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Coding level: Beginner Duration: 20 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
If you have various types of content you'd like to offer your audience, you can
let users choose what content they receive from you with Google Forms.
This solution lets users select the topics they're interested in, then
automatically emails them their chosen content.
How it works
The script installs an event-driven trigger that runs each time a user submits
a form. With each form submission, the script creates and sends an email from
a Google Docs template. The email includes the user's name and the content they
selected. The content you offer can be of any type as long as it’s referenced by
a URL.
Apps Script services
This solution uses the following services:
Script service–Installs the event-driven
trigger that fires whenever someone submits the form.
Document service–Opens the
Docs template
that the script uses to create the email.
Mail service–Creates and sends the email with
the user’s name and content selection.
Spreadsheet service–Adds a confirmation
to the Form responses sheet after the script sends the email.
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
Click the following button to make a copy of the Send curated content
spreadsheet. The Apps Script project for this
solution is attached to the spreadsheet.
Make a copy
In your copied spreadsheet, click Extensions>Apps Script.
In the function dropdown, select installTrigger.
Click Run.
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).
Important: If you run installTrigger more than once, the script creates
multiple triggers that each send an email when a user submits the form. To
delete extra triggers and avoid duplicate emails, click Triggersalarm. Right-click on each extra trigger
and click Delete trigger.
Run the script
Switch back to the spreadsheet and click Tools>Manage form>Go to live form.
Fill out the form and click Submit.
Check your email for an email with links to the content you selected.
Review the code
To review the Apps Script code for this solution, click
View source code below:
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-18 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThis solution uses Google Forms and Apps Script to automatically email curated content to users based on their selected topics.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe script uses an event-driven trigger to run whenever a form is submitted, creating and sending emails from a Google Docs template.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eYou'll need a Google Account and a web browser to use this solution; setting up involves copying a spreadsheet, installing a trigger in Apps Script, and authorizing the script.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTo run the solution, simply open the form, fill it out, submit it, and check your email for the content links.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThis solution uses various Apps Script services like Script service, Document service, Mail service, and Spreadsheet service to manage triggers, templates, emails, and responses.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["This Apps Script solution automates sending curated content to users via email based on their Google Forms submissions. Upon each form submission, an event-driven trigger activates the script. The script then uses a Google Docs template to generate a personalized email that includes the user's name and links to content they selected. It uses the Script service to install a trigger, the Document service to open the template, the Mail service to send the email, and the Spreadsheet service to record the sending status.\n"],null,["**Coding level** : Beginner \n\n**Duration** : 20 minutes \n\n**Project type** : Automation with an\n[event-driven trigger](/apps-script/guides/triggers/installable#event-driven_triggers)\n\nObjectives\n\n- Understand what the solution does.\n- Understand what the Apps Script services do within the solution.\n- Set up the script.\n- Run the script.\n\nAbout this solution\n\nIf you have various types of content you'd like to offer your audience, you can\nlet users choose what content they receive from you with Google Forms.\nThis solution lets users select the topics they're interested in, then\nautomatically emails them their chosen content.\n\nHow it works\n\nThe script installs an event-driven trigger that runs each time a user submits\na form. With each form submission, the script creates and sends an email from\na Google Docs template. The email includes the user's name and the content they\nselected. The content you offer can be of any type as long as it's referenced by\na URL.\n\nApps Script services\n\nThis solution uses the following services:\n\n- [Script service](/apps-script/reference/script)--Installs the event-driven trigger that fires whenever someone submits the form.\n- [Document service](/apps-script/reference/document)--Opens the Docs template that the script uses to create the email.\n- [Mail service](/apps-script/reference/mail)--Creates and sends the email with the user's name and content selection.\n- [Spreadsheet service](/apps-script/reference/spreadsheet)--Adds a confirmation to the **Form responses** sheet after the script sends the email.\n\nPrerequisites\n\nTo use this sample, you need the following prerequisites:\n\n- A Google Account (Google Workspace accounts might require administrator approval).\n- A web browser with access to the internet.\n\nSet up the script\n\n1. Click the following button to make a copy of the **Send curated content**\n spreadsheet. The Apps Script project for this\n solution is attached to the spreadsheet.\n\n [Make a copy](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jYee3vEwI_v7tixJY68TH1mzcNuRm4O4O8YvXGsbNgc/copy)\n\n2. In your copied spreadsheet, click **Extensions**\n \\\u003e **Apps Script**.\n\n3. In the function dropdown, select **installTrigger**.\n\n4. Click **Run**.\n\n5. When prompted, authorize the script.\n If the OAuth consent screen displays the warning, **This app isn't verified** ,\n continue by selecting **Advanced** \\\u003e\n **Go to {Project Name} (unsafe)**.\n\n**Important** : If you run **installTrigger** more than once, the script creates\nmultiple triggers that each send an email when a user submits the form. To\ndelete extra triggers and avoid duplicate emails, click **Triggers**\nalarm. Right-click on each extra trigger\nand click **Delete trigger**.