Google Apps Script: Automate Everything in Google Workspace for Free

Why Google Apps Script Is Underrated

Every person with a Google account already has access to Apps Script. It runs on Google's servers. It's completely free. And it can automate virtually everything in your Google Workspace — without any subscription, no server setup, no external tools.

Getting Started

• Open any Google Sheet, Doc, or Form
• Click Extensions → Apps Script
• A code editor opens — this is where you write your scripts
• Click the floppy disk icon to save, then the play button to run

Or go directly to script.google.com to create standalone scripts.

Automation 1: Auto-Label Emails in Gmail

Sort incoming emails automatically by sender domain, keywords, or any criteria.

function autoLabelEmails() {
  // Run this on a trigger: every 5 minutes
  const label   = GmailApp.getUserLabelByName('Clients') || GmailApp.createLabel('Clients')
  const threads = GmailApp.search('is:unread from:(@yourclient.com)', 0, 10)

  threads.forEach(thread => {
    thread.addLabel(label)
    // Optional: mark as read after labelling
    // thread.markRead()
  })
},

// Set a time-based trigger to run every 5 minutes:
// Extensions → Apps Script → Triggers → Add trigger
// Function: autoLabelEmails
// Select event source: Time-driven → Minutes timer → Every 5 minutes

Automation 2: Send Emails from a Google Sheet

You have a spreadsheet of contacts. Send each one a personalised email.

function sendPersonalisedEmails() {
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Contacts')
  const data  = sheet.getDataRange().getValues()

  // Skip header row
  for (let i = 1; i < data.length; i++) {
    const [name, email, company, status] = data[i]

    // Skip if already sent
    if (status === 'Sent') continue

    // Build email body
    const subject = `Following up — ${company}`
    const body    = `Hi ${name},

I wanted to follow up on our conversation about ${company}'s automation needs.

Have you had a chance to think about it?

Best,
Your Name`

    // Send email
    GmailApp.sendEmail(email, subject, body)

    // Mark as sent in the spreadsheet
    sheet.getRange(i + 1, 4).setValue('Sent')
    sheet.getRange(i + 1, 5).setValue(new Date())

    // Rate limiting: wait 1 second between emails
    Utilities.sleep(1000)
  }

  Logger.log('Done! Check the sheet for sent statuses.')
},

Automation 3: Webhook Receiver in Apps Script

Apps Script can receive webhooks — making it a free alternative to many paid webhook processors.

// This script acts as a webhook endpoint
// Deploy it as a Web App (Publish → Deploy as web app → Anyone can access)

function doPost(e) {
  const data = JSON.parse(e.postData.contents)

  // Log to a Sheet
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.openById('YOUR_SHEET_ID').getSheetByName('Webhooks')
  sheet.appendRow([
    new Date(),
    data.event || 'unknown',
    JSON.stringify(data),
  ])

  // Trigger actions based on event type
  if (data.event === 'payment.success') {
    handlePaymentSuccess(data)
  }

  return ContentService
    .createTextOutput(JSON.stringify({ success: true }))
    .setMimeType(ContentService.MimeType.JSON)
},

function handlePaymentSuccess(data) {
  // Send confirmation email, update CRM, etc.
  GmailApp.sendEmail(
    data.customer.email,
    'Payment Confirmed — Thank You!',
    `Hi ${data.customer.name}, your payment of ${data.amount} has been confirmed.`
  )
},

Automation 4: Generate Reports Automatically

function generateWeeklyReport() {
  const ss          = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet()
  const dataSheet   = ss.getSheetByName('Data')
  const reportSheet = ss.getSheetByName('Weekly Report') || ss.insertSheet('Weekly Report')

  const lastWeek = new Date()
  lastWeek.setDate(lastWeek.getDate() - 7)

  // Get data from last 7 days
  const allData = dataSheet.getDataRange().getValues()
  const weekData = allData.filter(row => new Date(row[0]) >= lastWeek)

  // Calculate metrics
  const totalRevenue = weekData.reduce((sum, row) => sum + (row[2] || 0), 0)
  const totalOrders  = weekData.length
  const avgOrder     = totalOrders > 0 ? totalRevenue / totalOrders : 0

  // Write to report sheet
  reportSheet.clearContents()
  reportSheet.getRange('A1').setValue('Weekly Report: ' + new Date().toDateString())
  reportSheet.getRange('A3:B6').setValues([
    ['Total Revenue',   totalRevenue],
    ['Total Orders',    totalOrders],
    ['Average Order',   avgOrder.toFixed(2)],
    ['Generated',       new Date()],
  ])

  // Email the report
  const recipient = 'you@example.com'
  const subject   = `Weekly Report — ${new Date().toDateString()}`
  const body      = `Weekly Summary:
Revenue: $${totalRevenue.toFixed(2)}
Orders: ${totalOrders}
Average Order: $${avgOrder.toFixed(2)}`

  GmailApp.sendEmail(recipient, subject, body)
  Logger.log('Weekly report sent!')
},

Triggers: Running Scripts Automatically

Without triggers, scripts only run when you manually click "Run." Triggers make them automatic.

To add a trigger:

• In Apps Script editor, click the clock icon (Triggers)
• Click "Add Trigger"
• Choose your function, event source, and schedule