Privacy Policy
Effective Date: February 14, 2026 · Last Updated: February 14, 2026
1. Introduction
Columnly ("Columnly", "we", "us", "our") is a Google Sheets add-on that helps users clean, analyze, and restructure spreadsheet data using artificial intelligence. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and protect information when you use the Columnly add-on and related services.
By installing and using Columnly, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information Collected Automatically
When you use the Columnly add-on, the following information is sent to our backend service to process your requests:
| Data Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| User prompt | Understand your request (e.g., "clean this data", "build a dashboard") | "Sum column A by region" |
| Google email address | Identify the requesting user for rate limiting and access control | user@example.com |
| Spreadsheet ID | Identify the active spreadsheet for context | A unique Google Sheets identifier |
| Sheet name | Identify the active sheet within the spreadsheet | "Sheet1" |
| Schema data | Column names, header row structure, and data range metadata | ["Name", "Email", "Revenue"] |
| Sample rows | First few rows of data (for cleaning and data quality analysis only) | Up to 10 rows of cell values |
| Full sheet data | Complete cell data (for restructuring operations only, when explicitly triggered) | All rows and columns |
2.2 Information We Do NOT Collect
- We do not collect data from spreadsheets other than the one you are actively working in.
- We do not access Google Drive files, Gmail, Contacts, Calendar, or any other Google service.
- We do not collect browser history, cookies, or device identifiers.
- We do not collect payment or financial information (no billing system in current version).
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information collected solely to provide the Columnly service:
| Use | Description |
|---|---|
| Formula generation | Analyze your prompt and schema to produce spreadsheet formulas |
| Data cleaning | Analyze sample data to suggest cleaning operations (trim, normalize, deduplicate) |
| Dashboard creation | Generate dashboard specifications (KPIs, tables, charts) based on your data structure |
| Data restructuring | Transform data layout (pivot, transpose, group) based on your instructions |
| Rate limiting | Enforce per-user request limits to ensure fair usage |
| Access control | Verify user identity against the allowed-users list (beta period) |
We do not use your information for:
- Training or fine-tuning machine learning models
- Advertising or marketing purposes
- Profiling or behavioral analysis
- Selling or sharing with third parties for their own purposes
4. Data Retention
- Request data (prompts, schema, sample rows) is processed synchronously and is not stored beyond the duration of the API request.
- Server logs (Cloud Run request logs) may contain request metadata (timestamps, response codes, user email) and are retained according to the Google Cloud Platform default log retention policy (30 days).
- No database of user spreadsheet data is maintained by Columnly.
- Output data (formulas, dashboard specs, cleaning suggestions) is returned to the add-on and written to the user's spreadsheet. Columnly does not retain copies of the output.
5. Data Sharing
We do not share your data with third parties, with the following limited exceptions:
| Recipient | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic (Claude API) | LLM-powered analysis for formula, dashboard, and cleaning suggestions | Prompt text and schema context only. No raw cell data is sent to the LLM. |
| Google Cloud Platform | Infrastructure hosting (Cloud Run) | Request processing occurs on GCP; subject to Google Cloud's data processing terms. |
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.
6. Data Security
We implement the following security measures:
- Encryption in transit: All communication between the add-on and backend uses HTTPS/TLS.
- Access control: Backend API access is restricted by email allowlist and optional beta key during the beta period.
- Rate limiting: Per-user request limits prevent abuse.
- Minimal scopes: The add-on requests only the minimum OAuth scopes necessary for operation.
- URL whitelist: The add-on can only communicate with the designated Columnly backend URL.
- No data mutation: The add-on creates new sheets for output and never modifies the user's original data.
7. Google API Services User Data Policy Compliance
Columnly's use of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements:
- We only use Google user data to provide and improve the Columnly add-on functionality.
- We do not transfer Google user data to third parties except as necessary to provide the service (see Section 5).
- We do not use Google user data for advertising.
- We do not allow humans to read Google user data unless:
- We have the user's affirmative consent,
- It is necessary for security purposes (e.g., investigating abuse), or
- It is necessary to comply with applicable law.
8. Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your data:
- Access: You can review what data the add-on sends by inspecting the Apps Script execution logs.
- Deletion: Since we do not persistently store user spreadsheet data, there is no stored data to delete. If you wish to remove all traces, uninstall the add-on.
- Opt-out: You can stop using Columnly at any time by uninstalling the add-on. No data will be collected after uninstallation.
- Data portability: All output data is written directly to your Google Sheets and remains under your control.
For data deletion requests or privacy concerns, contact us at the address below.
9. Children's Privacy
Columnly is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document. Continued use of Columnly after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Contact Information
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:
- Email: support@columnly.ai
- Developer contact: dev@columnly.ai
- Website: https://columnly.ai