Sheets-Contact FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many contacts can be entered at maximum?

  There is no limit to the number of contacts, you can add thousands of contacts without any problem.

  Note that to optimize display speed, the application only shows the first 2000 search results in the list:

  If needed, this limit can be changed in contacts-js.html by modifying the line:

  const MAX_NB_ROWS = 2000;

• I already have a large contact base. Is there a solution to avoid having to enter all my contacts one by one?

  You can display the sheet where all the contacts are stored (although to avoid any risk of error, it would be preferable to enter them via the Sheets-Contact window).

  So, it is possible to copy/paste your contact data in bulk (at your own risk).

  How to display the sheet

  Click on View > Hidden sheets > DB_CONTACTS.

  

  The sheet DB_CONTACTS is now displayed:

  

  Remember to hide this sheet once the copying is done (right-click on the tab > Hide sheet).

  Copying

  Before copying/pasting your data, start by adding/modifying the groups from the group window (button Groups) and then enter 2 or 3 contacts to have an example of filling the database sheet.

  Then create a backup copy of the file for safety (File > Make a copy) and copy/paste your contacts into the database, making sure to respect the columns, to enter a unique ID for each contact (for example: 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) and to leave no empty lines between contacts.

• Can I change the names of the fields?

  You can modify the name of all fields by clicking on Contacts > Edit Field Names:

  

  Then modify the names in the right column:

• Can I modify the search fields?

  Although there is no specific feature for this, it is possible to modify the fields that are used as search fields in the application (except for the "Group" field since it is the only field with a dropdown list).

  Option 1

  If you have not yet entered any contacts, the simplest solution is to swap the fields by renaming them (for example, if instead of the "Phone" search field you want the "Email" field, rename the "Phone" field to "Email" and the "Email" field to "Phone").

  Option 2

  Another solution (at your own risk) is to modify the list of search fields in the application's code.

  To do this, click on the Extensions > Apps Script menu, then in the code editor, you will see at the beginning of the code.gs and contacts-js.html pages, the following line:

  // IDs of columns to display in the list
  const COL_ID = [1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8];

  You will then just need to modify the number of the concerned field identically in these 2 pages and save the changes. Note that number 1 (the "Group" field) should not be changed.

  For example, to replace "Phone" with "Email", replace in this line 8 with 10 (and in the 2 pages where this line is found).

  A simple way to know the number of the field is to observe its row number on the page used to rename the fields and subtract 1 from this number.

  Any modification of the code is done at your own risk.

• How many groups can be created at maximum?

  You can create as many groups as necessary.

• What to do if after clicking on "Export Results" the window closes but nothing happens?

  It is likely that the sheet has been added but Google Sheets does not display it. In this case, simply refresh the page (F5).

• Can several users work simultaneously on the same file?

  Yes, provided you choose the multi-user complete version.

• What is the difference between the single-user version and the multi-user version?

  The single-user version is intended to be used by a single user, or occasionally by multiple users who do not modify data simultaneously.

  The multi-user version is intended to be used by one or more users simultaneously (who can all actively work on it).

  The peculiarity of the multi-user version is that it contains additional features to update data and secure the application in case of multi-user use, including:

  • Automatic data refresh when another user modifies it
  • Only modified fields are saved to avoid erasing other users' modifications
  • Locks (lasting a few fractions of a second) during sensitive operations to prevent another user from modifying the contact database at the wrong time (for example, during automatic sorting of contacts, deleting a contact, adding a group, etc.)
  • Refresh link below the contact list to update all contact data without having to close and reopen the window
• Is it possible to define read-only access?

  No, since macros are not executed in Google Sheets in read-only mode, the user with read-only access will not be able to use the application.

  However, if a user absolutely needs to access contact data in read-only mode, you can still display the sheet that contains the contact data for them to view (View > Hidden sheets > DB_CONTACTS) or, if you are comfortable with Google Sheets formulas, add a new sheet that displays this data (or part of it).

• Is the Apps Script code accessible?

  Yes, you can display it by clicking on Extensions > Apps Script

  However, the code is only readable and commented in the complete versions of the application:

  

• Is the application compatible with the mobile version of Google Sheets?

  No, the mobile application of Google Sheets is very limited in terms of features and notably does not allow the execution of macros essential for the operation of the application.

• Apart from Google Sheets, is the application compatible with other spreadsheets such as Excel or Calc?

  No, this application is only compatible with Google Sheets (its code has been specifically developed for Google Sheets).

• What are the usage restrictions of this application?

  See the terms of use of the application...

• How much does this application cost?

  The prices are displayed on the purchase page of the application (accessible by clicking on "Buy" in the right-hand menu).

• Is it possible to obtain an invoice for this purchase?

  Yes, an invoice is automatically generated at the time of purchase (the link to this invoice is indicated in the purchase confirmation email).

• How many licenses do I need?

  You need a license for each file (backup copies excluded).

  For example, for 2 branches that need a contact management file each, 2 licenses are required (one license is valid for one file only).