Make an agenda for meetings

    Coding level: Beginner
    Duration: 15 minutes
    Project type: Automation with an event-driven trigger

    Objectives

    • Understand what the solution does.
    • Understand what the Apps Script services do within the solution.
    • Set up the script.
    • Run the script.

    About this solution

    Automatically create agenda documents in Google Docs and attach them to your Google Calendar meetings.

    Screenshot of agenda added to Calendar event

    How it works

    The script creates a document template for an agenda. When you update your calendar, the script checks to see if any events you own include "#agenda" in the description. If the tag is present, the script makes a copy of the template, adds it to the calendar event, and shares it with the event attendees.

    Apps Script services

    This solution uses the following services:

    • Drive service –Checks to see if the template document exists and if it doesn't, creates a new folder for the template document. Creates a copy of the template document for each new agenda.
    • Document service –Creates the agenda template.
    • Calendar service –Checks for events with the "#agenda" tag and updates the event description with a link to the agenda doc.
    • Base service –Uses the Session class to get the user's email. This helps build the trigger for the current user.
    • Script service –Creates a trigger that fires whenever there's a change to the user's calendar.

    Prerequisites

    To use this sample, you need the following prerequisites:

    • A Google Account (Google Workspace accounts might require administrator approval).
    • A web browser with access to the internet.

    Set up the script

    1. Click the button below to open the sample Make an agenda for meetingsApps Script project.
      Open the project
    2. Click Overview .
    3. On the overview page, click Make a copyThe icon for making a copy.
    4. In your copied project, in the function dropdown, select setUp.
    5. Click Run.
    6. When prompted, authorize the script. If the OAuth consent screen displays the warning, This app isn't verified, continue by selecting Advanced > Go to {Project Name} (unsafe).

    Run the script

    1. Open Google Calendar .
    2. Create a new event or edit an existing one.
    3. In the description, add #agenda and save the event.
    4. Check your email for an email notification that a document has been shared with you, or refresh Calendar and click on the event again to see the link to the agenda document.

    All attendees receive the email notification to view the agenda. The script gives attendees permission to edit, but you can edit the script to update the agenda document permissions for attendees .

    Review the code

    To review the Apps Script code for this solution, click View source codebelow:

    View source code

    Code.gs

    solutions/automations/agenda-maker/Code.js
     // To learn how to use this script, refer to the documentation: 
 // https://developers.google.com/apps-script/samples/automations/agenda-maker 
 /* 
 Copyright 2022 Google LLC 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); 
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. 
 You may obtain a copy of the License at 
 https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 
 Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software 
 distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, 
 WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. 
 See the License for the specific language governing permissions and 
 limitations under the License. 
 */ 
 /** 
 * Checks if the folder for Agenda docs exists, and creates it if it doesn't. 
 * 
 * @return {*} Drive folder ID for the app. 
 */ 
 function 
  
 checkFolder 
 () 
  
 { 
  
 const 
  
 folders 
  
 = 
  
 DriveApp 
 . 
 getFoldersByName 
 ( 
 'Agenda Maker - App' 
 ); 
  
 // Finds the folder if it exists 
  
 while 
  
 ( 
 folders 
 . 
 hasNext 
 ()) 
  
 { 
  
 let 
  
 folder 
  
 = 
  
 folders 
 . 
 next 
 (); 
  
 if 
  
 ( 
  
 folder 
 . 
 getDescription 
 () 
  
 == 
  
 'Apps Script App - Do not change this description' 
  
&&  
 folder 
 . 
 getOwner 
 (). 
 getEmail 
 () 
  
 == 
  
 Session 
 . 
 getActiveUser 
 (). 
 getEmail 
 () 
  
 ) 
  
 { 
  
 return 
  
 folder 
 . 
 getId 
 (); 
  
 } 
  
 } 
  
 // If the folder doesn't exist, creates one 
  
 let 
  
 folder 
  
 = 
  
 DriveApp 
 . 
 createFolder 
 ( 
 'Agenda Maker - App' 
 ); 
  
 folder 
 . 
 setDescription 
 ( 
 'Apps Script App - Do not change this description' 
 ); 
  
 return 
  
 folder 
 . 
 getId 
 (); 
 } 
 /** 
 * Finds the template agenda doc, or creates one if it doesn't exist. 
 */ 
 function 
  
 getTemplateId 
 ( 
 folderId 
 ) 
  
 { 
  
 const 
  
 folder 
  
 = 
  
 DriveApp 
 . 
 getFolderById 
 ( 
 folderId 
 ); 
  
 const 
  
 files 
  
 = 
  
 folder 
 . 
 getFilesByName 
 ( 
 'Agenda TEMPLATE##' 
 ); 
  
 // If there is a file, returns the ID. 
  
 while 
  
 ( 
 files 
 . 
 hasNext 
 ()) 
  
 { 
  
 const 
  
 file 
  
 = 
  
 files 
 . 
 next 
 (); 
  
 return 
  
 file 
 . 
 getId 
 (); 
  
 } 
  
 // Otherwise, creates the agenda template. 
  
