Mail merge to PDF
Mail merge from Google Sheets to PDF
Google Sheets is where many teams keep rosters, client lists and sign-up responses, so it is a natural source for filling PDFs: a certificate per participant, a letter per client, a form per employee.
Reviewed
Why it works
Google Sheets to PDF mail merge, explained
To be clear about how it works today: PDFBetter has no live Google Sheets connector. You download the sheet and upload the file. In Sheets, choose File → Download → Comma-separated values (.csv) to export the current tab, or File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) to keep every tab. Changes you make in Sheets afterwards don't flow through automatically; download again before the next run.
Before downloading, make sure the tab has one header row and one record per row. Columns built with formulas are exported as their current values, and Google Forms response sheets work as they are. Runs of up to 50 rows can be generated in your browser for free, and the spreadsheet and PDFs never leave your device. Larger runs are generated on PDFBetter's servers and count toward your monthly spreadsheet fill rows: 25 on Free, 500 on Pro and 5,000 on Business.
How to do it
Mail merge from Google Sheets to PDF in 5 steps
1A form
2Type into the fields
3A filled copy
- 1
Tidy the sheet
Keep one header row, remove blank rows and notes from the data range, and format ZIP codes and IDs as plain text so leading zeros survive.
- 2
Download it
Choose File → Download → Comma-separated values (.csv) for the current tab, or Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) for the whole spreadsheet.
- 3
Prepare the PDF and map
Open the PDF to fill (add fields with Create fillable PDF if it has none), upload the downloaded file and match columns to fields.
- 4
Name the files
File names come from a template you write with column names in braces, such as {last_name}-{first_name}. {#} inserts the row number and {#:3} pads it to three digits (007). Characters that aren't allowed in file names, such as slashes and colons, become spaces, and a row whose template comes out empty is named record-001 and so on.
- 5
Validate and generate
Fix any rows listed as failing a field's rules back in Google Sheets, download again, and generate one PDF per row.
Start from a template
Templates that fit
Certificate of completion
12 fields · 1 page
Fillable certificate of completion for courses, workshops and training: recipient, program, date, hours or credits, certificate number and two signatures.
Event Registration Form
30 fields · 2 pages
Event registration form with attendee details, ticket type and quantity, auto-calculated total, dietary and accessibility needs and communication consent.
Permission Slip
17 fields · 1 page
Short permission slip for on-site school, club or after-school activities: activity details, cost, yes/no permission and parent signature with tear-off.
Job Offer Letter
31 fields · 2 pages
Employment offer letter with title, manager, start date, pay, exemption status, benefits, contingencies and at-will statement. Candidate signs to accept.
Gift certificate
21 fields · 1 page
Fillable gift certificate for shops, salons and restaurants with a dollar value or service, number, expiry date, redemption terms and a business record stub.
Google Sheets to PDF mail merge: questions people ask
Can PDFBetter read my Google Sheet directly?
Not yet. There's no live connector, so download the sheet as CSV or XLSX and upload that file.
Which download format should I pick?
CSV exports only the tab you're on and is the simplest. XLSX keeps every tab and cell formatting such as dates.
Will my Google Forms responses work?
Yes. The responses tab has a header row with each question, which maps cleanly to PDF fields once you shorten long question titles.
Do I have to download again after editing the sheet?
Yes. The upload is a snapshot, so download a fresh copy before each run.
How many rows can I fill?
Runs of up to 50 rows can be generated in your browser for free, and the spreadsheet and PDFs never leave your device. Larger runs are generated on PDFBetter's servers and count toward your monthly spreadsheet fill rows: 25 on Free, 500 on Pro and 5,000 on Business.