Google Sheets Collaboration: How to Run a Shared B2B Enrichment File

Your sales team is enriching leads in Google Sheets, but every SDR is working in their own file. The result: duplicates, conflicting data, and zero visibility into where the prospecting actually stands. Almost every sales manager has been there.

The good news: Google Sheets collaboration has everything you need to work effectively on enriched databases - as long as you set up permissions correctly from the start. In this guide, you'll learn how to structure, share, and protect your enrichment file so the whole team works in sync, without friction or the risk of corrupting your data.

Why team collaboration matters so much in B2B data enrichment

When a sales team enriches data in a fragmented way, the consequences are real: one SDR reaches out to a prospect already handled by a colleague, a manager can't track progress without manually consolidating several files, and enriched data - emails, phone numbers, company details - degrades fast without centralization.

According to HubSpot, CRM data decays at a rate of 22.5% per year. For a base of 1,000 enriched contacts, that's 225 stale entries in just twelve months. Multiply that across all the scattered spreadsheets on the team, and the problem quickly spirals out of control.

Google Sheets offers a straightforward answer: one single file, accessible to everyone in real time, with a full modification history. But that power requires tight permission management - otherwise, collaboration creates more chaos than it solves.

That's exactly what this step-by-step guide will help you set up.

Google Sheets Collaboration Permission Levels: Viewer, Commenter, Editor

Before sharing your enrichment file, it's worth understanding the three access levels available in Google Sheets. Each one addresses a different need depending on the team member's role.

A fourth level also exists: Owner status, reserved for the person who created the file (usually the Sales Ops or data manager). The owner can transfer this status if needed.

You can also restrict specific cell ranges independently of the file's global permissions - we'll cover that in Step 4.

With these basics in place, let's move on to the first step: structuring your file before sharing it.

Google Sheets Collaboration Features: Real-Time Editing, Comments and Chat

Permissions decide who can touch the file. The collaboration features decide how well a team works in it at the same time. Here is what Google Sheets gives you natively, and what each one is worth on a shared enrichment file.

None of this replaces structure. A file where everyone can type anywhere stays fragile however good the comments are, which is why the steps below start with tabs and protected ranges.

Step 1: Structure your Google Sheet before sharing it

Sharing a poorly organized file guarantees confusion. Before inviting your team, take 15 minutes to structure your enrichment Google Sheet.

Split data across separate tabs

A clean approach is to create distinct tabs based on function:

• "Raw Leads" tab: The list imported from LinkedIn Sales Navigator or another source, untouched
• "Enrichment in progress" tab: Leads the team is actively working on
• "Enriched - validated" tab: Contacts with complete, verified data
• "Excluded" tab: Disqualified or out-of-ICP leads, with a reason noted

This structure prevents SDRs from accidentally editing the original data source, and gives the manager a clear view of progress tab by tab.

Define a clear naming convention

Every column needs an explicit name: "Professional email", "Direct phone", "LinkedIn title", "Enrichment status", "Assigned SDR"… Avoid cryptic abbreviations that only mean something to whoever created the file.

Add a "Status" column and an "Assigned SDR" column

These two columns are essential for collaboration. The Status column (To enrich / In progress / Enriched / Disqualified) tells everyone where each lead stands. The Assigned SDR column prevents duplicate work.

Expected result: Your file is ready to share. Each tab has a clear purpose, and every column is understandable by any team member.

Step 2: Share your file with the right permissions

Once your file is structured, here's how to configure sharing in Google Sheets.

Individual invitation (recommended for teams)

1. Click the "Share" button in the top-right corner of your Google Sheet
2. In the "Add people" field, enter the collaborator's email address
3. In the dropdown on the right, select the access level: Editor, Commenter, or Viewer
4. Check "Notify people" so they receive an email invitation
5. Click "Send"

Expected result: The collaborator receives an email with a link to the file and immediate access at the permission level you defined.

Link sharing (for larger teams)

If you want to share the file with a full team without individually inviting each person:

1. Click "Share", then "Copy link"
2. Click "Restricted" to change the settings
3. Choose "Anyone with the link can…" and set the access level
4. Share the link via Slack, email, or your internal communication tool

Heads up: An open "Editor" link share is risky for sensitive data. Stick to individual invitations for files containing prospect data.

Managing existing access

To see who has access to your file and change permissions:

1. Click "Share"
2. At the bottom of the panel, click on someone's name to edit or revoke their access
3. Select "Remove access" to remove them from the list

Expected result: You have a clear picture of who can do what in your enrichment file.

Step 3: Assign permissions based on team roles

Every profile in a sales team has different needs when it comes to enriched data. Here's a permission matrix tailored to B2B use cases.

SDR / BDR: Editor access on the "Enrichment in progress" tab

Mike, an SDR at a SaaS startup, enriches 50 leads a day. He needs to enter the information he finds (email, phone number, qualification notes), update the status, and add his name to the "Assigned SDR" column. Editor access is essential for him.

