Actions for Obsidian - Goodreads
This workflow converts a CSV export file from Goodreads into separate Obsidian notes for each book, author, and publishing year, all linked together.
Video
Turn a CSV File into Obsidian Notes with macOS – 10 min
Download Shortcut
Click to download and add to your Shortcuts app.
Goodreads Export to Obsidian Notes.shortcut
Workflow Screenshot
Parse CSV
This describes how parsing the CSV file of Goodreads books works.
Each row returns the following Dictionary (JSON object).
- ISBN13: “=\”””
- Author: “Emilie Wapnick”
- Publisher: “HarperOne”
- Owned Copies: 0
- Book Id: 34232207
- Read Count: 1
- Bookshelves with positions: “currently-reading”
- Bookshelves: “currently-reading”
- ISBN: “=\”””
- Date Added: “2021/09/05”
- Average Rating: 3.85999999999
- Year Published
- Binding
- Exclusive Shelf
- Number of Pages
- My Rating
- Title
- Original Publication Year
- Author l-f
Then perform these steps for each book in the CSV file.
- Repeat with Each Item in Parse CSV
- Get Dictionary from Repeat Item
- Set variable Title from Dictionary (Title)
- Set variable Author from Dictionary (Author)
- Set variable Year from Dictionary (Year Published)
- Text
Author Title (Year) - Replace “/” with “-” in Text
- Set Sanitized file name to Updated Text
- Set Book note from Note