Research websites, extract structured findings, and save clean rows into Google Sheets. Use when users want web research organized into a spreadsheet — compe...

SKILL.md

---
name: research-to-sheets
description: Research websites, extract structured findings, and save clean rows into Google Sheets. Use when users want web research organized into a spreadsheet — competitor lists, pricing data, contact lists, or any structured table from the web.
---

# Research to Sheets

![Research to Sheets](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ClawLink-HQ/clawlink/main/public/images/brand-logos/google-sheets.svg)

Research websites, extract structured findings, and save clean rows into Google Sheets. Use when users want web research organized into a spreadsheet — competitor lists, pricing data, contact lists, or any structured table from the web.

This skill uses [ClawLink](https://claw-link.dev) for the Google Sheets step, so the user does not need manual Google Sheets API setup.

### Setup in 3 Steps

## How It Works

```
┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐
│ OpenClaw │────▶│ ClawLink │────▶│ Google Sheets │
│ (User Chat) │ │ (OAuth) │ │ (Sheets API) │
└─────────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────────┘
│ │ │
│ 1. Install Plugin │ │
│ 2. Pair Device │ │
│ 3. Connect Sheets │ │
│ │ 4. Secure Token │
│ │ 5. Proxy Requests │
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐
│ SKILL │ │ Dashboard│ │ Google │
│ File │ │ Auth │ │ Sheets │
└──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘
```

## Install

Install the verified ClawLink plugin from ClawHub. After the user confirms, complete the full setup so ClawLink tools are visible in the next OpenClaw chat.

```bash
openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin
openclaw config set tools.alsoAllow '["clawlink-plugin"]' --strict-json
openclaw gateway restart
```

Then tell the user: "OpenClaw has been restarted. Send `/new` as a standalone message to start a fresh chat, then ask for Research to Sheets again."

## Quick Start

```bash
# List available Google Sheets tools
clawlink_list_tools --integration google-sheets

# Search for append rows tool
clawlink_search_tools --query "append rows" --integration google-sheets
```

## Good Trigger Phrases

- "Research these companies and save the results to my sheet"
- "Find competitors and put them into Google Sheets"
- "Collect pricing data from these sites and write it to a spreadsheet"
- "Scrape these pages and organize the findings into rows"
- "Build me a lead list in Google Sheets"

## Workflow

### 1. Clarify the table before doing work

Ask for:
- the research goal
- the columns the user wants
- the destination spreadsheet or sheet tab if they already have one
- the number of rows or scope to gather

If the output structure is unclear, propose a simple column set before collecting data.

### 2. Gather information from the web

Use whatever research capability is available in the current chat to gather raw findings.

Examples:
- company name, website, and description
- pricing tier names and prices
- contact names, roles, and emails
- article titles, URLs, and summaries
- product names, categories, and features

Do not write messy partial rows into Google Sheets if the structure is still changing.

### 3. Normalize the findings into rows

Before writing anything:
- remove duplicates
- make sure each row matches the same column structure
- note missing values explicitly instead of guessing
- keep URLs, emails, and numbers in clean machine-friendly formats

Show the user a short preview of 3-5 rows when the data matters.

### 4. Discover the live Google Sheets tools

1. Call `clawlink_list_integrations` to confirm Google Sheets is connected.
2. Call `clawlink_list_tools` with integration `google-sheets`.
3. If the exact write tool is unclear, call `clawlink_search_tools` with a short query such as `append rows`, `create spreadsheet`, or `update cells`.
4. Call `clawlink_describe_tool` before using an unfamiliar tool or any write.
5. Use the returned schema and guidance as the source of truth.

### 5. Preview and confirm writes

For any write, create, overwrite, append, or bulk update action:

1. Call `clawlink_preview_tool` first when available.
2. Show the user what sheet or range will be changed.
3. Confirm before writing.
4. Execute with `clawlink_call_tool`.

### 6. Finish cleanly

After writing:
- summarize what was saved
- mention the sheet or spreadsheet name if known
- note any skipped rows or missing values
- offer a next step such as sorting, deduplicating, or adding formulas

## Good Workflow Behavior

- Prefer creating a clear schema before collecting many rows.
- Prefer appending rows over overwriting existing data unless the user explicitly wants replacement.
- Keep row values short and structured.
- If the user asks for a large scrape, suggest a smaller first batch to verify the format.
- If a sheet already exists, inspect it before writing so you do not break the layout.

