Clarification on Observed Behavior: Missing Events with ‘Cell in Sheet Updated’ Trigger for Google Sheets Connector.
Issue Description
Users may observe that certain cell updates in Google Sheets are not triggering events as expected. This is by design and due to how the polling mechanism functions.
Resolution
In the polling mechanism, the last known cell value is tracked and compared with the current value during each polling cycle:
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If the value has changed since the last successful poll, we trigger an event.
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Multiple updates within a single poll interval won’t result in multiple events—only the final changed value is detected.
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If a poll fails (for example, due to a Google Sheets API error), we don’t record any updates from that failed attempt. The next successful poll will detect a change if the value differs from the last successful poll, triggering an event.
FAQ
1. Can rapid updates lead to missed events?
Yes — this is expected behavior.
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The system only evaluates the final state at each poll.
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Any intermediate values between polling intervals are not captured.
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This prevents duplicate or noisy events but means rapid updates may go unnoticed if overwritten before the next poll.
2. Should delays between updates be recommended?
Yes.
To ensure each change is detected:
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Leave time between updates so at least one poll can occur.
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Or, reduce the polling interval to capture changes more frequently.
3. Are failed polling events retried?
No.
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Failed polls are not retried.
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However, on the next successful poll, the system will detect any changes compared to the last known value and trigger the event accordingly.
Recommended Actions:
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If every update matters, avoid making changes faster than your polling interval.
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Consider reducing the poll interval for more granular detection.