How to Build Automated Ad Reports in Google Sheets

If you run ads for multiple brands, you already know: reporting can quietly swallow entire days. The right ads report template in Google Sheets can cut that work dramatically—and when you combine it with no-code tools and an AI computer agent like Simular, you can almost erase the manual grind.

Below are three levels of maturity: from hands-on, to automated, to fully agent-driven.

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1. Manual ways to build ad report templates

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1.1 Start with a structured Google Sheets template

1. Create a new spreadsheet in Google Sheets (see Google’s guide: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6000292).
2. Add tabs such as:
   • Raw_Facebook
   • Raw_Google_Ads
   • Summary
   • Client_Notes
3. In Summary, define your core KPIs in the header row: Spend, Impressions, Clicks, CTR, CPC, Conversions, CPA, ROAS.
4. Use basic formulas to aggregate from raw tabs, for example:
   • =SUM(Raw_Facebook!C:C) for total spend
   • =SUM(Raw_Facebook!D:D + Raw_Google_Ads!D:D) for blended clicks
5. Add calculated fields:
   • CTR: =IFERROR(Clicks/Impressions,0)
   • CPC: =IFERROR(Spend/Clicks,0)
   • ROAS: =IFERROR(Revenue/Spend,0)

You’ve now created the base “canvas” for every future report.

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1.2 Export and paste from ad platforms

1. In each ad platform (e.g., Google Ads), open the campaigns or account-level report.
2. Filter by the reporting period (last 7 days, last month, etc.). Official help: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375435
3. Click Export → CSV or Google Sheets if available.
4. For CSV exports:
   • Download the file.
   • In Google Sheets, go to File → Import and bring the data into the matching Raw_* tab (see https://support.google.com/docs/answer/9143382 for import options).
5. Clean column names so they match your formulas (e.g., ensure Spend, Clicks, Impressions are in consistent columns across tabs).

Repeat this flow weekly or monthly. It’s tedious but gives you full control.

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1.3 Build visual summaries for clients

1. In the Summary tab, insert charts via Insert → Chart:
   • Line charts for Spend, Conversions over time.
   • Bar charts for ROAS by channel.
2. Use conditional formatting (Format → Conditional formatting) to:
   • Highlight CPA above your target in red.
   • Highlight ROAS above goal in green.
3. Add a top-level scorecard row with key metrics using bold fonts and borders.

This manual but structured approach is your baseline. Once it works, you’re ready to automate pieces of it.

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2. No-code automation methods

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2.1 Connect platforms directly into Sheets

Several tools (like native connectors or third-party add-ons) can pipe ad data straight into Google Sheets on a schedule.

Typical setup pattern:

1. Install the connector add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace.
2. In Sheets, go to Extensions → your connector.
3. Authenticate ad platforms (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.).
4. Choose:
   • Account(s)
   • Date range (e.g., last 30 days, month to date)
   • Granularity (day, campaign, ad set/ad group)
   • Metrics & dimensions (Spend, Impressions, Clicks, Conversions, Campaign name, Country, Device).
5. Set a refresh schedule (daily/weekly) so the Raw_* tabs update without you touching them.

Your original formulas and charts in Summary now update automatically as the raw data refreshes.

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2.2 Use Google Sheets functions for lightweight pulls

Even without external tools, Sheets has functions that help reduce copy-paste:

• IMPORTRANGE to pull from another Google Sheet that receives exported data: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3093340
• IMPORTXML for simple web scrapes (e.g., competitor benchmarks): https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3093342

Example:

• Keep a “data warehouse” Sheet where your team pastes exports.
• In your client-facing template, use =IMPORTRANGE("<source-sheet-url>", "Raw_Facebook!A:Z") to auto-pull the latest rows.

This keeps the client report clean while another Sheet handles the messy imports.

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2.3 Automate reporting cadence with calendar + sharing

1. Use File → Share in Google Sheets to give clients “Viewer” access.
2. Turn on Show history so you can roll back errors if needed.
3. Add a recurring calendar reminder for your team to review metrics—not to rebuild the report.

You’ve now moved from “build every report from scratch” to “maintain a living template.” The final step is to stop even maintaining it manually.

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3. At-scale automation with an AI computer agent (Simular)

This is where an AI agent stops being a toy and starts acting like a real teammate. Sai can operate across your desktop, browser, and Google Sheets the way a human would—only with patience you don’t have.

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3.1 Pattern: Agent as your reporting assistant

You define the playbook once; the Simular AI agent runs it on a schedule:

1. Open browser, log into Google Ads, Facebook Ads, TikTok Ads.
2. Apply standard filters and date ranges.
3. Export updated performance tables.
4. Open your Google Sheets ads template.
5. Paste or import data into the right Raw_* tabs.
6. Trigger recalculation (e.g., by refreshing or updating a control cell).
7. Run quick QC checks (e.g., compare today’s spend vs. yesterday; flag anomalies).
8. Save, then send a summary link or email via your CRM or Gmail.

Because Sai logs every action and is fully inspectable, you can see exactly how it pulled and updated numbers—no black-box behavior.

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3.2 Example workflows with Simular

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Workflow A: Daily multi-client refresh

• The agent loops through a list of client accounts in a control tab of Google Sheets.
• For each client, it:
  • Uses the correct login.
  • Exports fresh campaign data.
  • Updates that client’s dedicated template.
• Finally, it writes a short narrative summary per client (e.g., “Spend up 12%, ROAS down 5% driven by Campaign X”) using your preferred wording style.

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Workflow B: Pre-meeting report pack

• Two hours before a standing client call, the agent:
  • Refreshes all relevant Sheets.
  • Exports key tabs to PDF.
  • Uploads them to a shared drive folder.
  • Sends a Slack or email message with the deck links.

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3.3 Pros and cons of AI-agent automation

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Pros

• Massive time savings when you manage many accounts or channels.
• Works across tools, not just where APIs exist—Simular can click through any web UI like a human.
• Production-grade: designed for workflows with thousands of steps and long runtimes.
• Transparent execution: every action is recorded, so you can audit what happened when a client asks.

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Cons

• Requires careful onboarding: you must define your template structure and reporting rules clearly.
• Best suited for stable processes; if your naming conventions or accounts change daily, you’ll need to update instructions.
• Initial setup takes longer than a quick manual export—but you win that time back quickly at scale.

The trajectory is simple: start with a well-designed Google Sheets template, layer in no-code automations, then graduate to an AI computer agent that owns the end-to-end reporting workflow. That’s how agencies and in-house teams move from spreadsheet survival mode to truly scalable, insight-first reporting.