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3. Creating a Service Account for Automated Publishing

Johan Roman
  • Updated

Step 1: Log into Google Console and create a new Cloud Project

If you already have a linked Google Cloud project, you can skip to the next step of this guide.

  1. https://console.cloud.google.com/
  2. In the Google Cloud Console go to Service Accounts page.
  3. Click on Create service account and follow the steps.
  4. If you already have a linked project, skip to the next section of this guide.
    If you have never created a Google Cloud project before, you'll need to create one here. Select the option to "Create a new Google Cloud Project" to link it to your account.
  5. Click "Save".

 

Step 2: Confirm Your Account's Enabled APIs

Once you're in the Google Play Cloud Console, you'll be ready to start checking your account's enabled services:

  1. Make sure that your created/existing project is selected at the top. In this guide "Google Play Console Developer" will be used as an example.
  2. Click on "View all products" at the bottom of the Cloud Console homepage.
    view_all_products.png
  3. On the next page, click on "APIs & Services"api_services.png

On this page, you'll see an option to "Enable APIs & Services" at the top of the page. Click on this button to access the API Library where we will be checking the services.

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In the API Library, use the search bar to find and confirm that the following services are enabled:

  • Google Play Android Developer

If you see a "Manage" button when you click on a service, this means that it is already enabled. If you see an "Enable" button, that means that it hasn't been enabled yet.

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Click the Enable button if it is present.

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Step 3: Create a Service Account

Now you're ready to create the Service Account! Let's head back to the Cloud Console homepage that we opened at the start of Step 3: Cloud Console homepage.
Important: Make sure the correct account and project are selected: "Google Play Console Developer".

 

1. To get started, scroll down and click on "View all products":

view_all_products.png

2. On the next page click on "APIs & Services"

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3. Select "Credentials" from the left navigation menu, then click on "Manage service accounts"

4. On the next page click on "Create service account"

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5. Set Service account name to Visiba Care and click the CREATE AND CONTINUE button

 

6. In the Grant this service account access to project step, select App Engine Deployer and click the continue button.

App Engine Deployer.png

 

 

7. Ignore the Grant users access to this service account step and click the DONE button.

 

Step 4: Generate a JSON File

The Service Account Key is a JSON file that you will send to androiddevs@visibagroup.com. During this step, you will create a key that will be downloaded to your computer.

Once you create the Service Account, you're automatically taken to a list of your Service Accounts in the Cloud Console.

      1. Find the account you just created in the list of Service Accounts and click on the three-dot menu in the far-right column of the row.
      2. Click "Manage keys".
      3. On the "Keys" page, click "Add Key".
      4. Select "Create new key".
        CleanShot_2022-05-26_at_17.14.19_2x.jpg
      5. In the pop-up that appears, select "JSON".
      6. Click "Create". The file will be downloaded to your computer – send it to androiddevs@visibagroup.com

Step 5: Grant Permissions to the Service Account

Now your Service Account is almost ready – all we need to do is ensure it has the correct permissions.

To allow any of the service accounts access to the Google Play Console data for your apps, they have to be granted access:

  1. Go to the Users & Permissions page on the Google Play Console.
  2. Click Invite new users.
  3. Put an email address for your service account in the email address field and grant the necessary rights to perform actions.
  4. Enable the "View app information and download bulk reports (read-only)" permission.
  5. Enable all the "Releases" permissions.
  6. Click on the Invite user button.
  7. Once you complete these steps, you should be able to access the Google Play Developer Reporting API through the service account, using the appropriate API key.

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Under the Users and permissions menu option make sure that the service account is now in the list as an invited user. Important: If you have restricted developers so that they can only edit their own apps, then you must give the service account permission to access the app otherwise you will not get updates.

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