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Google Docs MCP Server

Create a powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Google Docs in minutes with our AI Gateway. This guide walks you through setting up seamless document automation with enterprise-grade security and instant OAuth authentication.

About Google Docs API​

The Google Docs API enables programmatic creation, editing, and formatting of documents. It provides fine-grained control over document structure, styling, and collaborative features, making it ideal for document automation and content management workflows.

Key Capabilities​

  • Document Creation: Generate documents from templates
  • Content Manipulation: Insert, update, and delete text
  • Rich Formatting: Apply styles, fonts, and colors
  • Structural Elements: Headers, lists, tables, images
  • Collaborative Features: Comments, suggestions, revisions
  • Template Management: Create reusable document templates
  • Batch Operations: Multiple edits in single request
  • Export Options: PDF, Word, HTML formats

API Features​

  • REST API v1: Document manipulation
  • Real-time Updates: Live document changes
  • Revision History: Track document versions
  • OAuth 2.0: Secure authentication
  • Batch Requests: Efficient operations
  • Rich Text Support: Full formatting control
  • Named Ranges: Reference document sections
  • Merge Fields: Dynamic content insertion

What You Can Do with Google Docs MCP Server​

The MCP server transforms Google Docs API into a natural language interface, enabling AI agents to:

Document Creation & Management​

  • Document Operations

    • "Create new report from quarterly template"
    • "Generate contract with client details"
    • "Copy document and update for new project"
    • "Create meeting notes template"

  • Batch Creation

    • "Generate 10 personalized letters"
    • "Create individual reports for each team"
    • "Produce certificates for all attendees"
    • "Generate invoices from spreadsheet data"

  • Template Management

    • "Save document as reusable template"
    • "Update company letterhead in templates"
    • "Create template with merge fields"
    • "Clone template for department use"

Content Editing & Formatting​

  • Text Operations

    • "Insert executive summary at beginning"
    • "Replace all instances of old company name"
    • "Update date fields to current month"
    • "Append signature block at end"

  • Formatting Control

    • "Format headings as title style"
    • "Apply company brand colors"
    • "Set document to double spacing"
    • "Create numbered list from bullets"

  • Advanced Formatting

    • "Insert page breaks between sections"
    • "Add table of contents"
    • "Create footnotes for references"
    • "Apply conditional formatting"

Tables & Structured Content​

  • Table Management

    • "Insert 5x3 table after paragraph 2"
    • "Add row with totals to existing table"
    • "Format table with alternating colors"
    • "Convert list to table format"

  • Data Integration

    • "Import CSV data as table"
    • "Update table from spreadsheet"
    • "Calculate column totals"
    • "Sort table by date column"

  • Table Formatting

    • "Merge header cells"
    • "Set column widths"
    • "Apply borders and shading"
    • "Center align numeric columns"

Images & Media​

  • Image Operations

    • "Insert company logo in header"
    • "Add chart from Google Sheets"
    • "Replace placeholder images"
    • "Resize images to fit page"

  • Layout Control

    • "Wrap text around images"
    • "Center align all images"
    • "Create image gallery"
    • "Add captions to figures"

  • Media Management

    • "Update all image links"
    • "Compress images for size"
    • "Convert images to inline"
    • "Extract images from document"

Collaboration Features​

  • Comments & Suggestions

    • "Add comment requesting review"
    • "Suggest edit to paragraph 3"
    • "Reply to all open comments"
    • "Resolve completed discussions"

  • Review Workflow

    • "Accept all suggestions"
    • "Reject formatting changes only"
    • "Assign action items in comments"
    • "Export comments to task list"

  • Sharing & Permissions

    • "Share with team as editors"
    • "Create view-only link"
    • "Set expiration for access"
    • "Transfer ownership to manager"

Document Structure​

  • Headers & Footers

    • "Add page numbers to footer"
    • "Insert date in header"
    • "Create different first page header"
    • "Add document title to all pages"

  • Sections & Navigation

    • "Create table of contents"
    • "Add bookmarks to sections"
    • "Insert hyperlinks to headings"
    • "Create index of terms"

  • Page Layout

    • "Set margins to 1 inch"
    • "Change to landscape orientation"
    • "Create two-column layout"
    • "Add page borders"

Automation & Integration​

  • Mail Merge

    • "Merge contact list into letters"
    • "Generate personalized certificates"
    • "Create name tags from roster"
    • "Produce customized reports"

