How to Automate Email Responses with Google Forms and Google Sheets

Are you looking to Automate Email Responses with Google Forms and Google Sheets and improve your email communication? Imagine receiving form submissions and automatically sending personalized emails to respondents based on their inputs. Sounds interesting, right?

Automating email responses can save you a significant amount of time, especially when managing sign-ups or registrations through Google Forms.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up an automated email response using Google Forms and Google Sheets. By the end, you’ll have a system that automatically sends a welcome email inviting new sign-ups to join your Slack community.

Are you ready to start using automated email responses with Google Forms and Google Sheets? Let’s begin!

Automate Email Responses with Google Forms and Google Sheets

Automating email responses with Google Forms and Google Sheets can transform your communication workflow. In just a few simple steps, you can save time and boost efficiency by automatically sending personalized emails based on form responses.

Step 1: Create Your Google Form

Start by creating a Google Form to collect the necessary information from your respondents. Ensure your form includes an email field, as this will be essential for sending out the automated emails.

1. Open Google Forms.
2. Create a new form and add the fields you need (e.g., Name, Email).
3. Make sure to include a field for the email address.

Step 2: Link Google Form to Google Sheets

Once your form is set up, you need to link it to a Google Sheet where the responses will be stored.

1. Go to the “Responses” tab in your Google Form.
2. Click on the View in Sheets to create a linked Google Sheet.

Step 3: Compose Your Email Template in Gmail

Next, compose the email you want to send to new sign-ups in Gmail and save it as a draft.

1. Open Gmail and click “Compose.”

Draft your email with the subject and body content. Here’s a template you can use:

Subject: Welcome to Our Community! Join Us on Slack
Body:
Hi [Name],
Thank you for signing up! We’re excited to have you as part of our community.
To get started, please join our Slack community, where you can connect with other members, participate in discussions, and stay updated on the latest news and events.
[Join Our Slack Community](Your Slack Invite Link)
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to us.
Best regards,

2. Save this email as a draft without sending it.

Step 4: Write the Script in Google Sheets

Now, it’s time to write the script that will send the automated emails.

1. Open the Google Sheet linked to your form.
2. Go to Extensions > Apps Script.

Delete any code in the script editor and paste the following script:

/**
 * @OnlyCurrentDoc
* @see https://developers.google.com/apps-script/guides/services/authorization#manual_authorization_scopes
 */
function sendEmails() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveSheet();
  var startRow = 2;  // First row of data to process
  var numRows = sheet.getLastRow() - 1;  // Number of rows to process
  var dataRange = sheet.getRange(startRow, 1, numRows, sheet.getLastColumn());
  var data = dataRange.getValues();
 var draft = GmailApp.getDrafts()[0];  // Assuming the draft is the first one in the list
var draftMessage = draft.getMessage();
  var draftBody = draftMessage.getBody();
  var draftSubject = draftMessage.getSubject();
  for (var i = 0; i < data.length; ++i) {
    var row = data[I];
    var emailAddress = row[2];  // Assuming the email is in the third column (Column C)
    var emailSent = row[3];  // Assuming you have a column that tracks if the email was sent (Column D)
    if (validateEmail(emailAddress) && emailSent !== 'EMAIL_SENT') {  // Prevents sending duplicate emails and ensures valid email
      var personalizedBody = draftBody.replace("[Name]", row[0]);  // Replace [Name] with the actual name from the form
      MailApp.sendEmail({
        to: emailAddress,
        subject: draftSubject,
        htmlBody: personalizedBody
      });
      sheet.getRange(startRow + i, 4).setValue('EMAIL_SENT');  // Update the cell to indicate the email was sent (Column D)
   }
  }
}
function authorize() {
  // This function triggers the authorization process
  MailApp.sendEmail(Session.getActiveUser().getEmail(), 'Authorization', 'Please authorize this script to send emails.');
}
function validateEmail(email) {
  var re = /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/;
  return re.test(email);
}

Step 5: Set Up the Trigger

Set up a trigger to ensure the script runs whenever the form is submitted.

1. Go to Triggers (the clock icon) in the Apps Script editor.
2. Click on + Add Trigger.
3. Choose the sendEmails function, select From form in the event source, and choose On form submit.

Step 6: Authorize the Script

You need to authorize the script to access your Gmail and send emails on your behalf.

1. Run the authorize function manually to trigger the authorization process:
   • Select Authorize from the dropdown menu.
   • Click the run button (▶).

Step 7: Save and Test

Finally, save your script and submit a test response to your form to verify the email is sent correctly.

Next Steps

By following these steps, you will have successfully automated sending welcome emails to new sign-ups, inviting them to join your Slack community. This setup saves you time and ensures a smooth and professional onboarding experience for your new community members.