Automating Weekly Reports from Google Forms Using Google Apps Script

Introduction

In this blog, we’ll explore how to automate the process of generating weekly reports from Google Forms using Google Apps Script. This script will collect responses from a Google Form, analyze the data, and automatically send a custom email report every week. Automating this process saves time and ensures that everyone receives the latest insights without requiring manual intervention.

Step 1: Set Up Google Forms and Sheets

1. Create a Google Form: Design your form to collect the data you need.

2. Link the Form to Google Sheets: Ensure the form responses are automatically recorded in a Google Sheet. This can be done by navigating to the form settings and selecting the option to create a linked Google Sheet.

Step 2: Write the Google Apps Script

1. Open your Google Sheet: Go to the Google Sheet that contains the linked responses.

2. Access Google Apps Script: Click on Extensions in the menu, then select Apps Script.

3. Write the Script: Enter the following code in the script editor:

function sendWeeklyReport() {
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Form Responses 1');
  const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();

  // Extract headers and data
  const headers = data[0];
  const rows = data.slice(1);

  // Analyze the data (example: count responses)
  const totalResponses = rows.length;
  const reportSummary = `Total Responses Collected: ${totalResponses}`;

  // Compose the email
  const subject = 'Weekly Form Response Report';
  const body = `
    Hi Team,

    Here is the weekly summary of form responses:

    ${reportSummary}

    Best regards,
    Automated Report System
  `;

  // Send the email to the team
  const recipients = 'team@example.com';
  MailApp.sendEmail(recipients, subject, body);
}

function setupTrigger() {
  ScriptApp.newTrigger('sendWeeklyReport')
    .timeBased()
    .everyWeeks(1)
    .onWeekDay(ScriptApp.WeekDay.MONDAY)
    .atHour(9)
    .create();
}

Code Explanation

• sendWeeklyReport: This function retrieves data from the specified Google Sheet, analyzes the number of responses, and sends a summary email to the designated recipients.

• setupTrigger: This function creates a time-based trigger that executes the sendWeeklyReport function every Monday at 9 AM, automating the report generation without manual intervention.

Step 3: Deploy the Script

1. Save the Project: After entering your code, make sure to save the script project.

2. Run the Trigger Setup: Execute the setupTrigger function to activate the weekly email report trigger.

Now, every Monday at 9 AM, the script will automatically run, collect the data from the Google Sheet, and send out the weekly report.

Step 4: Testing and Improving

• Test the Script: You can manually run the sendWeeklyReport function to ensure it works correctly and the email is sent as expected.

• Enhance Reporting: Consider expanding the script to include visual representations of data, such as charts and graphs, for a more detailed analysis.

• Error Handling: Add error-handling mechanisms to the script to manage potential issues, such as the absence of data in the Google Sheet.

Step 5: Conclusion

Google Apps Script is a powerful tool that allows you to automate tasks within Google Workspace applications. In this blog, we demonstrated how to create an automated weekly report system using Google Forms and Sheets. Implementing such automation can significantly reduce manual work and keep your team informed with up-to-date insights.

Feel free to adapt the script to meet your specific reporting needs and explore other functionalities within Google Apps Script to enhance your workflows!