Creating a webhook

Beginner Questions
1

:bullseye: What is your goal?

I am looking for freelance worker to assist me with creating a webhook for Cognito forms to a Google or Microsoft Excel worksheet.

:thinking: What is the problem?

So far, I have been able to create the trigger from Cognito forms but having trouble with the information going to the spreadsheet.

:test_tube: What have you tried so far?

I have tried connecting the trigger to the action, but I believe I am missing a step because it is not going to the spreadsheet that I created in Google Sheets.

3

Hey Tyriel,

Why are you using a webhook instead of the dedicated cognito module?

4

The usual cause is that the scenario has no sample payload yet, so there is
nothing to map into the Sheets module.

Try this order:

  1. In the Cognito Forms webhook module, click “Redetermine data structure”,
    then submit one real test entry on the form. Make captures the payload and the
    fields become available for mapping.

  2. Add Google Sheets > Add a Row after it. Pick the spreadsheet and the exact
    sheet/tab by name.

  3. If your first row is headers, switch “Table contains headers” on. Otherwise
    Make maps by column letters and the values land in the wrong place, or nowhere.

  4. Map the form fields into the columns, then use “Run once” and submit another
    test entry.

  5. Only after that turn the scenario ON. A scenario that is off still accepts
    the webhook but does nothing visible.

If the row still does not appear, open the scenario history: a run where the
webhook module is green and the Sheets module did not execute means the mapping
is empty, not that the connection is broken.

You said you are looking for someone to build this - if you would rather have
it done than debug it, send me a DM.

5

Hey. Cognito does has a way for the spreadsheet to be exported to an Excel spreadsheet, but it is a different spreadsheet each time. I just need a spreadsheet that updates automatically when now entries are posted instead of me having to send a new one to my employees each time.

6

I don’t mean exporting the sheet. I ment using the watch updates instant trigger when a form is submitted instead of a webhook module.

7

Hi Tyriel, the cleanest route is to use Cognito Forms’ own instant trigger for new submissions, then map the bundle into Google Sheets with Add a Row. Make sure the spreadsheet and worksheet are selected explicitly, the first row contains your headers, and the field mappings are coming from the trigger bundle rather than typed values. Run the scenario once, submit a test form, and inspect the bundle before checking the new row in Sheets. If you need Excel instead, use the equivalent Excel Online Add a Row module after the Cognito trigger. That should give you one continuously updated sheet instead of a new export each time.

8

You seem fine with the Webhook flow but the issue is with the “Add a Row” module.

Here is what to check:

Make sure that you actually ran a test submission through Cognito since setting up the Webhook, this is so Make can redetermine the data structure and expose the individual fields as mappable items. In Google Sheets double check that you’ve selected the correct spreadsheet AND the correct sheet. If you have multiple sheets you can very easily pick the wrong one. You should then map each field individually into the matching column rather than dropping everything into one cell.

You may need to click “Redetermine data structure” on the webhook module and resend a test form before reopening the Sheets module, that may fix it.