Superbuy Spreadsheet Tools
The right tool can cut your tracking time in half. Compare the top spreadsheet platforms, automation tools, and integrations to find what works for your workflow.
Top Tools Compared
| Tool | Function | Difficulty | Automation | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets + Apps Script | Auto-fetch tracking data from carrier APIs | Medium | High | Users with 50+ orders per month |
| Excel Power Query | Import and merge data from multiple sources | Medium | High | Windows users who prefer desktop apps |
| Airtable | Visual database with gallery and kanban views | Low | Medium | Users who prefer visual organization |
| Notion Databases | All-in-one workspace with linked databases | Low | Low | Users who already use Notion for notes |
| Smartsheet | Project management with Gantt charts and forms | Medium | High | Teams managing shared inventory |
| Zapier + Sheets | Connect your sheet to 5000+ apps | Medium | High | Power users who want full automation |
Tracking Tools
Carrier APIs let you pull tracking updates directly into your sheet. Most major carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS, EMS) offer public APIs. With Google Apps Script, you can write a simple function that fetches the latest status and writes it to your spreadsheet automatically.
AfterShip is a popular third-party tracking platform. Their API supports over 700 carriers. You can connect it to your spreadsheet via Zapier or direct webhook. This saves you from visiting ten different carrier websites.
ParcelsApp offers a free tier for basic tracking. You can manually copy-paste updates or use their Chrome extension to extract data. While less automated, it is free and requires no coding.
Automation Tools
Zapier connects your spreadsheet to over 5,000 apps. For example, you can create a Zap that triggers whenever you receive an order confirmation email, then automatically adds a new row to your Google Sheet. This eliminates manual data entry entirely.
Make (formerly Integromat) offers more complex automation workflows than Zapier. You can build branching logic, handle multiple conditions, and process data before sending it to your sheet. It is ideal for users who want granular control.
Google Apps Script is the native automation engine for Google Sheets. You can write custom functions, set time-driven triggers, and even build web apps. The learning curve is steeper, but the capabilities are unlimited.