fix(Google Sheets Node): Make it possible to set cell values empty on updates (#17224)

Co-authored-by: Milorad FIlipović <milorad@n8n.io>
Co-authored-by: Nikhil Kuriakose <nikhil.kuriakose@n8n.io>

packages/nodes-base/nodes/Google/Sheet/GoogleSheets.node.ts

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export class GoogleSheets extends VersionedNodeType {
 			name: 'googleSheets',
 			icon: 'file:googleSheets.svg',
 			group: ['input', 'output'],
-			defaultVersion: 4.6,
+			defaultVersion: 4.7,
 			subtitle: '={{$parameter["operation"] + ": " + $parameter["resource"]}}',
 			description: 'Read, update and write data to Google Sheets',
 		};
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export class GoogleSheets extends VersionedNodeType {
 			4.4: new GoogleSheetsV2(baseDescription),
 			4.5: new GoogleSheetsV2(baseDescription),
 			4.6: new GoogleSheetsV2(baseDescription),
+			4.7: new GoogleSheetsV2(baseDescription),
 		};
 
 		super(nodeVersions, baseDescription);

packages/nodes-base/nodes/Google/Sheet/test/v2/node/appendOrUpdate.test.ts

@@ -96,3 +96,151 @@ describe('Google Sheet - Append or Update', () => {
 		});
 	});
 });
+
+describe('Google Sheet - Append or Update v4.6 vs v4.7 Behavior', () => {
+	let mockExecuteFunctions: MockProxy<IExecuteFunctions>;
+	let mockGoogleSheet: MockProxy<GoogleSheet>;
+
+	afterEach(() => {
+		jest.resetAllMocks();
+	});
+
+	it('v4.6: empty string in UI gets filtered out, field not sent to backend', async () => {
+		mockExecuteFunctions = mock<IExecuteFunctions>();
+		mockGoogleSheet = mock<GoogleSheet>();
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNode
+			.mockReturnValueOnce(mock<INode>({ typeVersion: 4.6 }))
+			.mockReturnValueOnce(mock<INode>({ typeVersion: 4.6 }));
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getInputData.mockReturnValueOnce([
+			{
+				json: {},
+				pairedItem: { item: 0, input: undefined },
+			},
+		]);
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNodeParameter.mockImplementation((parameterName: string) => {
+			const params: { [key: string]: any } = {
+				'options.cellFormat': 'USER_ENTERED',
+				options: {},
+				'columns.mappingMode': 'defineBelow',
+				'columns.schema': [],
+				'columns.matchingColumns': ['id'],
+				'columns.value': {
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					// email field is NOT present here because user typed '' in UI
+					// and v4.6 frontend filtered it out (allowEmptyValues: false)
+				},
+			};
+			return params[parameterName];
+		});
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getData.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+			['id', 'name', 'email'],
+			['1', 'Old Name', 'old@email.com'],
+		]);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getColumnValues.mockResolvedValueOnce(['1']);
+		mockGoogleSheet.updateRows.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+			updateData: [],
+			appendData: [
+				{
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					// email is not included, so it keeps old value
+				},
+			],
+		});
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.appendEmptyRowsOrColumns.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+		mockGoogleSheet.appendSheetData.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+
+		await execute.call(mockExecuteFunctions, mockGoogleSheet, 'Sheet1', '1234');
+
+		// v4.6: Only fields with non-empty values are sent to prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert
+		expect(mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			expect.objectContaining({
+				inputData: [
+					{
+						id: 1,
+						name: 'John',
+						// email is NOT in the inputData, so cell keeps old value
+					},
+				],
+			}),
+		);
+	});
+
+	it('v4.7: empty string in UI is preserved and sent to backend to clear cell', async () => {
+		mockExecuteFunctions = mock<IExecuteFunctions>();
+		mockGoogleSheet = mock<GoogleSheet>();
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNode
+			.mockReturnValueOnce(mock<INode>({ typeVersion: 4.7 }))
+			.mockReturnValueOnce(mock<INode>({ typeVersion: 4.7 }));
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getInputData.mockReturnValueOnce([
+			{
+				json: {},
+				pairedItem: { item: 0, input: undefined },
+			},
+		]);
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNodeParameter.mockImplementation((parameterName: string) => {
+			const params: { [key: string]: any } = {
+				'options.cellFormat': 'USER_ENTERED',
+				options: {},
+				'columns.mappingMode': 'defineBelow',
+				'columns.schema': [],
+				'columns.matchingColumns': ['id'],
+				'columns.value': {
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					email: '', // Empty string is preserved in v4.7 (allowEmptyValues: true)
+				},
+			};
+			return params[parameterName];
+		});
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getData.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+			['id', 'name', 'email'],
+			['1', 'Old Name', 'old@email.com'],
+		]);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getColumnValues.mockResolvedValueOnce(['1']);
+		mockGoogleSheet.updateRows.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+			updateData: [],
+			appendData: [
+				{
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					email: '', // Empty string will clear the cell
+				},
+			],
+		});
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.appendEmptyRowsOrColumns.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+		mockGoogleSheet.appendSheetData.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+
+		await execute.call(mockExecuteFunctions, mockGoogleSheet, 'Sheet1', '1234');
+
+		// v4.7: Empty strings are preserved and sent to prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert
+		expect(mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			expect.objectContaining({
+				inputData: [
+					{
+						id: 1,
+						name: 'John',
+						email: '', // Empty string is preserved and will clear the cell
+					},
+				],
+			}),
+		);
+	});
+});

