Google Workspace Tutorials
Google Apps Script Tutorial for Beginners
In this Google Apps Script tutorial for beginners you'll learn how to automate the formatting of a Google Sheets document.
What is Google Apps Script? It's a cloud-based scripting platform developbed by Google. With Apps Script you can automate Google services.
What is Google Apps Script? [Comprehensive Explanation]
- Chanel Greco
- October 31, 2020
- 10:23 am
What is Google Apps Script? Google Apps Script, or simply Apps Script, is a cloud-based, JavaScript scripting platform developed by Google.
With Apps Script you can automate repetitive tasks or workflows in Google apps like Sheets, Docs, and so on. Google Apps Script makes it easy to create and publish add-ons for Google Docs, Sheets, Forms, etc.
Ok, so that sound interesting. What else can we do with Apps Script? And where and how can we actually use Apps Script? Let’s found out!
Want to see us using Google Apps script? Go ahead and check out our video.
What can Google Apps Script do
We can do things like:
- Create custom menus or sidebars for Google Docs, Sheets, etc.
- Write custom macros for Google Sheets.
- Publish web apps.
- Interact with other Google Services like Google Analytics, YouTube, etc.
- Build add-ons to extend Google Docs, Sheets, etc.
- Build our own Google Chat chatbot.
Where to write our scripts
Google has made it really easy for us to write Apps Script. There’s no need to install any development infrastructure or software. All you need is a Google account! This is possible because the scripts we write live and run directly in your Google Drive.
To start writing a script you simply access the Script Editor from Tools in the tool bar in one of the many Google products.
How to write scripts
Google Apps Script is based on the modern scripting language JavaScript. It has access to built-in libraries for the different Google products that make up Google Workspace.
This means that when writing Apps Script we’re essentially writing JavaScript and we’re using specific Google methods and objects that are exclusive to Apps Script.
If you’ve ever dabbled with JavaScript you’ll be writing Apps Script in no time!
How to learn Apps Script
How do we learn to write automation script in Apps Script? One way to do so is by learning watching and following along with our Apps Script YouTube playlist. This playlist contains more than 30 Apps Script video tutorials.
Since Apps Script is essentially JavaScript, we recommend you check out our JavaScript for Beginners playlist on YouTube as well.
We also have a blog post for Apps Script beginners you should check out.