Extend Google Sheets with Foursquare Data

Interact with Foursquare data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server enables connectivity to Foursquare data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for Foursquare.

Google Apps Script can consume these OData services in the JSON format. This article shows how to create a simple add-on that populates a Google Spreadsheet with Autocomplete data.

Set Up the API Server

If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure Foursquare OData services:

Connect to Foursquare

To work with Foursquare data from Google Sheets, we start by creating and configuring a Foursquare connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Foursquare data:

1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Foursquare connection.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Foursquare.

   Using API Key Authentication

   Foursquare Places API uses Service Key (Bearer token) authentication. To obtain a Service Key:

   1. Go to the Foursquare Developer Console at https://foursquare.com/developers/
   2. Create a new project or select an existing one
   3. Navigate to the API Keys section
   4. Generate a new Service Key for the Places API

   After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:

   • AuthScheme: Set this to APIKey.
   • ServiceKey: Set this to your Foursquare Service Key obtained from the Developer Console.
   • XPlacesApiVersion: (Optional) Set this to the API version date. Defaults to 2025-06-17.

   Example APIKey connection string

   Profile=C:\profiles\Foursquare.apip;AuthScheme=APIKey;ProfileSettings='APIKey=your_personal_access_token';
   

   
4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Foursquare data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:

1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User.
3. An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page:

Creating API Endpoints for Foursquare

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Foursquare tables:

1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table .
2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next.
3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm.

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to Foursquare data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:

Retrieve Foursquare Data

Open the Script Editor from your spreadsheet by clicking Tools -> Script Editor. In the Script Editor, add the following function to populate a spreadsheet with the results of an OData query:

function retrieve(){
  var url = "https://MyUrl/api.rsc/Autocomplete?select=Id,,,Query";
  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
    headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
  }); 
  var json = response.getContentText();
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  var a1 = sheet.getRange('a1');
  var index=1;
  var autocomplete = JSON.parse(json).value;

  var cols = [["Id","","","Query"]]; 
  sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);

  row=2;
  for(var i in autocomplete){
    for (var j in autocomplete[i]) {
      switch (j) {
        case "Id":
          a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "":
          a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "":
          a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "Query":
          a1.offset(row,3).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
      }      
    }
    row++;
  }
}

Follow the steps below to add an installable trigger to populate the spreadsheet when opened:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
2. Select retrieve in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On open.

After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.

You can test the script by clicking Publish -> Test as Add-On. Select the version, installation type, and spreadsheet to create a test configuration. You can then select and run the test configuration.