manage_sheets
Manages the sheets (tabs) of a spreadsheet. action=add creates a tab (title required; optional index position and row_count/column_count — default 1000×26). action=duplicate copies a tab within the same spreadsheet (sheet_id; optional title for the copy and index). action=rename changes a tab's t...
This record as markdown: /tools/a1-x-tech-mcp-google-sheets/manage-sheets.md
What manage_sheets does on Mcp Google Sheets
AI agents call manage_sheets to permanently remove resources in Mcp Google Sheets, typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
index | integer | — | add/duplicate: 0-based tab position for the new sheet (omit = after the existing tabs). |
title | string | — | add: the new tab's title (required). rename: the new title (required). duplicate: the copy's title. |
action | string | Yes | What to do with the sheets. |
sheet_id | integer | — | duplicate/rename/delete/copy_to: the target sheet. |
row_count | integer | — | add: grid rows for the new sheet (default 1000). |
column_count | integer | — | add: grid columns for the new sheet (default 26). |
spreadsheet_id | string | Yes | The spreadsheet id — the long id from the URL (docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/<spreadsheetId>/edit) or from create_spreadsheet / search_spreadsheets output. |
destination_spreadsheet_id | string | — | copy_to: the spreadsheet to copy the sheet into. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why manage_sheets is rated Critical
delete action permanently removes sheets and all contained data without recovery option.
From the tool's definition delete removes the tab AND all its data — irreversible through the API
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs manage_sheets safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Mcp Google Sheets, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For manage_sheets, this is the rule to start with:
manage_sheets is removed from the agent's tool list entirely, so the agent never calls it. The rest of the server keeps working.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Mcp Google Sheets, apply this rule, and every manage_sheets call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about manage_sheets
Manages the sheets (tabs) of a spreadsheet. action=add creates a tab (title required; optional index position and row_count/column_count — default 1000×26). action=duplicate copies a tab within the same spreadsheet (sheet_id; optional title for the copy and index). action=rename changes a tab's title (sheet_id + title; the numeric sheetId never changes, so other tools keep working). action=delete removes the tab AND all its data — irreversible through the API, and deleting the last remaining sheet fails. action=copy_to copies a tab into ANOTHER spreadsheet (sheet_id + destination_spreadsheet_id; the copy arrives named "Copy of ..." — rename it there). Get sheet_id values from get_spreadsheet; every action except add returns batchUpdate replies with the affected sheet's properties. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Mcp Google Sheets MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
manage_sheets accepts 8 parameters: index, title, action, sheet_id, row_count, column_count, spreadsheet_id, destination_spreadsheet_id. Required: action, spreadsheet_id. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Mcp Google Sheets MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for manage_sheets: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Mcp Google Sheets. Nothing to install.
manage_sheets is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the manage_sheets rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for manage_sheets. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
manage_sheets is provided by the Mcp Google Sheets MCP server (@a1-x-tech/mcp-google-sheets). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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