause |
| Thoughtly output | last_outcome, summary, transcript_url, callback_time, transfer_requested, next_step | Creates the reporting layer and human handoff view |
Keep formulas and manual notes away from fields that Thoughtly needs to update. If a column is both a formula and an integration write-back target, someone is about to have a bad afternoon.
Thoughtly's Google Sheets integration page describes setup as OAuth-based: connect Google Sheets, pick the source sheet and columns, choose the output destination, run a test row, then enable the full workflow. Use the Google account that should own the integration long term, not the personal account of whoever happened to build the first sheet.
For reporting use cases, updating the same row is usually best when the sheet is the live queue. A separate output sheet is useful when the source list must remain untouched, when analysts want every call event as a separate row, or when the same lead may receive multiple calls over time.
Thoughtly automations can start from events such as row-created triggers, incoming webhooks, recurring schedules, CRM events, On Inbound Call, and On Call Completed. For Google Sheets reporting, the most useful patterns are new row, status change, scheduled sweep, and post-call write-back.
| Trigger pattern | Use when | Reporting caution |
|---|---|---|
| New row added | Inbound leads arrive from a form, partner list, or manual upload and should be called quickly | Only use when consent and required fields are present at row creation |
| Status or cell changes | A human or upstream process marks a row as Call Now or Ready | Use a controlled value, not free-text notes |
| Scheduled sweep | You want to work aged leads, retry queues, or daily batches during allowed hours | Cap volume and filter out rows with missing phone, no consent, or recent attempts |
| On Call Completed | You need to write results back after a Thoughtly call ends | Use stable row IDs so retries do not update the wrong row |
The docs also note that webhook-compatible triggers include Incoming WebhookWebhookAn event-based integration that sends data from one system to another when something happens, such as a form submission, booked appointment, or completed call. and Google Sheets row-created triggers. If a workflow is triggered through Thoughtly's automation webhook endpoint, Thoughtly validates that the automation is compatible before accepting the request. That guardrail keeps random external requests from executing workflows that were not designed for webhook invocation.
Thoughtly automation steps use a data picker to reference fields from the trigger or previous steps. The Actions docs show variables such as {{ trigger.payload.contact.phone }} and explain that you can map fields into steps like Call Phone Number, Call Contact, Send SMS, Send Email, Conditions, AI, and integration actions.
For outbound lead workflows, use the sheet row to create or update a Thoughtly contact, then use Call Contact when you want history and Attributes to persist. Use Call Phone Number for ad-hoc campaigns where you only need to dial a mapped number. Thoughtly's docs explain that Call Contact requires a contact_id from Create or Update Contact or Get Contact by Phone Number.
Metadata is useful for per-call context that should travel with the call only. Attributes are better for facts you will reuse across future interactions, such as region, consent timestamps, eligibilityEligibilityThe fit criteria that determine whether a prospect can move forward, such as service area, insurance coverage, loan type, location, age, or program requirements. tier, language preference, or long-term suppression state.
{
"sheet_row_id": "row-1842",
"lead_source": "home_services_estimate_form",
"intent": "roof repair estimate",
"service_area": "Denver, CO",
"urgency": "this week",
"preferred_next_step": "book inspection",
"owner_name": "Jordan Lee",
"owner_phone": "+13035550144"
}Do not pass every column into the call because it exists. Pass the few fields that improve the conversation, routing, or reporting. Long metadata blobs create prompt noise and make it harder to debug why the agent said something strange.
For post-call reporting, Thoughtly's docs recommend the On Call Completed trigger for post-call automations. It exposes rich call data such as durations, outcomes, variables captured, action flags, transfers, voicemail detectionVoicemail detectionVoicemail detection is the ability to identify when a call reaches a voicemail greeting instead of a live person, then trigger the right message, callback, or alternate-channel follow-up., and transcript structure. Use that trigger to update the Google Sheets row after the call ends.
| Sheet column | Write-back value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| last_thoughtly_call_id | Completed call ID | Creates an audit key for debugging and idempotency |
| last_attempted_at | Call start or completion timestamp | Shows freshness and feeds retry logic |
| attempt_count | Incremented count | Prevents infinite retry loops |
| last_outcome | qualified, booked, voicemail, no_answer, bad_number, do_not_contact | Primary reporting dimension |
| summary | Short call summary | Helps humans understand what happened without reading the full transcript |
| transcript_url | Link to the call transcript or record | Supports QA and manager review |
| callback_time | Requested callback date/time | Feeds the next follow-up step |
| next_step | handoff_to_owner, retry, nurture, suppress, closed | Tells operators what to do next |
If you need a full activity log, write one row per call event into a separate Activity tab while also updating the current state on the lead row. The lead row should show the latest operating status. The activity tab should preserve history. Reporting gets cleaner when those jobs are not forced into one cell.
