Google Sheets

You can read data from Google Sheets directly through a dedicated MCP server. It provides read-only access to your spreadsheets via simple tools, with secure authentication and clear audit trails when you use individual accounts.

How to use

You connect an MCP client to the Google Sheets MCP Server to read spreadsheet information, list tabs, and fetch cell data. The server offers three simple tools: google_sheets_get_info, google_sheets_list_tabs, and google_sheets_get_tab_data. You can choose an authentication method that fits your needs: Individual authentication for production-grade accountability or a shared token for quick testing. After configuration, you can request spreadsheet metadata, enumerate tabs, or read data from specific ranges using natural language or programmatic calls via your MCP client.

To start using the server from a client, configure the MCP connection to point to the local server. If you are using Claude Desktop, you will add a connection entry that launches the server as a local process and points to the built JavaScript file in dist/index.js. The server runs behind an ordinary Node process, so you manage it like any local service. When you perform actions, the client will relay your requests to google_sheets_get_info, google_sheets_list_tabs, or google_sheets_get_tab_data and present the results in your preferred format (Markdown or JSON).

How to install

Prerequisites: you need Node.js and npm installed on your machine.

1. Clone or download the project directory for the Google Sheets MCP Server.

2. Open a terminal and navigate to the project directory.

3. Install dependencies.

# Clone or download this project
# Replace with your actual path if you clone from a repository

cd google-sheets-mcp-server
npm install

4. Build the server to compile TypeScript to JavaScript in the dist/ directory.

npm run build

5. Run in development or production mode as appropriate. The server is started via the runtime command shown in the configuration snippet.

Configuration and usage notes

Configure your MCP client to launch the server and point to the built entry. The recommended local setup launches the server with Node and the dist/index.js file.

Claude Desktop configuration example shows how to start the local server and connect it under the google_sheets key.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "google-sheets": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/google-sheets-mcp-server/dist/index.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

First-time authentication and access control

For individual authentication, you use a Google account to sign in and obtain a personal token. Your credentials file and your Google account are required. Follow the setup flow to authorize access to the Google Sheets API and to register your account for the MCP server.

If you are using a shared token setup for quick testing, you share the administrator’s token among users. This approach is faster for experiments but does not provide individual audit trails.

Security and best practices

Each user authenticates with their own Google account in the individual authentication model, which enables per-user audit trails and tighter access control.

Store credentials and tokens securely on your local machine. The credentials file is saved as a local JSON file, and tokens are stored separately to prevent cross-user access.

Only the minimum permissions needed to access spreadsheets are requested. You can revoke access at any time in your Google account permissions settings.

Tools overview

The server provides three tools to interact with Google Sheets data: google_sheets_get_info, google_sheets_list_tabs, and google_sheets_get_tab_data. Use these tools to fetch spreadsheet metadata, enumerate tabs, and read data from specific ranges in a chosen tab.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues, verify that the credentials file exists at the expected path and that you have permission to access the target sheet. Re-run the authorization flow if your token expires, and ensure you are signing in with the correct Google account.

Examples of common usage

Get spreadsheet metadata to understand its structure and access permissions.

List all tabs in a spreadsheet to identify the available sheets.

Read a specific range from a tab to retrieve data for processing or display.

Available tools

google_sheets_get_info

Get metadata about a spreadsheet such as its title, ID, and basic properties.

google_sheets_list_tabs

List all tabs/sheets within a spreadsheet.

google_sheets_get_tab_data

Read cell data from a specified tab, with optional range in A1 notation.