Auto Hide Columns (or rows) with Make.com API - save 13h+

How to Hide Rows and Columns in Google Sheets Using API

Tired of messy spreadsheets? Let me show you how to programmatically hide columns and rows in Google Sheets.

The Problem

I needed to hide everything except the last 14 columns automatically when generating PDFs. Doing this manually wasn't an option.

The Solution

We'll use Google Sheets API to make an arbitrary call that handles the hiding. Here's how it works:

Make API call to sheets

Send JSON payload specifying which columns/rows to hide

Let Google handle the rest

The Code Implementation

I found this initially as Python code, but converted it to JSON format that the Google Sheets API expects:

{

    "requests": [

      {

        "updateDimensionProperties": {

          "range": {

            "sheetId": "YOUR_SHEET_ID",

            "dimension": "COLUMNS",

            "startIndex": 43,

            "endIndex": 44

          },

          "properties": {

            "hiddenByUser": true

          },

          "fields": "hiddenByUser"

        }

      }

    ]

  }

For Rows Instead of Columns

Simply change "COLUMNS" to "ROWS" in the dimension field. The rest stays the same.

Advanced Usage

You can get fancy with this by:

Filtering by dates

Hiding based on status

Hiding specific client data

Any other column value condition

FAQ

Q: Will this affect the original data?

A: No, it only affects the display. Your data remains intact.

Q: Can I unhide using the same method?

A: Yes, just set hiddenByUser to false

Q: Does this work with multiple sheets?

A: Yes, just specify the sheet ID in your request

Get The Code

You can find this solution:

On my Gumroad https://adrianmahdian.gumroad.com/l/HideColumnsOrRows

Or just copy from this blog post

Need Help?

If you need a custom solution, reach out via email. Happy to help make your spreadsheets more manageable!