Google Sheets : Watch New Rows - Does not track new rows after removing a row

Questions
1

Hi,

I am trying to build a scenario, catching new rows in a google spreadsheet.

At first there was no issue, but once I started removing test rows and add new ones, the “Watch New Rows” module could not pick up the newly added rows.

Sort of like:

I add rows 5 and 6 (<- get’s picked up by the module)
I remove rows 5 and 6 (I completely remove the rows entirely)
I add a new rows 5 and 6 (<- does not get picked up by the module)
I add a new row 7 (<- get’s picked up by the module)

This sheet is also supposed to get entries from a form, so I have to completely remove the test rows in order not to mess with the form entries.

I understood that the make module is tracking the row indexes and does not update back to previous row indexes when removing a row.

So my question is, how can I update the module to refresh or change it’s tracking?
Alternatively, is there a better option for this case?

Thank you for your time
Cheers

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2

Hi @Basile_Lroy
You’re right — the “Watch New Rows” module in Make tracks row positions (indexes) , not the content itself. So if you delete rows and re-add them at the same index (like rows 5 and 6), Make assumes it has already seen them and won’t trigger again.

Best regards,
Msquare Automation
Platinum Partner of Make
@Msquare_Automation

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3

Thank you for confirming what I thought. Is there a work-around known to be able to still track rows even after having removed previous rows?

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4

Hi @Basile_Lroy
One alternative is to replace the existing Watch module with a new one after deleting all the test rows.

Best regards,
Msquare Automation
Platinum Partner of Make
@Msquare_Automation

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5

You can use Search Rows in Google Sheets(with applying a filter in it) instead of relying on the Watch New Rows module.

Just create a new column (e.g., Status) in your sheet, and update that column once a row is processed.
This way, you’re not depending on row numbers — even if you delete a row from the middle, all relevant rows will still get picked up correctly.

Alternatively, you can use the Watch Changes module and connect it with a Google Apps Script that triggers a webhook whenever changes occur.

You can customize the trigger:

  • Run it on edit
  • Or set it up as a time-driven trigger (for bulk processing)

Also, add a condition in your script to check whether a value has changed or if a new row is added this will prevent unnecessary triggers and save operations.

Let us know if you’d like help setting up the script — happy to assist!

Best regards,
Digipanda Consulting Pvt. Ltd
@digiPanda_Automation

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6

Those are solid solutions too, I will look into it. Thank you!

since it’s supposed to be an sheet to collect form entries, it might easier to make a onSubmit listener calling a webhook.

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7

as another alternative, I found that you right click on the module, there is an option “Choose where to start”.

There you can go for the Since specific ID option to tell from which row it should continue to watch for new rows, or use the other options (All, Select manually) depending on your needs.

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