# What is an upsert? > An upsert updates a record if it already exists and adds it if it does not, matched on a field like email. How Append or Update Row does it in n8n. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/upsert · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) [Data, Sheets and Gmail](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary#topic-data-sheets-and-gmail) · [AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary) Quick answer An upsert, short for update or insert, is a single action that looks for a matching record and updates it if found, or adds a new record if not. The match is made on a field you choose, such as an email or an order number. In n8n's Google Sheets node it is called Append or Update Row. Last updated October 20, 2026 [Take the free module →](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/n8n-jump-start/12)Module 12 of the free [n8n Jump Start](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/n8n-jump-start) course, about 12 minutes. No account needed. Updated October 20, 2026 · By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) ## Why it matters for a small business Plain "add row" steps create duplicates as soon as the same person shows up twice, which happens with repeat form submissions, retries and re-runs. Plain "update" steps fail for anyone new. An upsert handles both cases in one step, so the sheet or CRM always holds one up-to-date record per person. It is the easiest way to make a write step safe to repeat, the idea called [idempotency](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/idempotency). The only decision is the matching field: it must be unique and consistent, so an email works well and a name does not. Where you'll use it: in n8n's Google Sheets node choose **Append or Update Row** and set **Column to match on**. Many CRM and database apps in n8n, Make and Zapier offer the same thing as Create or Update, or Find or Create, actions. ## In a real lesson: n8n: Read, Add and Update Google Sheets Rows with an AI Step In the free [n8n Read, Add and Update Google Sheets lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-google-sheets-read-append-update), Northgate Content Studio's request sheet has the columns Name, Email, Topic, Submitted and Description. You open **Append or Update Row** and pick **Email** as the column to match on. The lesson spells out what that does: n8n looks for the email first. If it finds it, it updates that row; if not, it adds a new one, so running twice can never duplicate Jordan Lee. Later the AI step's sentences are written back into each matching row. [Try this lesson free](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/n8n-google-sheets-read-append-update) or [read the step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-google-sheets-read-append-update). ## Common confusions ### Upsert vs append row [Append row](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/append-row) always adds a new line at the bottom. An upsert checks first and only adds when there is no match. ### Upsert vs remove duplicates [Removing duplicates](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/remove-duplicates) drops repeated items before a step. An upsert makes the write step itself avoid doubles. ## Tips - Match on a field that never changes, such as an email or an ID. - Keep the matching column's values clean, without stray spaces. - Run the workflow twice in testing and check the row count. ## Related terms [Append row](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/append-row) · [Google Sheets (as an automation database)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/google-sheets) · [Idempotency](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/idempotency) · [Remove duplicates (deduplication)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/remove-duplicates) · [Field mapping](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/field-mapping) · [Get rows (reading a sheet)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/get-rows) ## More Data, Sheets and Gmail terms [Web scraping](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/web-scraping) · [Zapier Tables](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/zapier-tables) · [AI data entry](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/ai-data-entry) · [CSV](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/csv) ## Where you use it: free lessons - [n8n: Read, Add and Update Google Sheets Rows with an AI Step](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-google-sheets-read-append-update) (n8n, 12 min) - [n8n: Send Form Answers Straight to Google Sheets](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-form-to-google-sheets) (n8n, 10 min) - [n8n: Turn Meeting Notes into Action Items in a Google Sheet](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/meeting-notes-to-action-items-google-sheets-ai-n8n) (n8n, 15 min) - [Meeting to Action: Recap, Tracker Rows and a Kickoff Deck (ChatGPT, n8n, Gamma)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/meeting-notes-to-action-items-sheet-and-deck-chatgpt-n8n-gamma) (n8n, 14 min) ## Frequently asked questions **What does upsert stand for?** It joins update and insert: update the record if it exists, insert it if it does not. **What if two rows have the same email?** The tool usually updates the first match it finds, so remove existing duplicates before relying on an upsert. 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