PODS: Export and Import Custom Post Types with Google Sheets

Let’s learn how to export and import custom post types created with the PODS plugin using Google Sheets. You’ll be able to export and import different content types using your Google Sheets account.

For this, we’ll use two important elements.

First, we’ll use the WP Sheet Editor plugin.

With WP Sheet Editor, you can use an intuitive spreadsheet inside WordPress to view and manage posts, pages, and custom post types added by plugins like PODS and others. It allows advanced search, bulk editing, export and import with CSV files.

Second, we’ll use the Google Sheets Sync service.

It allows you to connect any WP Sheet Editor spreadsheet to your Google Sheets account. Once you connect WordPress to Google, you’ll be able to export and import content using Google Sheets.

You need to follow the steps below to be able to export and import PODS custom post types using Google Sheets.

1- Set up the custom post types spreadsheet

We assume you have already created a custom post type with the PODS plugin.

Now it’s time to set up the spreadsheet with WP Sheet Editor, so you need to go to WP Sheet Editor > Setup spreadsheet.

Once there, you need to select the post type you want to manage in the spreadsheet, and click on Save.

After that, you need to select the columns you want to view in the spreadsheet. WP Sheet Editor will show the standard WordPress fields, as well as custom fields added with PODS, and even custom fields added by other plugins like SEO plugins, Advanced Custom Fields, etc.

After selecting the fields, click on Save.

You’ll see a spreadsheet containing all the posts. Every field is a column and every row is a post.

2- Connect WordPress to Google Sheets

When you sign up to the Google Sheets Sync service, you’ll get a helper plugin that will allow you to connect your WordPress site to your Google account, the Google API, and the WP Sheet Editor API.

You can follow this guide to learn how to connect WordPress to Google Sheets.

3- Export PODS content to Google Sheets

After connecting your WordPress site to your Google Sheets account, you can proceed to export your PODS content to Google Sheets.

Start by opening the Export tool.

Now you need to select these values to export your PODS content to Google Sheets:

• What columns do you want to export: You have three options here:
  • Type specific column names
  • Export all active columns
  • Export all columns.
• Which rows do you want to export: In this case, we will export all the posts.
• What app will you use to edit this file: Select the Google Sheets app.
• Name of this export (optional): You can add a name for this export, and the Google Sheets file will inherit this name.
• Click on Start new export.

After the export process is complete, you’ll see the View Google Sheet link. If you click on it, you’ll open the Google Sheet that has been generated.

4- View and manage your PODS content in Google Sheets

After exporting your PODS post type to Google Sheets, you can start editing existing posts or adding new posts by adding new rows.

5- Import PODS content from Google Sheets to WordPress

After editing the PODS data on Google Sheets, you can proceed to import from Google Sheets to WordPress.

There are some things you need to keep into account before importing:

• To protect your privacy, our Google Sheets Sync service doesn’t read files that have not been created with the service itself.
• In other words, the service doesn’t recognize files that were not first exported from WordPress to Google Sheets using the service.
• This means that we don’t have any access to other files on your Google account; not even to other Google Sheets files.
• Therefore, to import a Google Sheets file, you’ll need to first export the info.
• Once you’ve exported it, you can edit existing data or create new data in Google Sheets.

First, open the Import tool.

Second, select the Google Sheets file you will import by selecting these values in the Import tool:

• Source: Google Sheets
• Google Sheet file: Select the file you’ll import here. If you don’t find it, click on “refresh”.
• Click on Next.

Third, select the columns you want to import.

In this example, we will Import all the columns, but you can optionally Select individual columns to import.

Fourth, select how you will import the information.

In this example, we will Create new items and update existing items.

Note. If you select any option to update existing items, you need to match the rows in the Google Sheet with the rows on WordPress by using a specific field as an identifier. In this case, we will use the ID field as an identifier.

Click on Next.

Finally, you will see a preview of what the info will look like in the spreadsheet once it’s imported.

If everything is OK, click on The preview is fine, start import to start the import process.

Export and import PODS content types with Google Sheets!

With the WP Sheet Editor plugin and the Google Sheets Sync service, you have unlimited ways to bulk manage your PODS content.

You can use the spreadsheet inside WordPress to bulk edit PODS content.

You can also connect your WordPress site to your Google Sheets account in order to export and import PODS content using Google Sheets.