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Pull building permits and contractor data into Google Sheets™ with six Shovels formulas.
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Listing updated:October 26, 2026
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Overview
Shovels adds six formulas to Google Sheets™. They return building permit and contractor data from the Shovels API, so you can look up permits for an address, a ZIP code or a state, review a contractor's permit history, and find the IDs that other formulas take, without leaving your spreadsheet.

FORMULAS

• SHOVELS_PERMITS_BY_GEO: returns permits for an address, a ZIP code, a state code or a geo_id.
  Example: =SHOVELS_PERMITS_BY_GEO("78701")
• SHOVELS_PERMITS_BY_CONTRACTOR: returns the permits of one contractor.
• SHOVELS_CONTRACTOR: returns one contractor's details, such as license, size and contact details, for a contractor name and a state. Fill it down a column of names to look up a list of contractors.
• SHOVELS_CONTRACTOR_ID: returns the Shovels ID of a contractor name.
• SHOVELS_COUNTY: returns the geo_id of a county.
  Example: =SHOVELS_COUNTY("Harris, TX")
• SHOVELS_ADDRESS: returns the geo_id of an address.

Use SHOVELS_COUNTY or SHOVELS_ADDRESS to get a geo_id, then pass it to SHOVELS_PERMITS_BY_GEO.

GETTING STARTED

1. The add-on requires a Shovels API key. Create an account at https://app.shovels.ai/register.
2. Copy your API key from https://app.shovels.ai.
3. In your Sheet, choose Extensions → Shovels → Set API key… and paste the key.
4. Type a Shovels formula in any cell.

HOW THE API KEY WORKS

• The key is saved in the Sheet, not in your Google™ account.
• Every edit to a Shovels formula in the Sheet, by any editor of the Sheet, spends that key's API credits. Share a Sheet that holds your key only with people who may spend your credits.
• One Google™ user can set a key in at most 20 Sheets. To set a key in another Sheet, open a Sheet you no longer edit and choose Extensions → Shovels → Remove API key…

THE SHOVELS MENU

• Fetch waiting formulas: fetches formulas that still show "Shovels: fetching…".
• Refresh all formulas: fetches every formula in the Sheet again. This spends credits again.
• Show credits used: shows the credits used this month by the Sheet's key.

PRICING

The add-on is free to install. The formulas use Shovels API credits from the account that owns the key.

ABOUT SHOVELS

Shovels collects building permits from 2,800+ jurisdictions across the United States and links each permit to its address and its contractor.

Support: https://www.shovels.ai/contact

Google Sheets™ and Google™ are trademarks of Google LLC.
Additional information
PricingFree of charge with paid features
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Shovels will ask for the permissions shown below. Learn more
Shovels will need access to your Google account
This will allow Shovels to :
View and manage spreadsheets that this application has been installed in
Connect to an external service
Display and run third-party web content in prompts and sidebars inside Google applications
Allow this application to run when you are not present
See your primary Google Account email address
See your personal info, including any personal info you've made publicly available
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