Use a controlled set of outcome values. Free-text statuses like “seemed pretty interested maybe call later” are emotionally rich and analytically useless. Capture the human-friendly summary separately from the structured disposition.
Once Thoughtly is writing outcomes back, create tabs, filtered views, or pivot tables that match how the team works. A spreadsheet is not a warehouse, but it can be a very effective command center when the views are opinionated.
| View | Filter logic | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Ready for Thoughtly | Phone present, consent approved, not suppressed, callable status | Ops |
| In progress | Attempt count greater than zero and final outcome blank | Ops |
| Hot leads | Outcome is qualified, booked, transfer_requested, or callback_requested | Sales or intake team |
| Retry queue | Outcome is no_answer or voicemail and retry_after is due | Ops |
| Suppression review | Outcome is do_not_contact, wrong_person, opt_out, or consent_missing | Compliance or ops |
| Source performance | Pivot by lead_source, campaign, service_area, and outcome | Growth |
If the sheet feeds Looker Studio or another reporting tool, keep output columns stable. Renaming a column from last_outcome to outcome_final may feel harmless until the dashboard goes blank five minutes before a pipeline meeting.
Thoughtly's automation docs distinguish Draft and Live behavior. Draft runs are for safe tests with sample payloads; Output → Refresh updates schemas after a Draft run. Live mode runs on real events. Only switch to Live after your test row proves the trigger, field mapping, call step, and write-back path all work.
Test ugly data, not just perfect data. Missing phone numbers, bad country codes, blank owners, ambiguous consent, merged cells, hidden columns, and formulas in write-back columns are where spreadsheet workflows go to become folklore.
Sheets is excellent for pilots, one-off campaigns, live reporting, and lightweight handoff queues. If your lifecycle needs permissions, forecasting, complex ownership, or regulated audit workflows, sync outcomes back to your CRM as the system of recordSystem of recordThe authoritative system where customer, lead, policy, loan, appointment, or account data is stored and updated. and use Sheets as the reporting layer.
New rows are often incomplete. Add a callable status, consent check, and required-field gate. Speed-to-lead matters; calling invalid or non-consented rows quickly is still bad. The spreadsheet just lets you be wrong in rows and columns.
A summary helps the next human. A normalized outcome powers reporting, routing, retries, and suppression. Capture both.
Webhooks and integrations can retry. Store a Thoughtly call ID or event ID so the same call does not create duplicate activity rows or increment attempt count twice.
Google's Sheets API documentation notes per-minute read and write quotas, recommends smaller payloads for faster requests, and advises exponential backoff for 429 errors. If you plan very high-volume reporting, avoid row-by-row custom scripts that hammer the sheet. Use Thoughtly's integration path, batch where possible, and graduate to a database or warehouse when Sheets stops being the right surface.
The point of the integration is not to have a prettier spreadsheet. It is to make the team faster, more consistent, and more honest about what happened to every lead.
| Metric | What it measures | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Time from row creation to first attempt | Speed-to-lead for sheet-sourced inquiries | Google Sheets timestamps and Thoughtly call logs |
| Eligible-row coverage | Share of callable rows that received an attempt | Ready for Thoughtly view vs attempted rows |
| Connect rate | How often calls reach a live person | Thoughtly analytics and last_outcome column |
| Qualified or booked rate | Whether the workflow creates real handoffs | Hot Leads view and downstream CRM or calendar |
| Write-back completion rate | Whether outcomes land in the expected rows | Rows missing last_thoughtly_call_id or last_outcome |
| Retry leakage | Rows retried too often or outside policy | attempt_count, retry_after, and suppression views |
| Source performance | Which campaigns or partners produce useful leads | Pivot by lead_source, service_area, and last_outcome |
Review the first fifty to one hundred completed rows manually. Check whether the status, summary, captured fields, and next step match the transcript. If they do not, fix the agent variables and write-back mapping before you scale volume.
Yes, for lightweight campaigns, pilots, one-off lists, and reporting workflows. Thoughtly's Google Sheets integration is designed to read rows, use row context, and write outcomes back. For long-term lifecycle management, keep your CRM or primary system of record in the loop.
Use the same row for current state: last outcome, next step, owner, callback time, and summary. Append one row per call in an Activity tab when you need history, QA, or multiple attempts per lead.
Pass fields that improve the conversation or routing decision: name, phone, intent, urgency, location, service areaService areaThe geography where a business can serve a prospect. Service-area checks prevent routing or booking leads a team cannot actually handle., source, eligibility details, owner, consent status, and preferred next step. Do not dump the entire row into metadata.
Yes. Thoughtly's integration page describes triggers such as new rows, cell value changes, and scheduled sweeps. The automation docs also list Google Sheets row-created triggers as webhook-compatible for automation triggering.
Store a stable row ID or lead ID in the sheet and pass it through call metadata. Write the Thoughtly call ID or event ID back after completion. If the same event retries, update the existing row or activity instead of creating another one.