 // You can adjust the default template here 
  
 const 
  
 doc 
  
 = 
  
 DocumentApp 
 . 
 create 
 ( 
 'Agenda TEMPLATE##' 
 ); 
  
 const 
  
 body 
  
 = 
  
 doc 
 . 
 getBody 
 (); 
  
 body 
  
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '##Attendees##' 
 ) 
  
 . 
 setHeading 
 ( 
 DocumentApp 
 . 
 ParagraphHeading 
 . 
 HEADING1 
 ) 
  
 . 
 editAsText 
 () 
  
 . 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 ' ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 false 
 ); 
  
 body 
  
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 'Overview' 
 ) 
  
 . 
 setHeading 
 ( 
 DocumentApp 
 . 
 ParagraphHeading 
 . 
 HEADING1 
 ) 
  
 . 
 editAsText 
 () 
  
 . 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 ' ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Topic 1: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 ' ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 false 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Topic 2: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 ' ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 false 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Topic 3: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 ' ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 false 
 ); 
  
 body 
  
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 'Next Steps' 
 ) 
  
 . 
 setHeading 
 ( 
 DocumentApp 
 . 
 ParagraphHeading 
 . 
 HEADING1 
 ) 
  
 . 
 editAsText 
 () 
  
 . 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Takeaway 1: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Responsible: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 false 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Accountable: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Consult: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Inform: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 ' ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Takeaway 2: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Responsible: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 false 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Accountable: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Consult: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Inform: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 ' ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Takeaway 3: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 true 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Responsible: ' 
 ). 
 editAsText 
 (). 
 setBold 
 ( 
 false 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Accountable: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Consult: ' 
 ); 
  
 body 
 . 
 appendParagraph 
 ( 
 '- Inform: ' 
 ); 
  
 doc 
 . 
 saveAndClose 
 (); 
  
 folder 
 . 
 addFile 
 ( 
 DriveApp 
 . 
 getFileById 
 ( 
 doc 
 . 
 getId 
 ())); 
  
 return 
  
 doc 
 . 
 getId 
 (); 
 } 
 /** 
 * When there is a change to the calendar, searches for events that include "#agenda" 
 * in the decrisption. 
 * 
 */ 
 function 
  
 onCalendarChange 
 () 
  
 { 
  
 // Gets recent events with the #agenda tag 
  
 const 
  
 now 
  
 = 
  
 new 
  
 Date 
 (); 
  
 const 
  
 events 
  
 = 
  
 CalendarApp 
 . 
 getEvents 
 ( 
  
 now 
 , 
  
 new 
  
 Date 
 ( 
 now 
 . 
 getTime 
 () 
  
 + 
  
 2 
  
 * 
  
 60 
  
 * 
  
 60 
  
 * 
  
 1000000 
 ), 
  
 { 
 search 
 : 
  
 '#agenda' 
 }, 
  
 ); 
  
 const 
  
 folderId 
  
 = 
  
 checkFolder 
 (); 
  
 const 
  
 templateId 
  
 = 
  
 getTemplateId 
 ( 
 folderId 
 ); 
  
 const 
  
 folder 
  
 = 
  
 DriveApp 
 . 
 getFolderById 
 ( 
 folderId 
 ); 
  
 // Loops through any events found 
  
 for 
  
 ( 
 i 
  
 = 
  
 0 
 ; 
  
 i 
 < 
 events 
 . 
 length 
 ; 
  
 i 
 ++ 
 ) 
  
 { 
  
 const 
  
 event 
  
 = 
  
 events 
 [ 
 i 
 ]; 
  
 // Confirms whether the event has the #agenda tag 
  
 let 
  
 description 
  
 = 
  
 event 
 . 
 getDescription 
 (); 
  
 if 
  
 ( 
 description 
 . 
 search 
 ( 
 '#agenda' 
 ) 
  
 == 
  
 - 
 1 
 ) 
  
 continue 
 ; 
  
 // Only works with events created by the owner of this calendar 
  
 if 
  
 ( 
 event 
 . 
 isOwnedByMe 
 ()) 
  
