Google Appscript

Google Apps Script is basically a scripting language based on javascript edition 1.6 including some portions of 1.7 as well as 1.8. It also provides some subsets of ECMAScript 5 API which is a trademarked specification standardized by ECMA International. The use of ECMAScript helps in client-side scripting on the world wide web but in case of Google App Script, the script gets executed in the Google cloud rather than the client side.

Google App Script is the tool which helps to create add-ons for Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

 

Benefits of Google App Script

 

• Since it is based on javascript, it is very easy to learn and implement.

• It provides a community-based support model.

• It can be used to create simple tools for the organization internally as well as globally.

• Since the script is executed in Google Cloud, it provides cloud debugger rather than client debugger which helps to debug the App Script in the Web Browser.

 

What can be done with Google App Script

 

• We can build add-ons to extend Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and publish them to the Add-On store.

• We can write custom functions for Google Sheets.

• We can interact with other Google services like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Maps, Analytics, Adsense etc.

• We can create Web Apps which can either be embedded with the Google Sites or apart from it.

• We can even build chatbot using App Script for the smooth running of our Hangout workflow.

• Google App Script can also be used to convert an Android app to an Android add-on so that data can be exchanged from a user’s Google Doc or Sheets.

 

Let's see what are the steps to use App Script in Google Sheets for various purposes. Below steps will help to create a custom function.

There are several default functions available in Google sheets to serve different purposes like SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, MIN etc. But sometimes, we need some other functions to serve our purpose. In that case, we can create custom functions through the help of App script.

 

Steps -

 

1. Open spreadsheet in Google Sheets.

2. Click on Tools -> Script Editor.

 

 

3. You can create your script as per your requirement and then click on File -> Save. After this, your custom function is ready to use.

Since Scripting is similar to programming (just different in few aspects), thus we need to keep in mind certain factors while creating a custom function.

Please refer to this link for the details. Click here.

 

If you wish to create Web Apps using the Google App Script, then go to script.google.com.

 

Click on New Script, and start scripting. You can embed it with your Google Sites and provide the access to all in your domain or you can publish it as a standalone Web App in the World Wide Web.