diff --git a/src/auto_archiver/core/step.py b/src/auto_archiver/core/step.py
index 6ac6648..973bc1c 100644
--- a/src/auto_archiver/core/step.py
+++ b/src/auto_archiver/core/step.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class Step(ABC):
 
     def init(name: str, config: dict, child: Type[Step]) -> Step:
         """
-        looks into direct subclasses of child for name and returns such ab object
+        looks into direct subclasses of child for name and returns such an object
         TODO: cannot find subclasses of child.subclasses
         """
         for sub in child.__subclasses__():
diff --git a/src/auto_archiver/feeders/gsheet_feeder.py b/src/auto_archiver/feeders/gsheet_feeder.py
index b3ca66c..5ded351 100644
--- a/src/auto_archiver/feeders/gsheet_feeder.py
+++ b/src/auto_archiver/feeders/gsheet_feeder.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class GsheetsFeeder(Gsheets, Feeder):
             })
 
     def __iter__(self) -> Metadata:
-        sh = self.gsheets_client.open(self.sheet)
+        sh = self.open_sheet()
         for ii, wks in enumerate(sh.worksheets()):
             if not self.should_process_sheet(wks.title):
                 logger.debug(f"SKIPPED worksheet '{wks.title}' due to allow/block rules")
diff --git a/src/auto_archiver/utils/gsheet.py b/src/auto_archiver/utils/gsheet.py
index 0980d8f..edaec02 100644
--- a/src/auto_archiver/utils/gsheet.py
+++ b/src/auto_archiver/utils/gsheet.py
@@ -10,16 +10,17 @@ class Gsheets(Step):
         # without this STEP.__init__ is not called
         super().__init__(config)
         self.gsheets_client = gspread.service_account(filename=self.service_account)
-        #TODO: config should be responsible for conversions
+        # TODO: config should be responsible for conversions
         try: self.header = int(self.header)
         except: pass
         assert type(self.header) == int, f"header ({self.header}) value must be an integer not {type(self.header)}"
-        assert self.sheet is not None, "You need to define a sheet name in your orchestration file when using gsheets."
+        assert self.sheet is not None or self.sheet_id is not None, "You need to define either a 'sheet' name or a 'sheet_id' in your orchestration file when using gsheets."
 
     @staticmethod
     def configs() -> dict:
         return {
             "sheet": {"default": None, "help": "name of the sheet to archive"},
+            "sheet_id": {"default": None, "help": "(alternative to sheet name) the id of the sheet to archive"},
             "header": {"default": 1, "help": "index of the header row (starts at 1)"},
             "service_account": {"default": "secrets/service_account.json", "help": "service account JSON file path"},
             "columns": {
@@ -41,4 +42,10 @@ class Gsheets(Step):
                 "help": "names of columns in the google sheet (stringified JSON object)",
                 "cli_set": lambda cli_val, cur_val: dict(cur_val, **json.loads(cli_val))
             },
-        }
\ No newline at end of file
+        }
+
+    def open_sheet(self):
+        if self.sheet:
+            return self.gsheets_client.open(self.sheet)
+        else:  # self.sheet_id
+            return self.gsheets_client.open_by_key(self.sheet_id)