  • Dynamic Content

    • "Update date fields automatically"
    • "Insert data from API"
    • "Refresh charts from Sheets"
    • "Pull content from database"

  • Workflow Integration

    • "Export to PDF when complete"
    • "Send notification on changes"
    • "Trigger approval workflow"
    • "Archive to Drive folder"

Prerequisites​

  • Access to Cequence AI Gateway
  • Google Workspace account
  • Google Docs API enabled
  • Appropriate Drive permissions

Step 1: Enable Google Docs API​

1.1 Access Google Cloud Console​

  1. Go to console.cloud.google.com
  2. Select or create a project
  3. Enable billing if required

1.2 Enable APIs​

  1. Navigate to APIs & Services Library
  2. Search and enable:
    • Google Docs API
    • Google Drive API (required for file operations)

1.3 Create OAuth 2.0 Credentials​

  1. Go to APIs & Services Credentials
  2. Click Create Credentials OAuth client ID
  3. Configure consent screen if needed
  4. Application type: Web application
  5. Add redirect URI: 
    https://auth.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/outbound/oauth/callback

1.4 Get Credentials​

  1. Copy Client ID
  2. Copy Client Secret
  3. Note authorized redirect URIs

Step 2-4: Standard Setup​

Follow standard steps to access AI Gateway, find Google Docs API, and create MCP server.

Step 5: Configure API Endpoints​

  1. Base URL: https://docs.googleapis.com/v1
  2. Select endpoints:
    • Document creation endpoints
    • Batch update endpoints
    • Get document endpoints
  3. Click Next

Step 6: MCP Server Configuration​

  1. Name: "Google Docs Automation"
  2. Description: "Document creation and editing"
  3. Configure production mode
  4. Click Next

Step 7: Configure Authentication​

  1. Authentication Type: OAuth 2.0
  2. Authorization URL: 
    https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/v2/auth
  3. Token URL: 
    https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token
  4. Enter Client ID and Secret
  5. Select required scopes

Available Google Docs OAuth Scopes​

Document Access​

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents

    • Full read/write access
    • Create new documents
    • Edit existing documents
    • Delete documents

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents.readonly

    • Read document content
    • View formatting
    • Access revision history
    • Export documents

Drive Integration​

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file

    • Access files created by app
    • Required for document creation
    • Manage document metadata
    • Organize in folders

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly

    • List user's documents
    • Search for documents
    • View folder structure
    • Access shared documents

Additional Scopes​

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.metadata.readonly
    • View document metadata
    • List document properties
    • Check sharing status
    • See revision info

For Document Automation:

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file

For Full Document Management:

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive

For Read-Only Access:

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents.readonly
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly

Step 8-10: Complete Setup​

Configure security, choose deployment, and deploy.

Using Your Google Docs MCP Server​

Setup Instructions:

Natural Language Commands​

  • "Create monthly report from template"
  • "Insert table with Q4 sales data"
  • "Format document with company branding"
  • "Add executive summary at beginning"
  • "Export as PDF and share with team"

Common Use Cases​

Document Automation​

  • Report generation
  • Contract creation
  • Letter templates
  • Certificate production

Content Management​

  • Blog post drafting
  • Documentation updates
  • Policy management
  • Handbook maintenance

Business Processes​

  • Invoice generation
  • Proposal creation
  • Meeting minutes
  • Status reports

Educational Content​

  • Worksheet creation
  • Lesson plans
  • Study guides
  • Assessment forms

Security Best Practices​

  1. OAuth Security:

    • Use minimal scopes
    • Implement token refresh
    • Monitor access logs
    • Revoke unused tokens

  2. Document Protection:

    • Set appropriate sharing
    • Use view-only where possible
    • Audit document access
    • Enable revision history

  3. Content Security:

    • Validate input data
    • Sanitize merge fields
    • Check image sources
    • Monitor API usage

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

  1. Authentication Errors

    • Verify OAuth credentials
    • Check token expiration
    • Validate redirect URI
    • Review consent screen

  2. Document Errors

    • Check document permissions
    • Verify document exists
    • Validate request syntax
    • Review index positions

  3. Formatting Issues

    • Verify style syntax
    • Check color values
    • Validate font sizes
    • Test in UI first

Getting Help​