UpSheet Pro Guide › Get Started
What is UpSheet Pro
A Google Sheets™ add-on that lets you attach files (documents/images/PDFs) to a cell or row, while the real files live in your Google Drive™.
In the sheet you see a 📎 icon and the cell turns yellow to show an attachment is present — everything in one place, found in a second.
Example
| Task | Status | Attachment |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign A brief | Done | 📎 brief.pdf |
| Quotation | Pending | 📎 quote.pdf |
| Print mockup | In progress | — |
Quick summary
- First time: Extensions → UpSheet Pro → Start here – attach your first file. A short guide walks you to your first attachment
- After that: Extensions → UpSheet Pro → Quick Access
- 4 main buttons: 📤 Upload · 📋 View · 🔍 Search · ✕ Close
- Key tip: use TABLE Mode so files follow the row on sort/filter, and start your data at Column B
UpSheet Pro Guide › Get Started
Why UpSheet
The strengths that make document work easier
- Files and data in one place — no switching between Drive/Mail/Chat
- Table Mode: files follow the row on sort/filter — never lost
- Search files across the whole sheet in seconds (great for audits)
- Collaborate on the same files — Shared Drive supported
- Files stay in your own Drive — under your control
- Multiple files per cell without overwriting existing text
ℹ️ Usage conditions / limits see the "Limits & Plans" topic
UpSheet Pro Guide › Get Started
Install & Choose Mode
Get your sheet ready in 2 steps
1) Install & first launch
- Open the Google Sheets™ file you want to use
- Click Extensions → choose UpSheet Pro
- On first run, press Authorize / Allow on every screen — required to access Drive
- Choose Start here – attach your first file — a guide opens on the right and walks you through your first attachment. Later, use Quick Access
⚠️ Menu missing / permission warning close the window → refresh Ctrl+F5 → Extensions → UpSheet Pro → 🔐 Re-authorize
Can't install / "Sorry, unable to open the file"
You see a page from script.google.com saying "Sorry, unable to open the file at this time" or "Page Not Found" — usually caused by being signed in to multiple Google accounts.
✅ Fix open an Incognito / InPrivate window → sign in with only the single Google account you want to use → install/launch UpSheet again
2) Choose a mode (asked on first run)
- YES = 📊 TABLE Mode (recommended) — if you sort/filter, files follow the row and won't get lost
- NO = 📄 SIMPLE Mode — files bound to a fixed cell; good for forms that don't move
- Not sure → choose TABLE · switch later via 📊 Mode & Triggers → 🔄 Switch Mode
UpSheet Pro Guide › Use
The 4 Sidebar Buttons
Everything in daily work is done from these 4 buttons (Quick Access)
📤 Upload📋 View🔍 Search✕ Close
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| 📤 Upload | Click the target cell → drag a file in (auto) or use Choose Files, with a progress bar |
| 📋 View | See the cell's files with size, date, uploader; Open and 🔄 Refresh buttons |
| 🔍 Search | Search all attachments across the spreadsheet |
| ✕ Close | Close the sidebar |
UpSheet Pro Guide › Use
Attaching Files to a Cell
Two ways to upload — it works on empty or filled cells, and stacks multiple files per cell
Two ways to upload
- Drag & Drop — drag a file into the "Drag files here" box → it uploads automatically
- Choose Files — press Choose Files → select a file → press the Upload button
📍 Full steps click the cell first → 📤 Upload → check the Target box → drag your file in → wait for "Upload complete!" → the cell shows 📎 + yellow
Empty cells vs cells with text
| Case | What happens to the cell |
|---|---|
| Empty cell | Adds a 📎 icon (centered) + yellow background |
| Cell with text | Text is not overwritten — it's kept intact; only the background turns yellow, and the file list goes into the note |
💡 Attach to a cell that already has text e.g. a cell with a line item typed in — attach the receipt right there; the existing text stays
Multiple files in one cell
Keep adding files to the same cell — they accumulate without overwriting. Max 50 files per cell on every plan; the sidebar shows remaining slots.
➕ To add more click the same cell → 📤 Upload → drag a new file in. Repeat up to the limit.
