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Insert Text

Inserts text into a Google Docs document.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Inputs​

  • Document Id - The ID of the Google Docs document to insert text into.
  • Text - The text content to insert.
  • Font Size - The font size for the inserted text.
  • Font Name - The font family for the inserted text. Default is "Times New Roman".

Options​

  • Align - The alignment of the inserted text. Options are:
    • Left (START)
    • Center (CENTER)
    • Right (END)
    • Justify (JUSTIFIED)
  • Bold - Whether to make the inserted text bold. Default is false.
  • Italic - Whether to make the inserted text italic. Default is false.
  • Underline - Whether to underline the inserted text. Default is false.

How It Works​

The Insert Text node integrates with Google Docs to add text to a document. When executed, the node:

  1. Validates the provided inputs (Document Id, Text, Font Size, Font Name)
  2. Connects to the specified Google Docs document
  3. Inserts the specified text at the end of the document
  4. Applies the specified formatting options (font, size, alignment, styling)

Requirements​

  • A valid Google Docs document ID
  • Valid Google Docs credentials
  • Text content to insert
  • Valid font size value
  • Valid Google Docs permissions to modify the document

Error Handling​

The node will return specific errors in the following cases:

  • Empty or invalid Document Id
  • Empty or invalid Text content
  • Empty or invalid Font Size
  • Google Docs service errors
  • Insufficient permissions to modify the document

Usage Notes​

  • The Document Id can be found in the URL of the Google Docs document
  • The text will be added at the end of the current document content
  • The Font Name should be a valid Google Docs font family
  • The Align option controls how the inserted text is positioned within the document
  • Styling options (Bold, Italic, Underline) can be combined

Practical Examples​

Example 1: Insert Simple Paragraph​

Add a paragraph to the document:

Inputs:

  • Document Id: $.document_id
  • Text: "This is a new paragraph added to the document."
  • Font Size: "12"
  • Font Name: "Arial"

Options:

  • Align: Left
  • Bold: false

Result: Text is inserted at the end of the document with Arial 12pt font

Example 2: Insert Formatted Heading Text​

Add bold, centered text for a section:

Inputs:

  • Text: "Important Notice"
  • Font Size: "16"
  • Font Name: "Roboto"

Options:

  • Align: Center
  • Bold: true
  • Underline: true

Use Case: Create emphasized section dividers

Example 3: Insert Dynamic Content​

Insert data from variables:

Inputs:

  • Text: "Sales for " + $.month + ": $" + $.total_sales
  • Font Size: "11"
  • Font Name: "Times New Roman"

Example Output: "Sales for December: $45,230"

Example 4: Build Document Line by Line​

Add multiple paragraphs in sequence:

Workflow:

1. Insert Text (Title with Font Size 18, Bold)
   ↓
2. Insert Text (Subtitle with Font Size 14, Italic)
   ↓
3. Insert Text (Body paragraph with Font Size 12)
   ↓
4. Insert Text (Conclusion with Font Size 12)

Example 5: Insert Data from Loop​

Add rows from a data table:

Workflow:

For Each row in data_table:
  Insert Text:
    Text: $.row.name + " - " + $.row.value
    Font Size: "11"
    Font Name: "Arial"

Result: Each row becomes a line in the document

Tips for Effective Use​

  1. Font compatibility - Use common fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Roboto, or Calibri
  2. Font size range - Typical sizes are 10-14 for body text, 16-24 for headings
  3. Combine styles - Use Bold + Italic + Underline together when needed
  4. Text appending - Text always adds to the end; use multiple Insert Text nodes to build content
  5. Line breaks - Include \n in text for line breaks within a paragraph
  6. Test fonts first - Verify font names work in Google Docs before automating
  7. Use consistent formatting - Maintain same font/size for similar content types

Common Errors and Solutions​

Error: "Document ID cannot be empty"​

Cause: Document ID input is missing or undefined

Solution:

  • Use Open Document or Create Document first to get document ID
  • Verify $.document_id variable exists
  • Check previous nodes executed successfully

Error: "Text cannot be empty"​

Cause: Text input is empty or variable doesn't contain value

Solution:

  • Verify text variable has content
  • Check for null or undefined values in dynamic text
  • Add default text if source might be empty: $.text || "Default text"

Error: "Font Size cannot be empty"​

Cause: Font Size input is missing

Solution:

  • Always provide a font size value (e.g., "12")
  • Ensure variable contains a string number
  • Use default like "12" if dynamic value might be empty

Error: "Invalid font size"​

Cause: Font size is not a valid number

Solution:

  • Provide font size as string containing number: "12" not 12
  • Avoid non-numeric values
  • Typical range: 8-72 points

Error: "Failed to insert text"​

Cause: Document permissions or API error

Solution:

  • Ensure account has write access to document
  • Check document isn't view-only
  • Verify document wasn't deleted
  • Retry the operation

Font not displaying correctly​

Cause: Font name doesn't exist in Google Docs

Solution:

  • Use standard Google Docs fonts: Arial, Calibri, Comic Sans MS, Courier New, Georgia, Helvetica, Roboto, Times New Roman, Trebuchet MS, Verdana
  • Check exact spelling and capitalization
  • Test font in Google Docs UI first

Integration Patterns​

Pattern 1: Report Generation​

Build formatted reports from data:

1. Create Document or Open Document
   ↓
2. Insert Text (Title - Bold, Size 18)
   ↓
3. Insert Text (Date/Time - Size 12)
   ↓
4. For Each data section:
     Insert Text (Section header - Bold, Size 14)
     Insert Text (Section content - Size 12)
   ↓
5. Insert Text (Footer/Signature - Italic, Size 10)

Pattern 2: Template Population​

Fill document with personalized data:

1. Create Document (Title: "Report for " + customer)
   ↓
2. Insert Text (Greeting: "Dear " + customer_name)
   ↓
3. Insert Text (Body: personalized_content)
   ↓
4. Insert Text (Closing: signature_text)

Pattern 3: Data Table to Document​

Convert structured data to document:

For Each row in table:
  Insert Text:
    Text: row.column1 + " | " + row.column2 + " | " + row.column3
    Font: "Courier New" (monospace for alignment)
    Size: "11"

Pattern 4: Multi-Language Content​

Add content in different languages:

Insert Text (English content)
  ↓
Insert Text (Spanish content)
  ↓
Insert Text (French content)

Available Fonts​

Common Google Docs fonts that work well:

  • Arial - Clean, professional
  • Times New Roman - Traditional, formal
  • Roboto - Modern, readable
  • Calibri - Contemporary, friendly
  • Georgia - Elegant, serif
  • Verdana - Web-friendly, clear
  • Courier New - Monospace, technical
  • Comic Sans MS - Casual (use sparingly)

Alignment Options​

  • Left (START) - Default, standard alignment
  • Center (CENTER) - Centered text, good for titles
  • Right (END) - Right-aligned, good for dates/signatures
  • Justify (JUSTIFIED) - Even margins on both sides, formal documents