Build Google Apps Script automation for Sheets and Workspace. Custom menus, triggers (onEdit / time-driven / form submit), dialogs, sidebars, email batches, PDF export, external API. Use whenever the user wants to automate a Google Sheet, build a Sheets menu / sidebar / dialog,
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Build Google Apps Script automation for Sheets and Workspace. Custom menus, triggers (onEdit / time-driven / form submit), dialogs, sidebars, email batches, PDF export, external API. Use whenever the user wants to automate a Google Sheet, build a Sheets menu / sidebar / dialog,
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LanguagePython
LicenseMIT
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</> SKILL.md
google-apps-script.SKILL.md
---name: google-apps-script
description: "Build Google Apps Script automation for Sheets and Workspace. Custom menus, triggers (onEdit / time-driven / form submit), dialogs, sidebars, email batches, PDF export, external API. Use whenever the user wants to automate a Google Sheet, build a Sheets menu / sidebar / dialog, hit a Sheets row from email or a webhook, schedule a Sheets workflow, or asks 'how do I script this in Sheets'."
compatibility: claude-code-only
---# Google Apps Script
Build automation scripts for Google Sheets and Workspace apps. Scripts run server-side on Google's infrastructure with a generous free tier.
## What You Produce
- Apps Script code pasted into Extensions > Apps Script
- Custom menus, dialogs, sidebars
- Automated triggers (on edit, time-driven, form submit)
- Email notifications, PDF exports, API integrations
## Workflow
### Step 1: Understand the Automation
Ask what the user wants automated. Common scenarios:
- Custom menu with actions (report generation, data processing)
- Auto-triggered behaviour (on edit, on form submit, scheduled)
- Sidebar app for data entry
- Email notifications from sheet data
- PDF export and distribution
### Step 2: Generate the Script
Follow the structure template below. Every script needs a header comment, configuration constants at top, and `onOpen()` for menu setup.
### Step 3: Provide Installation Instructions
All scripts install the same way:
1. Open the Google Sheet
2. **Extensions > Apps Script**
3. Delete any existing code in the editor
4. Paste the script
5. Click **Save**
6. Close the Apps Script tab
7. **Reload the spreadsheet** (onOpen runs on page load)
### Step 4: First-Time Authorisation
Each user gets a Google OAuth consent screen on first run. For unverified scripts (most internal scripts), users must click:
**Advanced > Go to [Project Name] (unsafe) > Allow**
This is a one-time step per user. Warn users about this in your output.
---
## Script Structure Template
Every script should follow this pattern:
```javascript
/**
* [Project Name] - [Brief Description]
*
* [What it does, key features]
*
* INSTALL: Extensions > Apps Script > paste this > Save > Reload sheet
*/
// --- CONFIGURATION ---
const SOME_SETTING = 'value';
// --- MENU SETUP ---
function onOpen() {
const ui = SpreadsheetApp.getUi();
ui.createMenu('My Menu')
.addItem('Do Something', 'myFunction')
.addSeparator()
.addSubMenu(ui.createMenu('More Options')
.addItem('Option A', 'optionA'))
.addToUi();
}
// --- FUNCTIONS ---
function myFunction() {
// Implementation
}
```
---
## Critical Rules
### Public vs Private Functions
Functions ending with `_` (underscore) are **private** and CANNOT be called from client-side HTML via `google.script.run`. This is a silent failure -- the call simply doesn't work with no error.
```javascript
// WRONG - dialog can't call this, fails silently
function doWork_() { return 'done'; }
// RIGHT - dialog can call this
function doWork() { return 'done'; }
```
**Also applies to**: Menu item function references must be public function names as strings.
### Batch Operations (Critical for Performance)
Read/write data in bulk, never cell-by-cell. The difference is 70x.
```javascript
// SLOW (70 seconds on 100x100) - reads one cell at a time
Always use `getRange().getValues()` / `setValues()` for bulk reads/writes.
### V8 Runtime
V8 is the **only** runtime (Rhino was removed January 2026). Supports modern JavaScript: `const`, `let`, arrow functions, template literals, destructuring, classes, async/generators.
Call `SpreadsheetApp.flush()` before returning from functions that modify the sheet, especially when called from HTML dialogs. Without it, changes may not be visible when the dialog shows "Done."
### Simple vs Installable Triggers
| Feature | Simple (`onEdit`) | Installable |
|---------|-------------------|-------------|
| Auth required | No | Yes |
| Send email | No | Yes |
| Access other files | No | Yes |
| URL fetch | No | Yes |
| Open dialogs | No | Yes |
| Runs as | Active user | Trigger creator |
Use simple triggers for lightweight reactions. Use installable triggers (via `ScriptApp.newTrigger()`) when you need email, external APIs, or cross-file access.
### Custom Spreadsheet Functions
Functions used as `=MY_FUNCTION()` in cells have strict limitations:
Three scopes: `PropertiesService.getScriptProperties()` (shared), `.getUserProperties()` (per user), `.getDocumentProperties()` (per spreadsheet). All use `.setProperty(key, value)` / `.getProperty(key)`. 500 KB limit.
---
## Recipes
### Auto-Archive Completed Rows
Move rows with "Complete" status to an Archive sheet. Processes bottom-up to avoid shifting row indices.
```javascript
function archiveCompleted() {
const ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
const source = ss.getSheetByName('Active');
const archive = ss.getSheetByName('Archive');
const data = source.getDataRange().getValues();
const statusCol = 4; // column E (0-indexed)
for (let i = data.length - 1; i >= 1; i--) {
if (data[i][statusCol] === 'Complete') {
archive.appendRow(data[i]);
source.deleteRow(i + 1); // +1 for 1-indexed rows
}
}
SpreadsheetApp.flush();
}
```
### Duplicate Detection and Highlighting
Pattern: read column with `getValues()`, track seen values in an object, highlight both the original and duplicate rows with `setBackground('#f4cccc')`. Process all data in one `getValues()` call, then set backgrounds individually (unavoidable for scattered highlights).
### Batch Email Sender
Key pattern: check `MailApp.getRemainingDailyQuota()` before sending, mark status per row, wrap each send in try/catch.
Pattern: loop numbered weekly tabs (`01`-`52`), read summary cells from each, write aggregated rows into a Summary sheet. Use `ss.getSheetByName(tabName)` to iterate, `ss.insertSheet('Summary')` if it doesn't exist, `summary.autoResizeColumns()` at end, `flush()` before return.
---
## Error Handling
Always wrap external calls in try/catch. Use `muteHttpExceptions: true` to handle HTTP errors yourself. Re-throw for dialog error handlers.
