EIA launches data add-on tool for Google Sheets
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released a free data add-on for Google Sheets. Similar to EIA's Microsoft Excel extension, the new Sheets add-on allows users to browse EIA's energy API data categories or search keywords to find domestic and international energy data for the production, consumption, and price of different fuels, as well as EIA's short-term forecasts and long-term projections. EIA currently has 1.2 million data series available through the Application Programming Interface (API), developed as part of EIA's Open Data program.
Google Sheets is a free online spreadsheet alternative that can be accessed and shared from anywhere through a web browser or through an app for your smartphone or tablet. EIA's Google Sheets add-on provides access to easily updateable energy data for users who do not use or may not have access to Excel. This add-on is the first government add-on developed for Google Sheets and was developed in coordination with Google to ensure compatibility and usability. The free add-on is available through the Chrome Webstore.
The Google Sheets add-on works like the Excel version. Users can find, search, browse, query, and automatically update data series, essentially giving users access to any data EIA has available in the API. Throughout EIA's website, the 
symbol identifies a link to a page with the API source key for that data series. The refresh button allows users to update all series within their spreadsheet to the latest EIA data with just one click.
And, like the Excel extension, it provides one-click instant download of the entire time series. EIA's Google Sheets add-on also has a spark-line chart to give users an instant preview of the data series over time.
Principal contributors: Melinda Hobbs, Robert Wright