Shared Email Templates & Signatures for Gmail
Using datasets and Google Sheets in Gmail
The core functionality of datasets in Gmail is almost identical to the Outlook version.
Note: For a complete guide on creating and managing datasets, please refer to our main guide.
However, there are a few key differences when working with Gmail, specifically the ability to use Google Sheets as your data source instead of Excel tables. The following guide will take you through the Gmail-specific processes.
Datasets for your Gmail emails
To include data from tables in your Gmail emails, you can create and use datasets. Their core advantage is the ability to auto-fill multiple values simultaneously. You can even populate entire tables or lists by binding them to a specific dataset.
Key definitions
Please note the main differences for Gmail users compared to Outlook:
- File column: Used for files stored on Google Drive (instead of OneDrive).
- Picture column: Used for images stored on Google Drive (instead of OneDrive/SharePoint).
Create a simple dataset
You can create a small dataset manually or import it from a TXT/CSV file. The process of creating simple datasets in Outlook and Gmail is the same.
Note: For a step-by-step guide on creating datasets manually or via import, please see the simple datasets section.
Connect a Google Sheets table
Instead of Excel, the Gmail version allows you to connect Google Sheets directly from your Google Drive. Let’s see how it works.
Before you start
- To connect a Google Sheets table, it must be turned into a named range. To do that, select your table in spreadsheets and go to Data > Named ranges.
- If you use a connected Google Sheets table for a team template, make sure that your teammates have access to the connected spreadsheet.
How to connect Google Sheets to Shared Email Templates
- To create a dataset from your Google Sheets data, right-click any folder in the Shared Email Templates pane and choose New Dataset.
- This will open the Shared Email Templates app in a new browser tab. Name your dataset first, then choose Google Sheets Table.
- Use a Google Accounts dialog that will appear to confirm your Google account and grant permissions.
- Use Google File Manager to browse your My Drive or Shared Drives for a spreadsheet you'd like to connect. Once chosen, click Select.
- Next, pick the Named Range from a drop-down menu to use it as a dataset and click OK.
- You can open or change the selected spreadsheet if needed.
When the right spreadsheet and the right Named Range are selected, save your dataset.
All datasets that are based on Google Sheets table will be marked with a special icon.
Edit a dataset
On the Shared Email Templates pane, right-click a dataset that you want to modify and select Edit in Browser.
Tip: When editing a simple dataset, you can change the order of columns by dragging and dropping them. The only exception is the key column, it's always the leftmost column and can't be moved.
Using dataset values in Gmail
Instead of manually typing details for every email, you can automatically pull information into your templates. Depending on your workflow, there are several ways to use dataset values:
- If you know exactly which value from a dataset is needed and want it inserted automatically, use the Insert macro:
- If you need to manually pick the right dataset record each time you send an email, use the WhatToEnter macro to open a selection dialog:
- If you need to insert more than just a single value, you can bind entire tables or lists to your dataset:
- You can also automate the process of adding files or images. By using dataset values, the app can automatically attach documents or insert pictures stored on your Google Drive:
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