Troubleshoot Google Sheets Issues

This guide helps you resolve common issues and errors you might encounter while using Two Minute Reports in Google Sheets.

Installation Issues

The add-on won't install

• Clear your browser cache and cookies
• Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
• Ensure you're signed in with the correct Google account
• Check that you have permission to install add-ons (contact your Google Workspace admin if not)

The TMR sidebar won't open

• Refresh your Google Sheet (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R)
• Close and reopen the sheet
• Uninstall and reinstall the add-on
• Disable any conflicting browser extensions and try again

Permission errors during installation

• Grant all requested permissions - TMR needs access to read and modify your sheets
• If using a corporate Google Workspace, contact your administrator to approve the add-on
• Ensure your Google account hasn't restricted third-party app access

Connection Issues

Can't connect a data source

• Verify your login credentials are correct for that platform
• Some platforms require specific account types (e.g., admin or manager access)
• Check if Two Factor Authentication (2FA) is enabled - you may need to generate an app password
• Ensure the account/connection hasn't been revoked or suspended

"Connection Failed" error

• Check your internet connection
• Verify the data source platform isn't experiencing outages
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting the account
• Some platforms require additional permissions or API access - review their requirements

Connected account shows as "Limited" or "Restricted"

• The connected account doesn't have sufficient permissions for that data source
• Log into the original platform and grant higher-level access (view, edit, or admin)
• Some platforms require subscription activation before data access is available
• Disconnect and reconnect with an account that has proper permissions

Query Issues

Query returns no data

• Verify the selected date range contains data in your source
• Check that your filters aren't too restrictive
• Ensure the account you selected has data for your query parameters
• For newly connected accounts, allow time for data sync to complete
• Try running without filters to see if data exists

"Speed Boost warming up" message

• This is normal for newly connected accounts
• TMR pre-caches historical data to improve query performance
• Wait for warm-up to complete before running large queries
• Warm-up time depends on data volume (typically 5-30 minutes)

Query is very slow or timing out

• Enable Smart Refresh to break large requests into smaller chunks
• Reduce the date range (e.g., query monthly instead of yearly)
• Limit metrics and dimensions to only what you need
• Filter to a smaller subset (e.g., specific campaigns or regions)
• Schedule queries during off-peak hours when APIs are less busy

Incorrect or unexpected data

• Run the same query in your original data source platform to compare
• Check for data filters or restrictions in your source account
• Verify date ranges are set correctly (timezone differences may affect dates)
• Ensure you're pulling from the correct account if multiple are connected

Refresh and Schedule Issues

Scheduled refresh didn't run

• Check that the schedule is enabled (not paused)
• Verify the time zone matches your expected time
• Confirm your connected accounts still have valid permissions
• Check if the data source has changed or been revoked
• Review TMR's status dashboard for any platform-wide issues

Refresh failed with an error

• Check the error message for specific details about what failed
• Ensure your data source connection is still active and authorized
• Verify data exists for the date range being queried
• Try refreshing manually to isolate if it's a scheduled-specific issue

Email report wasn't received

• Check spam/junk mail folders
• Verify recipient email addresses are spelled correctly
• Ensure your Google account allows sending emails from integrations
• Check that "Send Email Reports" is actually enabled in the schedule

Attachment didn't include the data I expected

• Verify the query ran successfully before the email was sent
• Check that the attachment format setting is correct (PDF, Excel, or both)
• Ensure the query isn't filtering out the data you expected

Data Issues

Missing data in query results

• Check if the data source has gaps or incomplete data for that period
• Verify the associated data source account has proper permissions
• Review any active filters that might be excluding data
• Contact the data source provider if data is missing upstream

Duplicate or inconsistent data

• Some platforms may report data differently depending on query parameters
• Verify you're not running overlapping queries that insert data in the same range
• Check for duplicate timestamps or date parameters in your query

Date range appears wrong

• TMR respects your Google Account's timezone settings
• Verify your account timezone is correct: Google Account > Settings > Timezone
• Some data sources use different timezone conventions - check their documentation
• For critical reports, explicitly specify dates rather than using relative ranges

Sheet and Formatting Issues

Data is overwriting my existing content

• Always specify a different range when running new queries
• In sheet settings, ensure "Insert data in" is set to the correct location
• Use separate sheets for data and dashboard visualizations
• Be cautious when re-running queries on existing data ranges

Charts and formulas are broken after refresh

• Reference query data by sheet and range (e.g., Sheet1!A1:D100) not cell coordinates
• When possible, reference data ranges rather than specific cells
• Update formulas manually if the data range size changes significantly
• Keep data on separate sheets from formulas for easier maintenance

Formatting is lost after refresh

• TMR replaces cell values but preserves most formatting
• For critical formatting, apply it after data is placed
• Consider keeping data and formatting on separate sheets
• Use conditional formatting rules to reapply formatting automatically

General Troubleshooting

TMR is running slowly

• Check if you have very large queries running simultaneously
• Disable browser extensions that might interfere
• Try using a different browser
• Clear browser cache and cookies

I see an unusual error message

• Note the exact error text
• Try the action again - some errors are temporary
• Search our help documentation for the specific error
• Contact support with the error message and steps to reproduce

Something doesn't seem right but I'm not sure what

• Start by running a simple query to verify basic functionality
• Check the TMR status page for any known issues
• Review recent changes to your data sources or permissions
• Contact our support team with details about what you're experiencing

Getting Help

If you can't resolve an issue:

1. Gather information:

• What you were trying to do
• The exact error message (if any)
• Which data source you're using
• Whether it worked before and what changed

2. Contact support:

• Email: [email protected]
• Chat: Use the chat button in the TMR sidebar
• Documentation: Search our knowledge base for similar issues

3. Provide details that help us help you faster:

• Screenshots of the error
• Your TMR account email
• The specific spreadsheet name (without sharing sensitive data)
• Steps to reproduce the issue