How to Detect Text in Images with Google Cloud Vision & Save to Google Sheets Using Pabbly Connect

Learn how to automate text detection in images using Google Cloud Vision and save the results to Google Sheets with Pabbly Connect in this detailed tutorial.

Watch Step By Step Video Tutorial Below

1. Setting Up Pabbly Connect for Image Text Detection

To begin automating the process of detecting text in images, you first need to set up Pabbly Connect. This platform will serve as the central hub for integrating various applications like Google Cloud Vision and Google Sheets. Start by signing up for a free account on Pabbly Connect, which you can do through the link provided in the description.

Once you’ve logged into your Pabbly Connect dashboard, click on ‘Create Workflow’. Give your workflow a name, such as ‘Dropbox to Google Cloud Vision to Google Sheets’, and click on ‘Create’. This will open a new workflow where you will set up triggers and actions for the automation.

2. Triggering on New Dropbox Uploads

The first step in your automation is to set up a trigger that activates when a new image is uploaded to Dropbox. In the trigger window of Pabbly Connect, search for and select ‘Dropbox’. In the trigger event dropdown, choose ‘New File’. This will allow your workflow to respond whenever a new file is added.

• Select ‘Dropbox’ as the app.
• Choose ‘New File’ as the trigger event.
• Connect your Dropbox account by clicking ‘Connect’ and then ‘Add New Connection’.

After connecting your Dropbox account, specify the folder path where images will be uploaded. For example, if your folder is named ‘images’, enter ‘Dropbox/images’ as the folder path. Click ‘Save and Send Test Request’ to finalize this step. You will need to upload an image to see the test response.

3. Extracting Text Using Google Cloud Vision API

After setting up the trigger, the next step is to extract text from the uploaded image using the Google Cloud Vision API. In the action window of Pabbly Connect, search for ‘Google Cloud Vision’ and select it. Choose ‘Detect Text in Images’ as the action event.

To connect your Google Cloud Vision account, you will need an API key. If you don’t have one, follow the documentation provided in the help text to generate it. Once you have the API key, paste it into the connection field and click ‘Save’. Next, map the image URL from the Dropbox response to the image URL field in Google Cloud Vision.

• Select ‘Google Cloud Vision’ as the app.
• Choose ‘Detect Text in Images’ as the action event.
• Paste your API key and map the Dropbox image URL.

After mapping the URL, click on ‘Save and Send Test Request’ to see the detected text in the response. This response will show the text extracted from the image, which you will use in the next step.

4. Saving Extracted Text to Google Sheets

With the text extracted, the final step is to save this information into Google Sheets. In the action step of Pabbly Connect, search for ‘Google Sheets’ and select it. Choose ‘Add New Row’ as the action event.

Connect your Google Sheets account by clicking ‘Sign in with Google’ and selecting your account. After the connection is established, select the spreadsheet where you want to save the data. For instance, choose a spreadsheet named ‘Text from Image’. Map the required fields such as file name, URL, and text content to the respective columns in your Google Sheets.

Select ‘Google Sheets’ as the app. Choose ‘Add New Row’ as the action event. Map the fields: file name, URL, and text content.

Click ‘Save and Send Test Request’ to verify if the data is successfully added to your Google Sheets. If everything is set up correctly, you should see a new row in your Google Sheets with the uploaded image details.

5. Testing the Automation Workflow

After completing the setup, it’s essential to test your automation workflow in Pabbly Connect. Upload a new image to the designated Dropbox folder and wait for approximately 10 minutes for the automation to process the image and extract text.

Once the processing is complete, check your Google Sheets to ensure that the new row with the image file name, URL, and detected text has been added. You should see the exact details reflected in your Google Sheets, confirming that the automation is working as intended.

Repeat this process for any additional images you wish to analyze. With Pabbly Connect, you can continuously automate the extraction of text from images and save it to Google Sheets efficiently.

Conclusion

In conclusion, using Pabbly Connect to integrate Google Cloud Vision with Google Sheets allows you to automate the process of detecting text in images seamlessly. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can efficiently manage your image data and streamline your workflow.