BUG? Export > Sync tasks to Google Sheets

[rocketbox]

I noticed that when exporting a project or report to Google Sheets, any dates (e.g. start date, due date, created, last modified, etc.) render as a random(?) 5-digit number rather than a date format. However, the dates render correctly when exporting to .CSV format.

Please let me know if this is an error on my side! Thanks
Ashley

[Stephanie_Oberg]

Usually, that 5-digit number is really a date, just formatted as an integer. You ought to be able to reformat it as a date within Google Sheets: Format/Number/Date.

[Brenda]

Could you please tell me how you set up Google Sheets as a printer? I’d like to export a report to Google Sheets, however, I don’t have that as a “printer” option.

[Stephanie_Oberg]

Like this. I have Premium, not sure if this is available in other service tiers.

[Brenda]

I am trying the Business level…, however, I don’t see that option.

[Stephanie_Oberg]

That is mysterious.

[Brenda]

i see you show the export on Tasks you’ve created. Do you have the same options when exporting a report or project?

[Stephanie_Oberg]

Yes, I do. I take it you do not?

[Brenda]

I do not

Brenda

[lpb]

@Brenda, @Stephanie_Oberg,

At one point I had to request Asana Support to enable this, see:

How do I export a large project with custom fields and subtasks into a CSV or spreadsheet

Ask for the integration to be turned on to allow projects to be exported and synced to Google Sheets. To provide a bit more context, this is a one-way sync to Google Sheets. Changes in Asana will be reflected in the Sheet, but changes in the Sheet will not go back to Asana. A popular use case is doing calculations (beyond summing which can be done in the product) on custom field values.

Perhaps that’s still the case?

There’s also this (for Portfolios):

Google Sheets + Asana: Create custom reporting · Asana

Hope that helps,

Larry

[Stephanie_Oberg]

Yes, that’s right, I had totally forgotten having had to do that.

[rocketbox]

Thanks! Is there any way to have it automatically export as a date so I don’t have to manually reconfigure the exported file every time?

[Stephanie_Oberg]

Not that I’m aware of. You could write a macro and create a button to apply it, thus reducing the tedium slightly.

[rocketbox]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Lisa_Miller]

Well, I had the same issue with the native export and then I found this - https://automate.io/integration/asana/google-sheets

However it wasn’t easy. Here is what you have to do:

1. Connect your Asana and Google Sheets accounts.
2. Now add a Formatter (it’s a built-in app which is used to convert data such as text, dates, etc.) between Asana and Google Sheets.
3. Map the date fields from Asana to the Formatter to convert them into a standard date format.
4. Then map them to your spreadsheet.

Note: This only works for new Asana tasks. Also, if you need some info on the formatter app read this - https://docs.automate.io/en/articles/613343-formatter