That said, the "Raw Leads" tab can be protected as read-only so he can't accidentally edit the original source.

Sales Ops / Data manager: Owner or full Editor access

Sarah, a Sales Ops at a B2B scale-up, oversees the quality of enriched data. She needs to edit all tabs, fix data entry errors, move leads between tabs, and configure validation formulas. She gets full Editor access - ideally with Owner rights if she manages the file long-term.

Manager / Head of Sales: Commenter access

The sales director needs to track progress and leave instructions without the risk of editing data. Commenter access is perfect: they can annotate cells ("High priority", "Re-engage in Q2"), but can't overwrite enrichment data.

Leadership / External partners: Viewer access

For external reporting or an audit, Viewer access is enough. The person can browse the data but can't edit or comment on anything.

Expected result: Every team member has exactly the access level they need - nothing more, nothing less.

Step 4: Protect sensitive columns and tabs

Global permissions don't always go far enough. Google Sheets lets you protect specific cell ranges independently of the file's overall access level.

Protecting an entire tab

If you want the "Raw Leads" tab to be read-only even for Editors:

1. Right-click the tab at the bottom of the file
2. Select "Protect sheet"
3. In the right panel, define who is allowed to edit this tab
4. Click "Save permissions"

Protecting a specific column range

To protect just the enrichment columns (emails, phone numbers) from accidental edits:

1. Select the column range to protect (e.g., columns C through F)
2. Go to Data > Protect sheets and ranges
3. Click "Add a sheet or range"
4. Define who can edit this range
5. Enable "Show a warning when editing this range" if you'd prefer to alert rather than block

Pro tip: Protect the columns where Derrick writes enrichment results (verified emails, phone numbers, LinkedIn data) so only the Sales Ops can modify them. SDRs can fill in their own qualification notes in separate columns without touching the enriched data.

Expected result: Your enrichment data is protected from accidental edits while remaining readable by the whole team.

Step 5: Use version history to track every change

One of the most underused features in Google Sheets is version history. For a shared file containing B2B enrichment data, it's an essential safety net.

Accessing version history

1. In the menu, go to File > Version history > See version history
2. A panel opens on the right with a list of all changes, timestamped and tied to their author
3. Click any version to preview what the file looked like at that point

Naming key versions

Before a prospecting campaign or after a major batch enrichment, name the current version:

1. In the history panel, click the three dots next to a version
2. Select "Name this version"
3. Give it a clear label: "LinkedIn enrichment - Week 4 - Jan 2026"

Restoring a previous version

If an SDR accidentally deleted 200 rows of enrichment data:

1. Find the last correct version in the history
2. Click "Restore this version"

The file is back to its previous state in seconds. No data is permanently lost.

Expected result: You can trace every change, identify who did what, and restore the file to any past state.

Filter Views: Google Sheets Collaboration Without Stepping on Each Other

The most underused collaboration feature in Sheets is the filter view. A normal filter changes what everyone sees: when one rep filters on "Industry = SaaS", the whole team's screen changes with it. A filter view only changes your screen.

1. Go to Data > Create filter view (or the filter icon's drop-down) and set your criteria, for example "Owner = me" and "Email status = verified".
2. Give it a name. Named filter views are saved with the file and appear in the menu for everyone, so each rep can have their own.
3. Share a specific view by copying the URL while it is open: the link opens the sheet with that view applied.

On an enrichment file, filter views are what let ten people work the same master list without sorting it under each other's feet. Filter views also work with the cleaning Google Sheets formulas for B2B enrichment, such as a REGEXMATCH column flagging malformed emails (see our REGEXMATCH guide). Viewers can also create temporary filter views that disappear when they close the file, so even read-only users can slice the data without asking an editor.

Google Sheets Collaboration Best Practices for Enriched Data

Beyond the technical setup, a few team habits make all the difference in the quality of your shared data.

1. Designate a single file owner

One person should manage permissions, tabs, and the overall file structure. Without a designated owner, shared files quickly become chaotic. In most teams, that's the Sales Ops or data manager.

2. Align the team on a naming convention

Before launching collaborative enrichment, agree on a few simple rules: name format (First Last or LAST First?), phone number format, accepted values in dropdown columns… A "How to use this file" tab in the spreadsheet prevents half of all data entry errors.

3. Turn on conditional notifications

Google Sheets can send email alerts when changes are made. Go to Tools > Notification rules to set up alerts when a tab is edited or a row is added. The Sales Ops can track enrichment progress without constantly opening the file.

4. Use comments for in-context communication

Instead of sending messages like "Hey, there's an issue with the lead on row 142", use comments directly on the relevant cell. Right-click the cell > "Insert comment", tag a teammate with "@", and they get an immediate notification.