packages/nodes-base/nodes/Google/Sheet/test/v2/node/update.test.ts

@@ -319,3 +319,150 @@ describe('Google Sheet - Update 4.6', () => {
 		);
 	});
 });
+
+describe('Google Sheet - Update v4.6 vs v4.7 Behavior', () => {
+	let mockExecuteFunctions: MockProxy<IExecuteFunctions>;
+	let mockGoogleSheet: MockProxy<GoogleSheet>;
+
+	afterEach(() => {
+		jest.resetAllMocks();
+	});
+
+	it('v4.6: empty string in UI gets filtered out, field not sent to backend', async () => {
+		mockExecuteFunctions = mock<IExecuteFunctions>();
+		mockGoogleSheet = mock<GoogleSheet>();
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNode.mockReturnValueOnce(mock<INode>({ typeVersion: 4.6 }));
+		mockGoogleSheet.batchUpdate.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getInputData.mockReturnValueOnce([
+			{
+				json: {},
+				pairedItem: { item: 0, input: undefined },
+			},
+		]);
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNodeParameter.mockImplementation((parameterName: string) => {
+			const params: { [key: string]: string | object } = {
+				options: {},
+				'options.cellFormat': 'USER_ENTERED',
+				'columns.matchingColumns': ['id'],
+				'columns.mappingMode': 'defineBelow',
+				'columns.value': {
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					// email field is NOT present here because user typed '' in UI
+					// and v4.6 frontend filtered it out (allowEmptyStrings: false)
+				},
+			};
+			return params[parameterName];
+		});
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getData.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+			['id', 'name', 'email'],
+			['1', 'Old Name', 'old@email.com'],
+		]);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getColumnValues.mockResolvedValueOnce(['1']);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+			updateData: [
+				{
+					range: 'Sheet1!B2',
+					values: [['John']],
+				},
+				// No update for email column - it keeps its old value
+			],
+			appendData: [],
+		});
+
+		await execute.call(mockExecuteFunctions, mockGoogleSheet, 'Sheet1');
+
+		// v4.6: Only name field is updated, email is not included in the update
+		expect(mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+			inputData: [
+				{
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					// email is NOT in the inputData, so cell keeps old value
+				},
+			],
+			indexKey: 'id',
+			range: 'Sheet1!A:Z',
+			keyRowIndex: 0,
+			dataStartRowIndex: 1,
+			valueRenderMode: 'UNFORMATTED_VALUE',
+			columnNamesList: [['id', 'name', 'email']],
+			columnValuesList: ['1'],
+		});
+	});
+
+	it('v4.7: empty string in UI is preserved and sent to backend to clear cell', async () => {
+		mockExecuteFunctions = mock<IExecuteFunctions>();
+		mockGoogleSheet = mock<GoogleSheet>();
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNode.mockReturnValueOnce(mock<INode>({ typeVersion: 4.7 }));
+		mockGoogleSheet.batchUpdate.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getInputData.mockReturnValueOnce([
+			{
+				json: {},
+				pairedItem: { item: 0, input: undefined },
+			},
+		]);
+
+		mockExecuteFunctions.getNodeParameter.mockImplementation((parameterName: string) => {
+			const params: { [key: string]: string | object } = {
+				options: {},
+				'options.cellFormat': 'USER_ENTERED',
+				'columns.matchingColumns': ['id'],
+				'columns.mappingMode': 'defineBelow',
+				'columns.value': {
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					email: '', // Empty string is preserved in v4.7 (allowEmptyStrings: true)
+				},
+			};
+			return params[parameterName];
+		});
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getData.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+			['id', 'name', 'email'],
+			['1', 'Old Name', 'old@email.com'],
+		]);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.getColumnValues.mockResolvedValueOnce(['1']);
+
+		mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+			updateData: [
+				{
+					range: 'Sheet1!B2',
+					values: [['John']],
+				},
+				{
+					range: 'Sheet1!C2',
+					values: [['']],
+				},
+			],
+			appendData: [],
+		});
+
+		await execute.call(mockExecuteFunctions, mockGoogleSheet, 'Sheet1');
+
+		// v4.7: Both name and email fields are updated, email is cleared with empty string
+		expect(mockGoogleSheet.prepareDataForUpdateOrUpsert).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+			inputData: [
+				{
+					id: 1,
+					name: 'John',
+					email: '', // Empty string is preserved and will clear the cell
+				},
+			],
+			indexKey: 'id',
+			range: 'Sheet1!A:Z',
+			keyRowIndex: 0,
+			dataStartRowIndex: 1,
+			valueRenderMode: 'UNFORMATTED_VALUE',
+			columnNamesList: [['id', 'name', 'email']],
+			columnValuesList: ['1'],
+		});
+	});
+});

