getGoogleSheetCells
Read Google Sheets cells as structured data instead of joined text: each cell comes back with its own absolute A1 address, and with the formula the user entered AND the value it evaluates to, in one call. Reads several ranges at once and returns them separately. Use getGoogleSheetContent for a qu...
This record as markdown: /tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgooglesheetcells.md
What getGoogleSheetCells does on Google Drive
AI agents call getGoogleSheetCells to retrieve information from Google Drive without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
fields | array | — | CellData fields to return. Default ['userEnteredValue','effectiveValue','formattedValue'] gives the formula (userEnteredValue.formulaValue) together with its co |
ranges | array | Yes | A1 ranges to read, e.g. ["'Entity Assumptions'!B52:E52", "'Mgmt Fees Calc'!C6:EB13"]. Returned separately, in this order, each with its own coordinates. |
account | string | — | Alias of the Google account to target. Optional — defaults to the session/global default account, or the sole authenticated account. Run manage_accounts list to |
maxBytes | number | — | Byte budget for the serialized cells (default 131072), measured on this tool's output. With the default fields, formula-heavy ranges hit this before maxCells, a |
maxCells | number | — | Cell budget for the whole response (default 2000). On overflow the read stops at a row boundary and returns truncated:true plus nextRanges. |
includeEmpty | boolean | — | Return cells that have none of the requested fields as {a1, empty: true}. Default false - addresses are explicit, so gaps are unambiguous. |
sheetMetadata | array | — | Per-sheet extras returned once per sheet under `sheets`. `merges`, `frozen` and `dimensionGroups` cover the whole sheet (merges are reported at full extent even |
spreadsheetId | string | Yes | Spreadsheet ID |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why getGoogleSheetCells is rated Low
Tool retrieves spreadsheet cell data without creating, modifying, or deleting content.
From the tool's definition Read Google Sheets cells as structured data; no modification described.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs getGoogleSheetCells safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Google Drive, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For getGoogleSheetCells, this is the rule to start with:
getGoogleSheetCells is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Google Drive, apply this rule, and every getGoogleSheetCells call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about getGoogleSheetCells
Read Google Sheets cells as structured data instead of joined text: each cell comes back with its own absolute A1 address, and with the formula the user entered AND the value it evaluates to, in one call. Reads several ranges at once and returns them separately. Use getGoogleSheetContent for a quick human-readable dump of one range. Use this tool whenever the result will be written back, compared to a formula, or spans several ranges. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Google Drive MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
getGoogleSheetCells accepts 8 parameters: fields, ranges, account, maxBytes, maxCells, includeEmpty, sheetMetadata, spreadsheetId. Required: ranges, spreadsheetId. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Google Drive MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for getGoogleSheetCells: 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 Google Drive. Nothing to install.
getGoogleSheetCells is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the getGoogleSheetCells 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 getGoogleSheetCells. 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.
getGoogleSheetCells is provided by the Google Drive MCP server (@ark7/google-drive-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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