GPTSheetsPlus never throws a spreadsheet error for an API problem. Instead the cell shows a text message beginning with Error: that explains what to do. This page lists the common ones.
Setup and license
| Cell shows | Fix |
|---|
#NAME? | The add-on is not installed for this Google account, or the sheet needs a reload. Install from the Marketplace and reload. |
Error: Free trial for OpenAI used up (10/10) ... (or Gemini, Perplexity, Bright Data, EXA) | The trial for that provider is finished. Activate your license and add your own key for that provider. |
Error: Firecrawl functions need the lifetime license ... | Firecrawl has no trial. Activate the license, then add your Firecrawl key. |
Error: OpenAI API key not set ... (or any provider) | You are licensed but have not added that provider’s key. Use Set API Keys and the menu item named in the message. |
Please activate your license first. (dialog) | You opened Set API Keys before activating. Run Activate License first. |
Invalid license key. Please try again. | Check for missing characters or spaces. Use the key from your Lemon Squeezy email. Still stuck? Email us. |
| License activated but functions still say the trial is used up | Activate from a spreadsheet you own, then reload. Make sure you are signed in to the same Google account that activated. |
The shared free-trial key for ... is not configured yet | A problem on our side. Email us, or activate the license and use your own key. |
Provider errors
| Cell shows | Fix |
|---|
... returned 401 or 403 | The key was rejected. Re-copy it from the provider’s dashboard and paste it again via Set API Keys. For Bright Data, a 403 usually means a zone problem: see below. |
... returned 402 or 429 | No credit or a rate limit on your provider account. Check billing, wait a minute, then re-run. |
... returned 404 | The model name does not exist or was retired. Use a name from the formula reference. |
... returned 500 or higher | The provider had a temporary problem. Wait and re-run the formula, for example by editing the cell. |
Error: Prompt blocked by API due to safety settings | Gemini refused the prompt. Rephrase. |
Scraping
| Cell shows | Fix |
|---|
Error: Invalid URL: ... | Include the scheme: https://example.com/page, not example.com/page. |
| A message mentioning Bright Data zones | Create a Web Unlocker API zone in your Bright Data control panel, then either let auto-detection find it or set it via Set API Keys → Insert Bright Data Zone (optional). |
| Page comes back empty or as a loading shell | The site needs JavaScript. Pass waitFor greater than 0, or use =BRIGHTDATA(url, "markdown", TRUE). |
Content ends with [truncated: page exceeds the 50,000 character limit ...] | Expected for long pages. Use =SCRAPE_TITLE(), =SCRAPE_DESCRIPTION() or =EXTRACT_INFO() to get the part you need. |
No links found / No title found | The page has no such element, or needs rendering. |
Caching and recalculation
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|
| The same answer comes back after I changed my mind | Responses are cached by prompt. Pass TRUE as ignore_cache or change the prompt. See Caching. |
| Answers change when I open the sheet | Paste results as values (Edit → Paste special → Values only). |
Error: exceeded property storage quota | Pass TRUE as ignore_cache for that formula, or move the rows to a new spreadsheet. |
Spreadsheet limits
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|
Loading... never finishes, or Exceeded maximum execution time | Too many cells calculating at once. Fill a few hundred rows at a time and paste as values between batches. |
#REF! under =SERP() or =LIST_STUFF() | The function spills into the cells below and one of them is not empty. Clear them. |
Internal error executing the custom function | A transient Google Sheets error. Re-enter the formula. If it persists, email us with the formula. |
Still stuck?
Email [email protected] with the formula you used and the exact text in the cell. We reply within 1 to 2 business days. We are in the GMT+7 time zone, so a reply may take a little longer if it is night time there.
