# Use Google Sheets to compare supplier lead times by working days

Example: A buyer compares a five-day supplier estimate with a one-week estimate. The suppliers use different day definitions.

By Righthand Team · 2026-10-18

Source: https://www.righthand.ai/blog/use-google-sheets-to-compare-supplier-lead-times-by-working-days

Keep Google Sheets as the source for its records. A Righthand can use available information for the decision below.

This article is from Righthand. The example and result are illustrative. This guide has no executed integration test.

## The customer task

A buyer compares a five-day supplier estimate with a one-week estimate. The suppliers use different day definitions.

[Provider documentation](https://developers.google.com/workspace/sheets/api/guides/values). The documentation gives information about reading and writing cell values in specified ranges. The range and value input settings affect the operation.

## Make account access explicit

If Google Sheets is available in [Connections](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/adding-your-first-connection), connect the intended account. Give the Righthand access to that connection.

Provider documentation does not establish installed Righthand operations. Examine the connection’s available tools before assigning direct account work.

For direct account work, the connection must have the necessary read or write operation and permission. If that operation is unavailable, supply the information in a message. The owner must make any account change in that case.

[Connection Permissions](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/add-a-connection) gives information about account access and tool permissions. Give only the access necessary for the identified task.

## The request to the Righthand

> Read the supplied supplier terms.
>
> Separate working-day and calendar-day estimates.
>
> Show estimates without a stated definition.
>
> Send the owner the result before 3 PM Friday.
>
> Use Pacific time.

## Use the provider records for the result

Identify the spreadsheet and exact tab before reading cells. Keep units and headers. A write must target the approved range without changing adjacent work.

Get weekend and holiday rules from the supplier.

For a permitted write, examine the resulting account record. A proposal does not establish a completed change.

For an external message, identify the recipient and permitted task. **Ask** uses an explicit instruction or approval. Connection tool permissions are another required control. [Communications Policy](https://docs.righthand.ai/security/external-communications).

## An illustrative result and next step

> Supplier A gives five working days. Supplier B gives seven calendar days. One estimate has no day definition.

The buyer gets the missing definition before the buyer gives a delivery commitment.

## Try one account task

1. Give the Righthand one identified source record.
2. Compare its result with that source.
3. Examine the account record after a permitted write.
4. Examine the work in [Activity](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/working-with-your-righthand).

If a direct operation is unavailable, give the source information in a message. This does not establish a direct integration.

## When the account tools are sufficient

Use Google Sheets directly when its existing view gives the complete answer and no other conversation is necessary. A person can make the decision from that view.

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