If SheetDiff shows a message asking you to contact your organization
administrator, nothing is broken and there is nothing to reinstall.
Your workplace has not approved SheetDiff yet.
Google Workspace lets an employer decide which add-ons its staff may run.
Many organizations approve add-ons one at a time, so anything new is blocked
by default. The block happens before SheetDiff starts, which is why you see a
Google message instead of the SheetDiff sidebar.
Option 1 — ask your IT administrator to approve it
Only your organization’s Google Workspace administrator can lift this.
Send them the request below — approving an add-on takes them a minute or two.
Copy and send to your IT administrator
Subject: Request to approve the SheetDiff add-on for Google Sheets
Hi,
I would like to use SheetDiff, a Google Sheets add-on that compares two tabs
and reports the differences. When I try to run it I get a message saying I need
organization approval.
Could you allowlist it for my account or team?
App name: SheetDiff - Compare and Reconcile Sheets
Listing: https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/sheetdiff_compare_sheets_find_difference/544557039913
To approve it: Google Admin console -> Apps -> Google Workspace Marketplace apps
-> Apps list -> Add app -> search for "SheetDiff" -> allowlist it.
The add-on only reads the spreadsheet I run it on, and it does not transmit
spreadsheet contents to any external server. Privacy policy and terms are linked
from the Marketplace listing.
Thanks,
Option 2 — use a personal Google account
A personal @gmail.com account has no administrator, so SheetDiff
installs without approval. This is the fastest way to try it. Note that it only
helps if you can copy the data you want to compare into a spreadsheet on that
personal account — it will not give you access to spreadsheets that live in
your work account.
Still stuck, or not sure which applies to you? Email
sheetdiffapp@gmail.com and we will help
you work out what your organization allows.
Sidebar shows “SheetDiff can’t reach this spreadsheet”
Signed in to more than one Google account?
Google runs add-ons as the default account in your browser — the first one
you signed in with. If the spreadsheet belongs to a different account, Google blocks SheetDiff with a
“permission” or “PERMISSION_DENIED” error. This is a long-standing Google
limitation that affects every Sheets add-on, not just SheetDiff.
Fix it in under a minute
Open the spreadsheet in an Incognito / private window and sign in with only the
account that owns the sheet, then run Extensions → SheetDiff → Start; or
Sign out of all Google accounts, sign back in to the account that owns the sheet first, then add
your other accounts again; or
Use a separate Chrome profile for each Google account.
Some rows were skipped. Why?
When matching by key column, rows with a blank key cannot be matched, so SheetDiff skips them and lists
their row numbers. Fill in the key, or switch Match rows by to Whole row.
My sheets have no ID column
Use Match rows by → Whole row to find rows that are in one sheet but not the other,
or Row order to compare row 2 with row 2, row 3 with row 3, and so on.
How do I see what changed in a tab over time?
Use Extensions → SheetDiff → Snapshot this tab. Later, choose
What changed in this tab? to see every added, removed and edited row since the snapshot.
Snapshots are hidden tabs inside your spreadsheet.
How do I compare another spreadsheet, CSV or Excel file?
In the sidebar, click Compare with another file. Upload a CSV or Excel file (it is read in your
browser and added as a new tab), or paste a Google Sheets link (added with IMPORTRANGE; click
Allow access once in the new tab). Then pick that tab as Sheet B.
Why are scheduled summaries not running?
Scheduled email summaries are not enabled in the current version of SheetDiff.
Is it safe to use merge actions?
Merge actions write changes back into the source sheets. Review the merge review sheet carefully before
confirming.
What should I include in a support request?
Include the spreadsheet URL, the sheet names involved, the selected key columns, the exact action you ran,
and a screenshot of the error if possible.
How do I request data deletion?
Email sheetdiffapp@gmail.com from the same Google
account you used with SheetDiff and use the subject SheetDiff data deletion request.