How to Build a Chatbot with Google Sheets

Believe it or not, you can create a functional, interactive chatbot using something as simple as Google Sheets. Yep — that spreadsheet you use to track budgets or grocery lists can actually power your next digital assistant. If you want a chatbot without touching complex code or expensive software, here’s your go-to guide.

Let’s dive into how to build a chatbot with Google Sheets as the backend — step by step.

Why Use Google Sheets as a Chatbot Backend?

• Free and Cloud-Based: No hosting fees. No servers.
• User-Friendly: Easy to update responses or data on the fly.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple people can manage chatbot content.
• Flexible Integration: Can be linked with tools like Dialogflow, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Zapier.

Step 1: Set Up Your Google Sheet

Create a new spreadsheet and label two columns:

• Column A: User Input (the questions your users might ask)
• Column B: Bot Response (what you want your chatbot to reply with)

Example: | User Input | Bot Response | |——————–|—————————————-| | Hello | Hi there! How can I help you today? | | What’s your name? | I’m your friendly chatbot assistant. | | Goodbye | Bye! Talk to you soon. |

Step 2: Use Google Apps Script to Read the Sheet

Now we connect logic to your sheet using Apps Script:

1. Go to Extensions > Apps Script.
2. Delete default code and paste:

function doPost(e) {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheet = ss.getSheets()[0];
  var data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();
  var userMessage = e.parameter.message.toLowerCase();

  for (var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
    if (data[i][0].toLowerCase() === userMessage) {
      return ContentService.createTextOutput(data[i][1]);
    }
  }
  return ContentService.createTextOutput("Sorry, I didn’t get that.");
}

3. Save and deploy as a web app:
   • Click Deploy > New deployment
   • Set access to “Anyone”
   • Copy your chatbot’s URL

Now when someone posts a message to that URL, your bot will look up the answer in your Google Sheet.

Step 3: Connect to a Chat Interface

You can connect your chatbot to platforms like:

• Telegram Bot: Use BotFather to create your bot, then forward user messages to your Apps Script URL.
• WhatsApp (via Twilio): Connect Twilio to your webhook and relay WhatsApp messages to your Google Sheet logic.
• Facebook Messenger: Use a webhook and the Meta Developer Portal to hook into your script.
• Custom Website: Create a basic chatbox in HTML/JavaScript and call the Apps Script URL via AJAX.

Step 4: Keep It Smart with Variations

To make your bot feel more human:

• Add multiple phrasing options in Column A (like “Hello”, “Hi”, “Hey”)
• Add a fallback response like “Sorry, can you rephrase that?”

Or, use AI tools like Dialogflow to handle natural language and pass data to your Google Sheet.

Step 5: Maintain and Expand

• Add new questions/responses anytime
• Log interactions in a separate sheet to see what users are asking
• Add analytics using Google Data Studio

Conclusion

You don’t need fancy platforms or thousands of dollars to build a chatbot. With just Google Sheets, a sprinkle of Apps Script, and some basic integration, you can build a lightweight, powerful chatbot that runs right from your browser — and scales as your needs grow.