Automate Google Docs with Google Apps Script

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Creating a Google Form
3. Creating a Spreadsheet
4. Creating a Template Google Doc
5. Setting Up the Google Apps Script Project
6. Pulling Form Values and Variables
7. Getting a Reference to the Template File
8. Creating Copies of the Template File
9. Populating the Document with Form Data
10. Saving and Closing the Document
11. Adding a Trigger to the Project
12. Testing the Autofill Functionality

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will learn how to autofill a Google Document from a Google Form submission using Google Apps Script. We will go through the step-by-step process, starting from creating a Google Form, setting up a spreadsheet to Collect form responses, creating a template Google Doc, and finally creating a script that populates the document with the form data. This tutorial aims to provide a comprehensive guide for automating the process of filling out Google Docs Based on form submissions.

1. Creating a Google Form

To begin, we need to Create a Google Form that will serve as the input for our autofill process. We will add three short answer questions to the form: first name, last name, and title/position. These fields will collect the necessary information that we will use to populate the Google Document.

2. Creating a Spreadsheet

Next, we will create a spreadsheet to store all the form responses and serve as the data source for our autofill script. Open the responses tab in the Google Form and create a new spreadsheet to attach to the form. This spreadsheet will collect all the responses and serve as a reference for our autofill Google Doc.

3. Creating a Template Google Doc

Now, we will create a template Google Doc that will serve as the base document we want to populate with form data. Open Google Drive and create a new Google Doc. Rename the document to "template". Inside the document, create a simple table with three columns. In each cell, create a placeholder tag enclosed in double curly braces, such as {{first name}}, {{last name}}, and {{title}}. These tags will be replaced with the actual form data later.

4. Setting Up the Google Apps Script Project

To automate the autofill process, we will use Google Apps Script. Open the script editor by clicking on "Tools" and selecting "Script editor" in the Google Spreadsheet. Rename the function to "autofillGoogleDocFromForm" to clearly indicate its purpose. Add necessary comments and define variables for storing form values and other references.

5. Pulling Form Values and Variables

In the script, we need to pull the form values from the form submission event. Use the event parameter provided by the trigger to access the form values. Declare variables for each form field and assign them the corresponding form values.

6. Getting a Reference to the Template File

To access the template Google Doc, we need to get a reference to the file using its ID. Retrieve the ID from the URL of the template Google Doc and store it in a variable. Use the DriveApp class to get the file by its ID.

7. Creating Copies of the Template File

Since we want to create a new filled-out document for each form submission, we need to make copies of the template file. Create a new folder in Google Drive to store the populated templates. Get the ID of the folder and use it to get a reference to the folder. Use the makeCopy() method on the template file to create a copy and specify the name and destination folder.

8. Populating the Document with Form Data

Now, it's time to populate the document with the actual form data. Open the copied document using the DocumentApp class and get a reference to its body. Use the replaceText() method to replace the placeholder tags with the actual form values. Iterate through each placeholder tag and replace it with the corresponding form value.

9. Saving and Closing the Document

To ensure that the changes are saved, call the saveAndClose() method on the document. This will save the changes made to the document and close it. The populated template is now ready for use.

10. Adding a Trigger to the Project

To automate the autofill process, we need to add a trigger to our script project. Go to the "Edit" menu, select "Current project's triggers," and click on "Add trigger." Configure the trigger to run our autofillGoogleDocFromForm function on form submission events from the connected spreadsheet. Set up failure notifications to receive alerts in case of any script failures.

11. Testing the Autofill Functionality

Finally, let's test the autofill functionality by submitting a form response. Fill out the form with sample data and submit it. Check the populated templates folder in Google Drive to ensure that a new filled-out document has been created. Open the document and verify that the placeholder tags have been replaced with the actual form data.

By following these steps, You can automate the process of populating Google Documents from Google Form submissions. This can be useful for various applications, such as generating personalized letters, certificates, or reports based on form responses.

Now that we have covered the step-by-step process, let's Delve into the details of each step and discuss potential challenges and opportunities for further customization.