5. Schedule regular data cleaning sessions

Even with the best organization, enriched data degrades over time. Schedule a monthly deduplication and normalization session. Derrick's Find Duplicates spots duplicate rows directly inside Google Sheets, and simple formulas (TRIM(), PROPER()) fix formats, with no exports or complex manipulation.

Google Sheets Collaboration Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Problem 1: All SDRs have unrestricted Editor access

Impact: Anyone can overwrite a colleague's enrichment data, delete columns, or break formulas. Result: corrupted data and hours of rework.

Solution: Give SDRs Editor access only to the columns they're responsible for. Protect enrichment columns (emails, phone numbers) with protected ranges (see Step 4). An SDR can fill in their own "Qualification notes" column without touching the technical data.

Problem 2: Open link sharing with Editor access

Impact: Anyone with the link can edit your prospect data. If the link gets shared accidentally, you're looking at a potential data leak and a likely GDPR violation.

Solution: Always use individual invitation sharing for files containing personal B2B data. If a link share is needed for temporary access, limit it to Commenter or Viewer level, and revoke it once you're done.

Problem 3: No shared status convention

Impact: One SDR marks a lead "Done" when they've finished enriching it, while another uses "Done" to mean they've reached out. Nobody knows where each lead actually stands in the pipeline.

Solution: Create a dropdown in the Status column via Data > Data validation, with predefined values: To enrich / In progress / Enriched / Qualified / Disqualified. No more free text, no more ambiguity.

Problem 4: Nobody knows how to use version history

Impact: An SDR accidentally deletes 200 rows of enrichment data. Without anyone knowing how to access the history, the data seems gone - when it's actually recoverable in 30 seconds.

Solution: Walk the entire team through version history in 5 minutes. Drop a quick guide in the "How to use this file" tab of the spreadsheet. A 5-minute investment that can save hours of rework.

Problem 5: One file for every campaign

Impact: After a few months, a file meant to hold leads from one targeted campaign turns into a 10,000-row catch-all with mixed data. Performance drops, filters become unusable.

Solution: Create one file per campaign or per quarter. Use a read-only "Master" file to consolidate validated data, fed by campaign files via Google Sheets' IMPORTRANGE function.

Google Sheets Collaboration with Derrick: Enrich the Shared File, or Use the Web App

Most data enrichment tools work outside of Google Sheets: you export a CSV, upload it to a third-party tool, download the results, and re-import into Sheets. Every step is friction - and an opportunity to lose data or create misalignment between what SDRs see and what's actually in the database.

Derrick works differently. Its Google Sheets sidebar enriches the shared file right where the team already works. When Sarah, your Sales Ops, runs a batch email search using Derrick's Lead Email Finder on the shared list, results appear directly in the corresponding columns - visible in real time to every team member with access to the file.

Same with the LinkedIn Profile Scraper or Sales Navigator Import: 50+ enriched attributes per contact land directly in the team's shared Google Sheet, no extra handling required.

When a list does not need to live in a shared sheet, the same enrichments also run in the Derrick web app, with nothing to install.

The result: the entire team works from the same enriched data, live, with no export-import delay. For teams enriching hundreds of leads per week, that's a meaningful time saving on coordination and data quality.

Check out Derrick's data enrichment page to see all workflows available directly inside Google Sheets.

To import your LinkedIn lists directly into your shared Google Sheet, see the pages for LinkedIn lead import and LinkedIn company import.

Choosing a CRM to pair with your enrichment workflow? Check out our HubSpot vs Pipedrive comparison.

Two other surfaces fit specific team habits. A rep who prepares calls in Claude or ChatGPT can query Derrick through its MCP server and paste the result into the shared sheet. And a team that wants every new lead enriched the moment it lands in the CRM, before anyone opens a sheet, can call the Derrick REST API from its workflow or through Zapier, Make or n8n (API available from the PLUS plan).

Key takeaways

• Structure your Google Sheet with separate tabs (Raw / In progress / Validated) before sharing it
• Assign permissions by role: Editor for SDRs, Commenter for managers, Viewer for leadership
• Protect enrichment columns with protected ranges to prevent accidental edits
• Enable version history and train the team to use it when something goes wrong
• Set up a shared status convention with dropdown validation to keep everyone aligned
• An enrichment tool that works inside the sheet, like the Derrick sidebar, lets the whole team access enriched data in real time, with no export-import loop

Conclusion: a shared enriched database is a competitive advantage

B2B data enrichment only creates value when the right information reaches the right person at the right time. A perfectly enriched base of 5,000 leads sitting in one SDR's personal file is worthless if the rest of the team can't access it.

By applying the steps in this guide - structuring, role-based permissions, range protection, version history - you turn your Google Sheet into a real shared data hub for your sales team. And by enriching inside the shared sheet with Derrick, or in the Derrick web app when a list does not need to be shared, you remove the friction between enrichment and collaboration: data lands directly where the whole team is already working.