Note: You only need to connect the data source before your first import. For future changes, you’ll be able to use the same Google Sheets document and connection.
In the Import tab, click the Connect button underneath the Google Sheets data source. Alternatively, if you already have a different data source connected, to access and add Google Sheets, click Add another data source.
A message appears to confirm that you'll be redirected to Google. To proceed, click Continue.
If required, sign in to your Google account, then when prompted to give access, click Allow.
This creates a new Google Sheets document in the required format for importing data to Spotlight Reporting. Spotlight Reporting will not be able to access any additional documents in your Google account.
You’re then redirected back to Spotlight Reporting.
To complete the document and import the data
From the Import tab, click Edit in Google Sheets. You can then complete this with the required data.
For details about the format needed, and the data you can enter, please refer to the following section.
Once this is complete, in the Import tab select the actuals/budget data date ranges and click import.
The format and data available
The Google Sheets document which is automatically created is in the correct format to import to Spotlight. The following tabs are available:
Actuals - The monthly values for each profit and loss and balance sheet account, up to and including the most recent completed month. For profit and loss accounts these should be the month by month values, and for balance sheet accounts the current (cumulative) balance.
Budget - The monthly future budget values for profit and loss accounts only. If you don’t have budgets set, you can leave this tab blank.
Cash - The monthly cash movements for profit and loss and balance sheet accounts, up to and including the most recent completed month.
KPI Actuals - Month end results for your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
KPI Targets - Monthly targets for your KPIs.
Non Financial - Month end results for non-financial data.
Non Financial Targets - Monthly targets for non-financial data.
To update the data
If you need to update the data, you can do this from the existing Google Sheets document.
Access the Google Sheets document through your Google account, or alternatively within Spotlight Reporting open the Import tab, click the data source and then click the link to the Google Sheets document.
Enter or change the data as needed. The changes automatically save to your Google Sheets document.
Within the Import tab, select the Actuals or Budgets check boxes and enter the date ranges you need, then click Import.
Frequently asked questions
My data is held in a different Google Sheets document, can I connect to this?
No, for security reasons Spotlight can only connect to the document created when you set up the Google Sheets connection. If you have data in another document, you can copy this into the new document to import into Spotlight.
Some accounts don't hold the correct values after importing
Please ensure that each account has a unique account name in your Google Sheets document. Account names are essential to identifying the individual accounts during the import process. If two or more accounts share an account name, for example if a cost account has the same name as a revenue account, this can result in incorrect values as the values from the second imported account overwrite the first.
Can I give someone else access to the Google Sheets document?
Yes, you can share this document using the Share option within Google Sheets.