 { 
  
 // Creates a new document from the template for an agenda for this event 
  
 const 
  
 newDoc 
  
 = 
  
 DriveApp 
 . 
 getFileById 
 ( 
 templateId 
 ). 
 makeCopy 
 (); 
  
 newDoc 
 . 
 setName 
 ( 
 'Agenda for ' 
  
 + 
  
 event 
 . 
 getTitle 
 ()); 
  
 const 
  
 file 
  
 = 
  
 DriveApp 
 . 
 getFileById 
 ( 
 newDoc 
 . 
 getId 
 ()); 
  
 folder 
 . 
 addFile 
 ( 
 file 
 ); 
  
 const 
  
 doc 
  
 = 
  
 DocumentApp 
 . 
 openById 
 ( 
 newDoc 
 . 
 getId 
 ()); 
  
 const 
  
 body 
  
 = 
  
 doc 
 . 
 getBody 
 (); 
  
 // Fills in the template with information about the attendees from the 
  
 // calendar event 
  
 const 
  
 conf 
  
 = 
  
 body 
 . 
 findText 
 ( 
 '##Attendees##' 
 ); 
  
 if 
  
 ( 
 conf 
 ) 
  
 { 
  
 const 
  
 ref 
  
 = 
  
 conf 
 . 
 getStartOffset 
 (); 
  
 for 
  
 ( 
 let 
  
 i 
  
 in 
  
 event 
 . 
 getGuestList 
 ()) 
  
 { 
  
 let 
  
 guest 
  
 = 
  
 event 
 . 
 getGuestList 
 ()[ 
 i 
 ]; 
  
 body 
 . 
 insertParagraph 
 ( 
 ref 
  
 + 
  
 2 
 , 
  
 guest 
 . 
 getEmail 
 ()); 
  
 } 
  
 body 
 . 
 replaceText 
 ( 
 '##Attendees##' 
 , 
  
 'Attendees' 
 ); 
  
 } 
  
 // Replaces the tag with a link to the agenda document 
  
 const 
  
 agendaUrl 
  
 = 
  
 'https://docs.google.com/document/d/' 
  
 + 
  
 newDoc 
 . 
 getId 
 (); 
  
 description 
  
 = 
  
 description 
 . 
 replace 
 ( 
  
 '#agenda' 
 , 
  
 '<a href=' 
  
 + 
  
 agendaUrl 
  
 + 
  
 '>Agenda Doc</a>' 
 , 
  
 ); 
  
 event 
 . 
 setDescription 
 ( 
 description 
 ); 
  
 // Invites attendees to the Google doc so they automatically receive access to the agenda 
  
 newDoc 
 . 
 addEditor 
 ( 
 newDoc 
 . 
 getOwner 
 ()); 
  
 for 
  
 ( 
 let 
  
 i 
  
 in 
  
 event 
 . 
 getGuestList 
 ()) 
  
 { 
  
 let 
  
 guest 
  
 = 
  
 event 
 . 
 getGuestList 
 ()[ 
 i 
 ]; 
  
 newDoc 
 . 
 addEditor 
 ( 
 guest 
 . 
 getEmail 
 ()); 
  
 } 
  
 } 
  
 } 
  
 return 
 ; 
 } 
 /** 
 * Creates an event-driven trigger that fires whenever there's a change to the calendar. 
 */ 
 function 
  
 setUp 
 () 
  
 { 
  
 let 
  
 email 
  
 = 
  
 Session 
 . 
 getActiveUser 
 (). 
 getEmail 
 (); 
  
 ScriptApp 
 . 
 newTrigger 
 ( 
 "onCalendarChange" 
 ). 
 forUserCalendar 
 ( 
 email 
 ). 
 onEventUpdated 
 (). 
 create 
 (); 
 }

    Modifications

    You can edit the sample as much as you'd like to fit your needs. Below are a few optional changes you can make.

    Update agenda document permissions for attendees

    The script gives attendees permission to edit. If you want to limit the permissions to view only, replace the addEditor method with the addViewer method in the following part of the code:

    for (let i in event.getGuestList()) {
       let guest = event.getGuestList()[i];

       newDoc. addEditor 
(guest.getEmail());

    Edit the agenda document template

    To update the agenda document template, take the following steps:

    1. After you create your first agenda in a calendar event, open Google Drive.
    2. Open the folder called Agenda Maker - App .
    3. Open the Agenda TEMPLATE## document and make your edits.

    Contributors

    This sample was created by Jeremy Glassenberg, Product Management and Platform Strategy Consultant. Find Jeremy on Twitter @jglassenberg .

    This sample is maintained by Google with the help of Google Developer Experts.

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