Automation quickstart

Build and run a simple automation that creates a Google Docs document and emails you a link to the document.

Objectives

• Set up the script.
• Run the script.

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

To build the automation, take the following steps:

1. To open the Apps Script editor, go to script.google.com . If this is the first time you've been to script.google.com , click View Dashboard.
2. Click New project.

3. Delete any code in the script editor and paste in the code below.

   templates/standalone/helloWorld.gs

   View on GitHub

    /** 
    * Creates a Google Doc and sends an email to the current user with a link to the doc. 
    */ 
    function 
     
    createAndSendDocument 
    () 
     
    { 
     
    try 
     
    { 
     
    // Create a new Google Doc named 'Hello, world!' 
     
    const 
     
    doc 
     
    = 
     
    DocumentApp 
    . 
    create 
    ( 
    'Hello, world!' 
    ); 
     
    // Access the body of the document, then add a paragraph. 
     
    doc 
    . 
    getBody 
    (). 
    appendParagraph 
    ( 
    'This document was created by Google Apps Script.' 
    ); 
     
    // Get the URL of the document. 
     
    const 
     
    url 
     
    = 
     
    doc 
    . 
    getUrl 
    (); 
     
    // Get the email address of the active user - that's you. 
     
    const 
     
    email 
     
    = 
     
    Session 
    . 
    getActiveUser 
    (). 
    getEmail 
    (); 
     
    // Get the name of the document to use as an email subject line. 
     
    const 
     
    subject 
     
    = 
     
    doc 
    . 
    getName 
    (); 
     
    // Append a new string to the "url" variable to use as an email body. 
     
    const 
     
    body 
     
    = 
     
    'Link to your doc: ' 
     
    + 
     
    url 
    ; 
     
    // Send yourself an email with a link to the document. 
     
    GmailApp 
    . 
    sendEmail 
    ( 
    email 
    , 
     
    subject 
    , 
     
    body 
    ); 
     
    } 
     
    catch 
     
    ( 
    err 
    ) 
     
    { 
     
    // TODO (developer) - Handle exception 
     
    console 
    . 
    log 
    ( 
    'Failed with error %s' 
    , 
     
    err 
    . 
    message 
    ); 
     
    } 
    } 
   

4. Click Save.

5. Click Untitled project.

6. Enter a name for your script and click Rename.

Run the script

To run the script, take the following steps:

1. Click Run.

2. 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).

3. When the script execution completes, check your Gmail inbox for the email.

4. Open the email and click the link to open the document that you created.

Next steps

• Extend Google Docs
• Extend Google Sheets
• Extend Google Slides
• Basic JavaScript features