Google Sheet Sync with component variants

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1

Does anyone know how to use either Google Sheet Sync or any other data syncing plugin/tool to map data from an external data source to different variants within a component? I’m trying to build an interactive component that will display different values. Rather than update the values manually, I would love to sync data directly to the different variants and then use instances of them in my design.

For Google Sheet Sync, it appears to only sync with component instances and not the variants within a component.

2

You’re aiming to sync external data to variants within a component in Figma, which is a common challenge for creating dynamic, data-driven designs. Here’s a breakdown of your options and how to approach it:

1. Google Sheets Sync (Limitations & Workaround)

The Google Sheets Sync plugin does sync data to component instances, but as you mentioned, it doesn’t support syncing directly to variants within components. Since variants are part of a component set, it can be tricky to map different data values to the right variant.

Workaround:

  • You can sync the data to the instances first.
  • Create a master component set with multiple variants for different states.
  • Once the data is synced to the instances, you can manually swap the variant in each instance to match the desired data.

While this method isn’t fully automatic, it does speed up the process by syncing text or numerical data to the components. You’ll still need to manually assign the correct variant after syncing the data.

2. Using Other Data Syncing Plugins:

There are other plugins that offer enhanced syncing capabilities and might give you more flexibility in working with components and variants:

  • Figmify: Allows you to import data into Figma and link that data to components. While it supports syncing with component instances, it also offers more flexibility in organizing and displaying that data within your design.

  • Content Reel: This plugin allows you to manage and sync reusable content, such as text, images, and icons. While it doesn’t directly map data to variants, it can help you organize content for your components, making it easier to swap data when you need it.

  • JSON to Figma: If you have structured data in JSON format, this plugin can be used to sync data into Figma components. You might need to structure your variants based on the JSON structure and then map the data to the correct variant manually.

3. Custom Scripting (Figma API):

If you are comfortable with code, you could create a custom solution using the Figma API. This would involve writing a script to automatically map data to specific variants based on your external data source.

  • You could pull data from a Google Sheet or any API and programmatically update the variants in your components.
  • This method requires knowledge of JavaScript and the Figma API, but it provides the most control over the process.

4. Interactive Prototyping Approach:

If your goal is to have interactive designs, consider using Figma’s interactive components and Variants alongside Prototype interactions. You can combine the variants with overlay interactions or component swapping to simulate the dynamic display of data, though the data would still need to be manually adjusted.

Recommendation:

Since Google Sheets Sync only works with component instances, you’ll likely need to either:

  • Use instances of the components that sync with the data (then manually swap the variants).
  • Explore Figmify or JSON to Figma if you’re working with structured data.
  • Consider using the Figma API for complete control.

Let me know if you need help with setting up any of these tools or need a deeper dive into one!