UpSheet Pro Guide › Use
View Files & the Cell Note
Open a cell's files and understand the note — restore it if you delete it
View files
- Click a cell with 📎 → press 📋 View
- See files with size, date, uploader → press Open to open in a new tab
What the cell note shows
📎 Name: invoice_2026.pdf
📊 Size: 2.4 MB
🔗 Link: https://drive.google.com/…
──────────────────────────────
📎 Name: receipt.jpg
📊 Size: 880 KB
🔗 Link: https://drive.google.com/…
Accidentally deleted the note — restore it
- No data is lost — the cell still has its yellow background / 📎 icon, and 📋 View still shows everything
- To bring the note back: upload one more file to the same cell — the note is rewritten with every file
- If positions are off → 🎯 Calibrate File Locations
UpSheet Pro Guide › Use
Search
Find documents across every cell in the spreadsheet
- Open the sidebar → press 🔍 Search
- Type a filename → it searches every cell and tells you which one it's in
🔍 Great for audits an auditor asks for a document? Find it by filename instantly — no opening folders one by one
UpSheet Pro Guide › Modes
TABLE / SIMPLE Mode
Pick the right one up front so files don't detach when you reorder data
| Mode | Behavior | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 📊 TABLE (recommended) | Files bound to the row — follow it when you sort/filter | Databases, filtered/sorted lists |
| 📄 SIMPLE | Files bound to a specific cell ⚠️ may detach when sorted | Static forms that don't move |
🅱️ TABLE Mode — start data at Column B the system reserves hidden Column A for the row ID that lets files follow the row, so enter your data starting at Column B and don't delete/unhide Column A (details in "Behind the Scenes")
🎯 Files detach after sorting switch to TABLE Mode then use 🎯 Calibrate File Locations
UpSheet Pro Guide › Limits
Limits & Plans
Start free on 3 sheets, forever — upgrade when you need more sheets
| Item | Free (forever) | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $79 one-time (no subscription) |
| Spreadsheets allowed | 3 spreadsheets (files on 1 tab in each) | Unlimited |
| Files per cell | 50 files | 50 files |
| File size / file | 100 MB | 100 MB |
| Analytics / Bulk / Priority | ✓ | ✓ |
Other limits (all plans) up to 10 files per upload · 30 files/minute · 500 files/hour · filenames cannot contain < > : " / \ | ? * and must be under 255 characters
UpSheet Pro Guide › Admin
Permissions, Security & Storage
🔐 This section is for administrators and anyone who wants the details — regular users don't need it.
Permissions & sharing
- Primary admin: the first person to set up the sheet automatically becomes the primary admin (up to 10)
- Enable team uploads: a collaborator can't attach → an admin presses 🔓 Allow editors to upload
- Sheet-Stamp: when a Pro admin opens the sheet, colleagues can use Pro features only in that shared sheet
Storage & security
- Real files live in your own Google Drive™, not on UpSheet's servers — in one folder in the admin's My Drive or a Shared Drive
- If an upload fails midway, the orphan file is moved to Trash automatically
⚠️ Link security files are shared as "anyone with the link can view/edit" so the team can open them from the cell — be careful sharing links outside your organization
The file's path on upload
- The real file goes into one shared folder on Drive (named after the sheet)
- It's renamed to a unique name + set to "anyone with the link can view/edit"
- Recorded in the hidden registry: file ID / link / size / uploader / date / status
- The cell shows a 📎 icon + yellow + note — the cell only holds a pointer; the real file lives on Drive
Find files & the folder on Drive
| What you want | How |
|---|---|
| The shared folder | ⚙️ Admin → 📁 Manage Folder → 1 = View Folder |
| An individual file link | In the cell note (🔗 Link) or the Open button in 📋 View |
| Search files | 🔍 Search Attachments |
🚫 View Folder doesn't open? Chrome may be blocking the pop-up ("Pop-ups blocked") — click the pop-up icon at the right of the address bar → choose "Always allow pop-ups and redirects from docs.google.com" → press Done and try again, or click the folder link in that box directly
UpSheet Pro Guide › Admin
Behind the Scenes (Hidden)
🔐 Admin-level detail — to make files follow rows and stay manageable, the system creates and hides the following in your file
| Hidden item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Row ID column (hidden Column A) | Stores each row's ID so files follow the row on sort/filter — which is why data must start at Column B |
| File registry sheet | The master table mapping which file is on which cell/row (the heart of the system; protected) |
| Rate-limit sheet | Enforces 30/min, 500/hr |
| Activity-log sheet | Logs usage for audit |
🔒 Don't delete/edit especially the file registry — deleting it makes the system forget which file is on which cell (the 📎 icons disappear) · To see them: right-click the sheet tabs → Show hidden sheets (don't edit)
UpSheet Pro Guide › Admin
Admin Tools (Buttons)
🔐 Admin-only — when to use each button, what happens, and how Drive changes
⚙️ Admin (manage system/files)
| Button | When to use | What happens / effect on Drive |
|---|---|---|
| 📁 Manage Folder | Open/rename the folder, find where files are | Shows name/count/size/location + 1 = View Folder (open) · 2 = Rename Folder (renames the actual folder) |
| 🔓 Allow editors to upload | A collaborator can't upload | Grants editors/viewers write access → the folder's Drive permissions change |
