📎 This article includes 2 downloadable practice files ↓

📘 Google Workspace Beginner Course · Lesson 6 of 6

Apps Script is to Google Workspace what VBA is to Excel: code that automates Sheets, Docs, Gmail, Calendar and Drive. It’s JavaScript, it runs in Google’s cloud, and you can start with a 15-line script.

Open the editor

In the practice sheet: Extensions › Apps Script. Delete the empty function and paste the script from the download.

The script, explained

function dailySummary() {
  const sh = SpreadsheetApp.getActive().getSheetByName('Orders');
  const rows = sh.getDataRange().getValues().slice(1);      // all rows except the header
  const byRegion = {};
  rows.forEach(r => { byRegion[r[2]] = (byRegion[r[2]] || 0) + Number(r[6]); });
  const lines = Object.keys(byRegion).sort()
    .map(k => k + ': Rs ' + byRegion[k].toLocaleString('en-IN'));
  MailApp.sendEmail(Session.getActiveUser().getEmail(), 'Daily sales summary', lines.join('\n'));
}

• getValues() reads the sheet into a 2-D array; r[2] is column C (counting from 0), r[6] is column G.
• The loop totals amounts per region.
• MailApp.sendEmail sends the summary to you.

Run it and grant permission

Save (Ctrl+S), choose dailySummary in the toolbar, click Run. Google asks for permission to see your spreadsheets and send email as you. Read the list; for your own script it’s expected. Check your inbox.

A menu for one-click use

function onOpen() {
  SpreadsheetApp.getUi().createMenu('Reports')
    .addItem('Email me the summary', 'dailySummary').addToUi();
}

Reload the sheet: a Reports menu appears for anyone who uses the file.

Run it every morning: triggers

In the editor, the clock icon (Triggers) › Add Trigger › function dailySummary › Time-driven › Day timer › 8–9 am. Now it runs daily even when your computer is off.

Where to go next

• Create a Google Doc from a template for each new form response.
• Save Gmail attachments to a Drive folder.
• Add calendar events from a sheet of dates.

If you know VBA, the ideas carry over directly; see the Excel VBA course for the Excel side.

Where beginners go wrong

That’s the Google Workspace course.

Practice

Download the practice file below and upload it to Google Drive (File › Import in Sheets). Paste the script from the second download into Extensions › Apps Script and run it.