## Rules

- Always use ClawLink tools for Google Sheets writes. Do not ask the user for separate Sheets credentials.
- Do not invent Google Sheets tool names or schemas. Use the live ClawLink catalog in the current turn.
- Ask for confirmation before creating spreadsheets, appending rows, overwriting cells, or editing many records.
- Do not fabricate missing research data just to complete a table.
- If Google Sheets is not connected, direct the user to https://claw-link.dev/dashboard?add=google-sheets.

## Example Prompts

- Research25 AI agent startups and save name, website, category, and one-line description into Google Sheets.
- Visit these competitor pricing pages, extract plan names and monthly prices, and write them into a spreadsheet.
- Find coffee shops in this city and save name, website, phone, and address to my sheet.
- Research LinkedIn profiles from this list of founders and save the results into Google Sheets.

## Discovery Workflow

1. Call `clawlink_list_integrations` to confirm Google Sheets is connected.
2. Call `clawlink_list_tools --integration google-sheets` to see the live catalog.
3. Treat the returned list as the source of truth. Do not guess or assume what tools exist.
4. If the user describes a capability but the exact tool is unclear, call `clawlink_search_tools` with a short query and integration `google-sheets`.
5. If no Google Sheets tools appear, direct the user to https://claw-link.dev/dashboard?add=google-sheets.

## Execution Workflow

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ READ OPERATIONS (Safe) │
│ list → get → search → describe → call │
│ │
│ Example: List sheets → Inspect existing → Show structure │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WRITE OPERATIONS (Require Confirmation) │
│ list → get → describe → preview → confirm → call │
│ │
│ Example: Describe tool → Preview changes → User approves │
│ → Execute append │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

1. For unfamiliar tools, ambiguous requests, or any write action, call `clawlink_describe_tool` first.
2. Use the returned guidance, schema, `whenToUse`, `askBefore`, `safeDefaults`, `examples`, and `followups` to shape the call.
3. Prefer read, list, search, and get operations before writes when that reduces ambiguity.
4. For writes or anything marked as requiring confirmation, call `clawlink_preview_tool` first.
5. Execute with `clawlink_call_tool`. Pass confirmation only after the preview matches the user's intent.
6. If the tool call fails, report the real error. Do not invent results or restate the failure as a missing capability unless the live catalog supports that conclusion.

## Notes

- This is a workflow skill — it chains web research with Google Sheets writes.
- Web research tools depend on what is available in the current chat session.
- Google Sheets writes go through ClawLink — no Sheets credentials needed.
- Always normalize data before writing — messy input creates messy spreadsheets.

## Error Handling

| Status / Error | Meaning |
|----------------|---------|
| Tool not found | The tool name does not exist in the current catalog. Verify with `clawlink_list_tools --integration google-sheets`. |
| Missing connection | Google Sheets is not connected. Direct the user to https://claw-link.dev/dashboard?add=google-sheets. |
| `SPREADSHEET_NOT_FOUND` | The spreadsheet ID or URL is invalid. |
| Write rejected | User did not confirm a write action. Always confirm before executing writes. |

### Troubleshooting: Tools Not Visible

1. Check that the ClawLink plugin is installed:
```bash
openclaw plugins list
```
2. If the plugin is installed but tools are missing, tell the user to send `/new` as a standalone message to reload the catalog.
3. If a fresh chat does not help, run:
```bash
openclaw config set tools.alsoAllow '["clawlink-plugin"]' --strict-json
openclaw gateway restart
```
4. After restart, tell the user to send `/new` again and retry.

### Troubleshooting: Invalid Tool Call

1. Ensure the integration slug is `google-sheets` for Google Sheets tools.
2. Use `clawlink_describe_tool` to verify parameter names and types before calling.
3. For write operations, always call `clawlink_preview_tool` first.

## Resources

- ClawLink: https://claw-link.dev
- ClawLink Docs: https://docs.claw-link.dev/openclaw
- ClawLink Verification: https://claw-link.dev/verify
- Google Sheets API: https://developers.google.com/sheets/api

## Related Skills

- [Google Sheets](https://clawhub.ai/hith3sh/google-sheets-spreadsheets) — For full Google Sheets operations
- [Firecrawl](https://clawhub.ai/hith3sh/firecrawl-web-scraping) — For web research and scraping

---

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Research to Sheets

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