How to Sell Google Sheets Templates Online

1. Prepare a clean version in Google Sheets

Build the formulas, dropdowns, and tabs in Google Sheets. Make a separate copy of the finished spreadsheet for customers. Use clear labels for cells buyers can change and leave one fictional example they can check before entering their own numbers.

For a Freelance Project Quote Calculator, the inputs could be estimated hours, hourly rate, and expenses. The sheet adds expenses to the cost of the hours and shows the quote total.

2. Share a view-only link buyers can copy

1. Open the clean spreadsheet and choose Share.
2. Under General access, choose Anyone with the link and set the role to Viewer.
3. Check your sharing settings and leave copying enabled for viewers. Choose Copy link.
4. Open that URL in a separate Google account on a computer. Check that the original is view-only and that File → Make a copy creates a version you can edit.

Work and school accounts can restrict sharing outside their organization. Test using an outside account before publishing. Anyone who gets an open link can forward it, so keep the working URL inside the purchased PDF. Google Drive sharing settings · Google’s instructions for making a copy.

3. Decide what file the buyer gets

Use File → Download in Google Sheets to export an Excel file. Offer XLSX after checking the exported version in Excel, especially if your sheet uses Sheets-specific formulas. Google’s guide to using Sheets with Excel.

If your product started as an Excel workbook, follow our guide to selling an Excel template to check workbook links and package a clean .xlsx download.

4. Sell and deliver the template with Genesize

1. Prepare the delivery file. If you’re selling a Google Sheets link, put the product name, view-only link, copy steps, and support email in a PDF. If you’re selling an Excel file, use the tested XLSX.
2. Upload the file. In Genesize, choose Add product → I already have a product → Files & digital downloads. Attach the delivery PDF, the tested XLSX, or both. Save the draft.
3. Publish the sales page. List what the buyer receives and which app they need. Connect Stripe for paid sales, review the page, and publish.

After payment is confirmed, buyers find the attached files under Included downloads on their purchase page. For the full setup, see the Genesize publishing guide.

5. Test the link and the calculation like a buyer

Open the exact file from Buyer Preview. If you’re delivering a link, make a copy from an unrelated Google account and check that the new copy works without access to any of your other files. Use a desktop browser to follow the copy steps.

• In the sample quote calculator, enter 6 hours, $75 per hour, and $30 in expenses. The expected total is $480.
• Change only the hours to 7. The expected total is $555. Your original sheet should still show the starting value.
• If you also deliver XLSX, run both checks on the exact downloaded file in Excel.

If you’re testing the purchase and email too, see what Buyer Preview, a $0 sample order, and a sandbox payment each check. Checkout and delivery tests.

What to check when a buyer can’t copy the sheet

• Request access. Open the exact link from the purchased PDF. Check whether the buyer is using the intended account and whether your workspace allows external viewers.
• Make a copy is missing or disabled. Try the link in a desktop browser while signed in. Check that viewers can copy the file in its sharing settings.
• The buyer can edit your original. Check both the file and its parent folder. A buyer who already has Editor access to the folder can inherit that access. Move the clean sales copy to a separate folder with the intended permissions.
• The copy opens but a formula shows #REF!. Check the formula’s error message. If IMPORTRANGE points to a private sheet, replace the dependency with data inside the template and test a fresh copy.

Google Drive sharing and folder permissions · Google’s IMPORTRANGE guide.

Common questions