# Prepare your Google Sheet for SheetBridge

*Skill Level: Expert*

### **Introduction**

SheetBridge reads your first row as column headers and turns each column into a property in Adalo. A clean header row and consistent data makes setup faster and prevents sync errors.

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### **Before You Begin**

* Make a copy of your spreadsheet before making structural changes (recommended).
* Ensure each tab you plan to connect uses a single header row (the first row) and a consistent structure.
* Column Headers should have ***unique names***. Duplicate Column names will result in missing data.
* Sheet Tabs should have ***unique names***. Duplicate Tab names will result in missing data.
* Remove Blank Rows at the bottom of the Google Sheet.

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### **Set up your Header Row**

<div align="center"><img src="https://3467607506-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LhGHkPsv15svPIU5I7C%2Fuploads%2F1wXQdMVPK4n5YZX2pzRn%2Fimage%20(5).png?alt=media&#x26;token=758e2f57-faf2-42ed-85c8-897840bad88e" alt="image.png" width="563"></div>

1. Open your Google Spreadsheet and choose the tab you want to use as a collection.
2. Make sure row 1 contains your column names (for example: name, email, status).
3. Use one header per column. Avoid merged header cells.
4. Avoid duplicate header names. Each header should be unique.
5. **Consistent data types:** Each column should maintain a single data type (text, number, date, or boolean)
6. **Normalize related data:** Separate customer information from order details into distinct sheets for better relationships

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### **Understand the SheetBridge ID column**

SheetBridge automatically creates a ***sheetbridge\_id*** column to uniquely identify each row. This ID is used for updates and deletes.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Important: The sheetbridge\_id column is system-managed. Do not rename, edit, or delete it, or the connection can break.**
{% endhint %}

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### **Best practices**

* Use clear, simple header names (letters, numbers, and spaces).
* Keep data types consistent within a column (for example, do not mix dates and text).
* Avoid fully blank rows in the middle of your data.
* If you need to rename a column, verify any places in Adalo that reference it (Lists, Forms, Actions) are still connected properly.