Connecting Google Sheets with DotSimple - Drafts (via Make.com)

Sometimes you want to collect social media content first or coordinate it with your team before you plan it. This is exactly what DotSimple the Design function. In this article, I'll show you how to work with Make.com automatically creates new designs from a Google Sheet without publishing or scheduling.

Would you prefer to see the process in action? No problem! In this video, we show you step by step how to automatically connect DotSimple with Google Sheets - whether with Zapier or Make.com.

▶️ Tip: The video visually guides you through both variants - including setup, image upload and planned publication.

📋 Requirements: What you need

• A Google account with access to Google Sheets
• A DotSimple Account with access token & workspace ID
• One Make.com account

🗂️ Step 1: Prepare Google Sheet

Create a Google Sheet with the following columns:

• Text: The content of your planned contribution
• Image linkA publicly accessible image link (e.g. from Dropbox, Google Drive with sharing or a CDN)

Important: No publication date is required as the content is only saved as a draft.

⚙️ Step 2: Create scenario in Make.com

1. Module 1 - Google Sheets:
   Module: Watch new rows
   → Select your spreadsheet and tab (e.g. "Sheet1")
   → Activate "Headers available" and optionally a limit for test purposes

2. Module 2 - HTTP:
   Module: Get a File
   → Use the image URL from the sheet to download the image

3. Module 3 - DotSimple file upload:
   Module: Upload file
   → If not yet connected, proceed as follows:

   • Open your DotSimple app and go to Settings → Access token
   • Click on "Create new token"e.g. "Make Draft Integration"
   • Select the sequence "never expires" and copy the token
   • The Workspace ID can be found in the URL after /app/ (e.g. app.dotsimple.io/app/abc12345)

   → Use the file from the HTTP step in the module

4. Module 4 - Create design in DotSimple:
   Module: Create Post
   → Set the following fields:

   • IsOriginal: Yes
   • Body: Text from Google Sheet
   • Media: The file ID from the previous upload module
   • Platform: z.e.g. LinkedIn page, Instagram or Facebook

   ❌ Important: Leave the fields Schedule, Queue and Schedule Now empty - so DotSimple automatically creates a Draft.

📝 Result: Automatically save drafts in DotSimple

Each new line in the Google Sheet automatically creates a new draft in DotSimple - including text, image and platform. You can edit these drafts later, schedule them or coordinate them in a team.

💡 Tips for your draft workflow

• Add a note or status column to the sheet, e.g. "Still checking" or "For approval"
• Test your Make workflow with the "Run once" button

🧠 Conclusion: Relaxed preparation, publish later

With Make.com and DotSimple you can prepare your content efficiently without having to post it immediately. Ideal for editorial planning, teamwork or agency approvals. The posts end up as a draft in DotSimple - ready for the next step.

👉 Discover DotSimple now or Book a free demo and structure your social media workflow!