| 🧹 Cleanup Files | A file was deleted from Drive but the record remains | Marks the record inactive — does not delete files on Drive |
| 🚀 Cache Management | System slow/stuck/not updating | Clears internal cache — no effect on Drive |
| 🔄 Migrate Attachments | Registry is in the old format (no Row ID) | Adds the Row ID column to the registry — no effect on files |
| 🔧 Fix Missing RowIDs | Some records have no Row ID | Generates Row IDs only for the missing ones — no effect on Drive |
| 🔧 Fix Cell References | Cell positions are off after deleting rows/columns | Updates cell positions in the registry + renames the Drive folder to match |
| 🔧 Reset User Permission | One user's permissions/menu are broken | Clears that user's permission cache, then have them Re-authorize — no effect on Drive |
| 🔄 Reset Sheet Setup | Reset / hand over ownership / fix serious issues | Disconnects the old folder + you become new primary admin + creates a new folder · old files stay, not deleted |
📊 Mode & Triggers
| Button | When to use | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 🎯 Calibrate File Locations | Files and cells don't match (after sort/move) | (Back up the sheet first) re-matches files to cells at their current positions — no effect on files |
| 📊 Current Mode | See the current mode | Shows TABLE or SIMPLE |
| 🔄 Switch Mode | Switch modes | Toggles TABLE ↔ SIMPLE |
UpSheet Pro Guide › Admin
Copying a Sheet — how to start fresh
🔐 When you copy the whole file (File → Make a copy), the system detects the copy and re-initializes automatically on first open
Automatic on open
- Clears the old folder connection (a new folder is created on the first upload)
- Makes the person opening the copy the new primary admin
- Sets the mode to TABLE automatically, with a "Setup Complete" message
What you should do
- Open the copy → press Authorize / Re-authorize if asked
- Let it set up automatically (wait for "Setup Complete")
- If the menu/setup doesn't update → press 🔄 Reset Sheet Setup
- Verify the new folder via 📁 Manage Folder → View Folder
🔗 About the old files the old files' registry/notes were copied too and still point to the original files in the original folder (they open normally) · files uploaded new in the copy go to the new folder · if file-to-cell positions don't match, use 🎯 Calibrate File Locations
UpSheet Pro Guide › Help
Signed in to several Google accounts
If your browser is signed in to more than one Google account, UpSheet Pro can fail to open or get stuck. Your files and your license are fine — the fix is to use one account per browser window.
What you might see
- A dialog shows a Google Apps Script™ page saying "You need access" with a Request access button
- Upload Files stays on "Loading target cell…" and "Max file size: Loading…"
- A yellow note inside UpSheet Pro: "UpSheet Pro can't reach your sheet"
- It works for one of your accounts but not the others — or it works in an Incognito window
Why it happens
Google runs add-on requests with the first account you signed in to in that browser, not necessarily the account that opened the sheet. When those differ, Google refuses the request before it reaches UpSheet Pro. Being the owner of the sheet doesn't change this.
⚠️ Don't press "Request access" it sends a request to the add-on's developer and won't fix anything — close the dialog instead
Fix — use a separate Chrome™ profile (recommended)
- In Google Chrome™, click your profile picture at the top-right of the browser window → Add
- Sign in to that new profile with only the Google account you use with UpSheet Pro
- Open your sheet from that profile and use UpSheet Pro as normal
Each profile keeps its own sign-in, so you never have to sign out of your other accounts again.
Other ways
- Quick test: open an Incognito / InPrivate window, sign in with a single account, and open the sheet
- Same window: sign out of all Google accounts, then sign in first with the account you use for UpSheet Pro — it becomes the default. Add your other accounts afterwards
✅ Still stuck? refresh the sheet with Ctrl+F5 after switching, then open UpSheet Pro again
UpSheet Pro Guide › Help
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| "You need access" page, or a dialog stuck on "Loading…" | Signed in to several Google accounts → use a Chrome™ profile with one account (see "Several Google Accounts") |
| Can't install / "Sorry, unable to open the file" or "Page Not Found" | Signed in to multiple accounts → open Incognito and reinstall with a single account (see "Install & Choose Mode") |
| View Folder doesn't open | Chrome is blocking the pop-up → allow pop-ups for docs.google.com and try again (see "Permissions, Security") |
| UpSheet menu missing / only "Help" | Refresh Ctrl+F5 and reopen the menu; if not, Re-authorize |
| "Permission Required" | Close the dialog → refresh → Extensions → UpSheet Pro → 🔐 Re-authorize |
| Upload says "File too large" | File exceeds the 100 MB limit — compress it or split it |
| Can't attach even though you're an editor | Ask an admin to press 🔓 Allow editors to upload |
| Used a copied sheet | The system re-initializes automatically (you become admin) — if off, press 🔄 Reset Sheet Setup (see "Copying a Sheet") |
| Upload error, folder not found | 🔄 Reset Sheet Setup |
| Cell shows 📎 but the file is gone when opened | 🧹 Cleanup Files |
| Files misplaced after deleting rows/columns | 🔧 Fix Cell References |
| Files detach after sorting | Use TABLE Mode then 🎯 Calibrate File Locations |
| System slow / stuck | 🚀 Cache Management |