Some users may run into an issue when using PixieBooks for Google Sheets with a Google Workspace Cloud Identity Free (CIF) account.
What’s happening
Workspace Cloud Identity Free does not include Google Drive storage.
While CIF accounts can create new documents in Google apps like Sheets and Docs (which are stored locally), they can’t open shared templates or documents that rely on Google Drive.
PixieBooks for Google Sheets uses a shared Google Sheet stored in Drive, so on CIF accounts the PixieBooks spreadsheet won’t open.
Why this affects PixieBooks
The PixieBooks Google Sheets file is a shared document hosted in Google Drive.
Because CIF accounts don’t have Drive storage, Google blocks access to that shared file — even though Google Sheets itself is available.
Current workarounds
At the moment, there are two options:
Option 1: Use a personal Gmail account
This allows the PixieBooks Google Sheet to open correctly. However, we understand this may not be ideal from a confidentiality or data-handling perspective.
Option 2: Use a paid Google Workspace account
Any Google Workspace plan that includes Drive storage will resolve the issue.
The goal of PixieBooks for Google Sheets is to remain free and accessible, so requiring a paid Workspace account isn’t the intended solution.
What we’re working on
We’re currently testing a potential workaround that may allow CIF users to continue using PixieBooks for Google Sheets without upgrading their Google Workspace account.
Once this has been confirmed, we’ll update this guide with clear next steps.
