How to Set Up ElevenLabs Audio Generation in SheetXAI | SheetXAI Help Center

Overview

SheetXAI integrates with ElevenLabs to provide powerful text-to-speech functionality directly within your spreadsheet formulas. This feature lets you convert any text content into high-quality, natural-sounding audio files using the SAI formula with a special audio prefix.

Platform Availability: This feature works identically in both Google Sheets and Excel versions of SheetXAI.

What is ElevenLabs Integration?

ElevenLabs is a leading AI voice technology provider that creates incredibly realistic, natural-sounding speech from text. SheetXAI's integration with ElevenLabs allows you to:

Generate professional-quality audio directly from spreadsheet data
Create personalized audio messages using dynamic cell references
Download audio files for external use or embed them in your workflow
Maintain consistent voice quality across all generated content
Support various content types from short messages to longer announcements

Setting Up ElevenLabs Audio Provider

Step 1: Access Audio Provider Settings

Open SheetXAI Settings

Click the Settings button in the SheetXAI sidebar
Navigate to the Audio Provider section

Select ElevenLabs

Choose ElevenLabs from the available audio providers
This is currently the only supported audio provider for optimal quality

Step 2: Configure Your ElevenLabs API

Enter Your ElevenLabs API Key

Go to ElevenLabs.io and create an account if you haven't already
Navigate to your ElevenLabs dashboard and generate an API key
Copy your API key and paste it into the SheetXAI settings
Click Save to activate the integration

Verify Connection

SheetXAI will test the connection to confirm your API key is valid
You'll see a confirmation message when the setup is successful

How to Generate Audio with SAI Formulas

Basic Audio Formula Syntax

To generate audio content, use the special !AUDIO prefix in your SAI command:

#SAI !AUDIO Your text content here

Dynamic Audio with Cell References

The real power comes from combining audio generation with dynamic cell references.

#SAI !AUDIO Welcome #A, thank you for your purchase
#SAI !AUDIO Your order #B totaling #C has been confirmed
#SAI !AUDIO Hello #A, your appointment is scheduled for #D

Understanding Cell Reference Patterns

SheetXAI supports flexible cell referencing for audio generation:

Reference type	Example	Description
Column reference	`#A`	References the current row in column A
Specific cell	`#A1`, `#B5`	References a specific cell location
Dynamic content	`#C`	Uses column C data for the current formula row

Real-World Audio Generation Examples

Customer service applications

Scenario: Generate personalized welcome messages for new customers.

Setup:

Column A: Customer names
Column B: Service type
Column C: Audio generation formula

Formula (Column C):

#SAI !AUDIO Welcome #A! Thank you for choosing our #B service. We're excited to work with you.

E-commerce order confirmations

Scenario: Create audio confirmations for customer orders.

Setup:

Column A: Customer names
Column B: Order numbers
Column C: Delivery addresses
Column D: Audio confirmation formula

Formula (Column D):

#SAI !AUDIO Hi #A, your order #B has been confirmed and will be delivered to #C. Thank you for your business!

Educational content creation

Scenario: Convert lesson summaries into audio format.

Setup:

Column A: Lesson topics
Column B: Key concepts
Column C: Audio lesson formula

Formula (Column C):

#SAI !AUDIO Today's lesson covers #A. The key concepts include #B. Please review these materials before our next session.

Advanced Audio Generation Techniques

Multi-cell content combination

#SAI !AUDIO Product spotlight: #A is now available for #B. Key features include #C. Order today using code #D for a special discount.

Conditional audio messages

If you need conditional logic, compute it in helper columns first (so SheetXAI receives clean inputs), then reference those columns in your audio command.

Example:

Column B: order total
Column E (helper): order tier (premium/standard)
Column F (helper): shipping ETA text (e.g., "24 hours" or "3-5 business days")

#SAI !AUDIO Thank you #A. Your #E order has been processed and will ship within #F.

Template-based audio generation

#SAI !AUDIO Dear #A, this is a reminder that your #B subscription expires on #C. Please visit our website to renew your account.

Understanding Audio Output

What happens when you generate audio

Processing: SheetXAI sends your text content to ElevenLabs for voice generation
Voice synthesis: ElevenLabs creates high-quality audio using natural-sounding AI voices
File creation: The system generates a downloadable audio file (typically MP3 format)
Cell display: Your spreadsheet cell displays a download link or embedded audio player

Audio quality notes

Punctuation impacts pauses and cadence
Clearer formatting usually yields more natural speech

Troubleshooting ElevenLabs Audio Issues

Issue: “Invalid API Key”

Fixes:

Verify your ElevenLabs API key is entered correctly in SheetXAI settings
Check that your ElevenLabs account is active and has available credits
Ensure there are no extra spaces before or after your API key
Generate a new API key from your ElevenLabs dashboard if needed

Issue: audio generation is slow or timing out

Fixes:

Check your internet connection stability
Reduce the length of text content in individual formulas
Verify your ElevenLabs account has sufficient credits
Try generating audio during off-peak hours

Issue: generated audio quality is poor

Fixes:

Add proper punctuation to your text
Avoid special characters that might confuse voice synthesis
Break very long text into shorter segments

Audio Generation Best Practices

Text length: Keep individual audio segments reasonably short for best performance
Punctuation: Use proper punctuation to ensure natural speech flow
Testing: Test your formulas with sample data before applying to large datasets
Credit management: Monitor your ElevenLabs usage to avoid interruptions

Customizing Audio Formula Patterns

If you’ve configured alternate SAI call formats, audio generation still works the same way — just keep the !AUDIO prefix.

Cost Considerations

ElevenLabs is typically billed by characters processed
Review your text before generating audio to avoid unnecessary usage

Ready to start creating professional audio content from your spreadsheet data? Set up your ElevenLabs integration and try a simple !AUDIO formula first, then expand to dynamic templates with cell references.