Custom UI

Knowledgebase

Designing a Custom Workflow UI (Creator Guide)

For makers who want to add the clickable “Sheet UI” sidebar to their own sheets.
Attach plain‑text Notes to cells; the add‑on builds a guided panel automatically.

1 Purpose

Annotations transform any spreadsheet into a guided, one‑click workflow. Each note becomes a step in the sidebar—showing instructions, an optional button, and built‑in actions like uploading files, downloading links, or running Tasks on selected rows.

2 How It Works

Inside each note, write up to four keys, one per line:

Key Controls Required?
Info Instruction text shown after “Step n:” No
Button Text on the button (omit for implicit steps) No
Type Action: tasks, files, or download No
RPM Throttle for bulk tasks(e.g. RPM: 30) No

Note: The add‑on automatically uses the note’s cell location to determine Cell or Column—no need to include those keys.

3 Creating Steps

  1. Select a cell (header row is clearest).
  2. Insert → Note (or Ctrl+Shift+💬).
  3. Add keys, one per line (see examples).
  4. Repeat for each step; the sidebar numbers them by sheet order.
  5. Test: Workflows → Open Sheet UI.
  6. Reorder by moving annotated cells.

Example:
Info: Upload a scanned ID
Button: Select file
Type: files

4 Multi-Step (Implicit) Buttons

Create a chain by placing two notes on different cells:

  1. First note has both Button and Type.
  2. Second note has Type but no Button—it auto‑runs after the first step completes.

Chained Example (Implicit Multi‑Step)

| A2 |

Info: Create and download a personalized PDF
Button: Generate & Download
Type: tasks

| B2 |

Type: download

Result ➜ Clicking Generate & Download runs both steps: first creates the PDF, then downloads it automatically.

5 Example Notes (Copy‑Paste Ready)

5.1 Bulk AI on Selected Rows (header cell)

Info: Generate product descriptions
Button: Create descriptions
Type: tasks
RPM: 40

5.2 File‑Picker Upload (single cell)

Info: Attach employee contract
Button: Upload PDF
Type: files

5.3 Download a Report (single cell)

Info: Download completed report
Button: Download
Type: download

5.4 Locator‑Only Step (header cell)

Info: Review column K for missing data

6 Common Authoring Issues

Issue Cause Fix
Step missing Key typo or hidden cell Check key names; unhide the cell
Button inert No rows selected (tasks) or no link (files) Select rows or verify cell link
Out‑of‑order Sidebar reads sheet position Move annotated cells into correct order
Picker blocked Browser popup blocker Allow pop‑ups for sheets.google.com
API rate‑limit Too many rows processed Add RPM: line to throttle requests

7 Troubleshooting

  1. Click the 🔄 icon to reload the sidebar.
  2. Verify each note’s keys and syntax.
  3. Check Extensions → Apps Script → Logs for errors.
  4. Test in a fresh sheet to rule out filters/protection.

8 FAQs

Q A
Header or cell—how to choose? Header notes drive per‑row actions; cell notes target one specific cell.
Can I localize step text? Info/Button accept any language; UI labels localize automatically.
What if I omit both Button & Type? Creates a locator‑only step (no action button).
Multiple sheets each have their own UI? Yes—annotations are read per sheet.
Why use implicit chaining? Runs follow‑up actions without extra clicks.
How do I reduce API usage? Add RPM: to throttle bulk tasks.

9 Cheat Sheet

# Header-based row actions (on column header)
Info: Generate summaries
Button: Run AI
Type: tasks
RPM: 25

# Single-cell file upload
Info: Upload receipt
Button: Choose file
Type: files

# Single-cell download link
Info: Download combined PDF
Button: Download
Type: download

# Two-step chain (body cells)

# Cell A1 – visible button
Info: Create and download a personalized PDF
Button: Generate & Download
Type: tasks

# Cell A2 – implicit follow-up
Type: download

Create → Reload → Refine—and watch your guided sidebar come to life, no coding required!

Elisha

1 month ago

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