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.