\n\nRun the script\n\n1. Switch back to the spreadsheet and click **Tools** \\\u003e **Manage form** \\\u003e **Go to live form**.\n2. Fill out the form and click **Submit**.\n3. Check your email for an email with links to the content you selected.\n\nReview the code\n\nTo review the Apps Script code for this solution, click\n**View source code** below: \n\nView source code\n\nCode.gs\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nsolutions/automations/content-signup/Code.js \n[View on GitHub](https://github.com/googleworkspace/apps-script-samples/blob/main/solutions/automations/content-signup/Code.js) \n\n```javascript\n// To learn how to use this script, refer to the documentation:\n// https://developers.google.com/apps-script/samples/automations/content-signup\n\n/*\nCopyright 2022 Google LLC\n\nLicensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the \"License\");\nyou may not use this file except in compliance with the License.\nYou may obtain a copy of the License at\n\n https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0\n\nUnless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software\ndistributed under the License is distributed on an \"AS IS\" BASIS,\nWITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.\nSee the License for the specific language governing permissions and\nlimitations under the License.\n*/\n\n// To use your own template doc, update the below variable with the URL of your own Google Doc template.\n// Make sure you update the sharing settings so that 'anyone' or 'anyone in your organization' can view.\nconst EMAIL_TEMPLATE_DOC_URL = 'https://docs.google.com/document/d/1enes74gWsMG3dkK3SFO08apXkr0rcYBd3JHKOb2Nksk/edit?usp=sharing';\n// Update this variable to customize the email subject.\nconst EMAIL_SUBJECT = 'Hello, here is the content you requested';\n\n// Update this variable to the content titles and URLs you want to offer. Make sure you update the form so that the content titles listed here match the content titles you list in the form.\nconst topicUrls = {\n 'Google Calendar how-to videos': 'https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU8ezI8GYqs7IPb_UdmUNKyUCqjzGO9PJ',\n 'Google Drive how-to videos': 'https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU8ezI8GYqs7Y5d1cgZm2Obq7leVtLkT4',\n 'Google Docs how-to videos': 'https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU8ezI8GYqs4JKwZ-fpBP-zSoWPL8Sit7',\n 'Google Sheets how-to videos': 'https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU8ezI8GYqs61ciKpXf_KkV7ZRbRHVG38',\n};\n\n/**\n * Installs a trigger on the spreadsheet for when someone submits a form.\n */\nfunction installTrigger() {\n ScriptApp.newTrigger('onFormSubmit')\n .forSpreadsheet(SpreadsheetApp.getActive())\n .onFormSubmit()\n .create();\n}\n\n/**\n * Sends a customized email for every form response.\n * \n * @param {Object} event - Form submit event\n */\nfunction onFormSubmit(e) {\n let responses = e.namedValues;\n\n // If the question title is a label, it can be accessed as an object field.\n // If it has spaces or other characters, it can be accessed as a dictionary.\n let timestamp = responses.Timestamp[0];\n let email = responses['Email address'][0].trim();\n let name = responses.Name[0].trim();\n let topicsString = responses.Topics[0].toLowerCase();\n\n // Parse topics of interest into a list (since there are multiple items\n // that are saved in the row as blob of text).\n let topics = Object.keys(topicUrls).filter(function(topic) {\n // indexOf searches for the topic in topicsString and returns a non-negative\n // index if the topic is found, or it will return -1 if it's not found.\n return topicsString.indexOf(topic.toLowerCase()) != -1;\n });\n\n // If there is at least one topic selected, send an email to the recipient.\n let status = '';\n if (topics.length \u003e 0) {\n MailApp.sendEmail({\n to: email,\n subject: EMAIL_SUBJECT,\n htmlBody: createEmailBody(name, topics),\n });\n status = 'Sent';\n }\n else {\n status = 'No topics selected';\n }\n\n // Append the status on the spreadsheet to the responses' row.\n let sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();\n let row = sheet.getActiveRange().getRow();\n let column = e.values.length + 1;\n sheet.getRange(row, column).setValue(status);\n\n console.log(\"status=\" + status + \"; responses=\" + JSON.stringify(responses));\n}\n\n/**\n * Creates email body and includes the links based on topic.\n *\n * @param {string} recipient - The recipient's email address.\n * @param {string[]} topics - List of topics to include in the email body.\n * @return {string} - The email body as an HTML string.\n */\nfunction createEmailBody(name, topics) {\n let topicsHtml = topics.map(function(topic) {\n let url = topicUrls[topic];\n return '\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"' + url + '\"\u003e' + topic + '\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e';\n }).join('');\n topicsHtml = '\u003cul\u003e' + topicsHtml + '\u003c/ul\u003e';\n\n // Make sure to update the emailTemplateDocId at the top.\n let docId = DocumentApp.openByUrl(EMAIL_TEMPLATE_DOC_URL).getId();\n let emailBody = docToHtml(docId);\n emailBody = emailBody.replace(/{{NAME}}/g, name);\n emailBody = emailBody.replace(/{{TOPICS}}/g, topicsHtml);\n return emailBody;\n}\n\n/**\n * Downloads a Google Doc as an HTML string.\n * \n * @param {string} docId - The ID of a Google Doc to fetch content from.\n * @return {string} The Google Doc rendered as an HTML string.\n */\nfunction docToHtml(docId) {\n\n // Downloads a Google Doc as an HTML string.\n let url = \"https://docs.google.com/feeds/download/documents/export/Export?id=\" +\n docId + \"&exportFormat=html\";\n let param = {\n method: \"get\",\n headers: {\"Authorization\": \"Bearer \" + ScriptApp.getOAuthToken()},\n muteHttpExceptions: true,\n };\n return UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, param).getContentText();\n}\n```\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nContributors\n\nThis sample is maintained by Google with the help of Google Developer Experts.\n\nNext steps\n\n- [Event-driven triggers](/apps-script/guides/triggers/installable#event-driven_triggers)\n- [Spreadsheet service reference](/apps-script/reference/spreadsheet)"]]