packages/nodes-base/nodes/Google/Sheet/v2/actions/sheet/appendOrUpdate.operation.ts

@@ -182,13 +182,48 @@ export const description: SheetProperties = [
 				},
 				addAllFields: true,
 				multiKeyMatch: false,
+				allowEmptyValues: true,
 			},
 		},
 		displayOptions: {
 			show: {
 				resource: ['sheet'],
 				operation: ['appendOrUpdate'],
-				'@version': [{ _cnd: { gte: 4 } }],
+				'@version': [{ _cnd: { gte: 4.7 } }],
+			},
+			hide: {
+				...untilSheetSelected,
+			},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		displayName: 'Columns',
+		name: 'columns',
+		type: 'resourceMapper',
+		noDataExpression: true,
+		default: {
+			mappingMode: 'defineBelow',
+			value: null,
+		},
+		required: true,
+		typeOptions: {
+			loadOptionsDependsOn: ['sheetName.value'],
+			resourceMapper: {
+				resourceMapperMethod: 'getMappingColumns',
+				mode: 'upsert',
+				fieldWords: {
+					singular: 'column',
+					plural: 'columns',
+				},
+				addAllFields: true,
+				multiKeyMatch: false,
+			},
+		},
+		displayOptions: {
+			show: {
+				resource: ['sheet'],
+				operation: ['appendOrUpdate'],
+				'@version': [{ _cnd: { between: { from: 4, to: 4.6 } } }],
 			},
 			hide: {
 				...untilSheetSelected,

packages/nodes-base/nodes/Google/Sheet/v2/actions/sheet/update.operation.ts

@@ -168,13 +168,48 @@ export const description: SheetProperties = [
 				},
 				addAllFields: true,
 				multiKeyMatch: false,
+				allowEmptyValues: true,
 			},
 		},
 		displayOptions: {
 			show: {
 				resource: ['sheet'],
 				operation: ['update'],
-				'@version': [{ _cnd: { gte: 4 } }],
+				'@version': [{ _cnd: { gte: 4.7 } }],
+			},
+			hide: {
+				...untilSheetSelected,
+			},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		displayName: 'Columns',
+		name: 'columns',
+		type: 'resourceMapper',
+		noDataExpression: true,
+		default: {
+			mappingMode: 'defineBelow',
+			value: null,
+		},
+		required: true,
+		typeOptions: {
+			loadOptionsDependsOn: ['sheetName.value'],
+			resourceMapper: {
+				resourceMapperMethod: 'getMappingColumns',
+				mode: 'update',
+				fieldWords: {
+					singular: 'column',
+					plural: 'columns',
+				},
+				addAllFields: true,
+				multiKeyMatch: false,
+			},
+		},
+		displayOptions: {
+			show: {
+				resource: ['sheet'],
+				operation: ['update'],
+				'@version': [{ _cnd: { between: { from: 4, to: 4.6 } } }],
 			},
 			hide: {
 				...untilSheetSelected,

packages/nodes-base/nodes/Google/Sheet/v2/actions/versionDescription.ts

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export const versionDescription: INodeTypeDescription = {
 	name: 'googleSheets',
 	icon: 'file:googleSheets.svg',
 	group: ['input', 'output'],
-	version: [3, 4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6],
+	version: [3, 4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7],
 	subtitle: '={{$parameter["operation"] + ": " + $parameter["resource"]}}',
 	description: 'Read, update and write data to Google Sheets',
 	defaults: {