Are you familiar with macros and scripting from within a Windows-based environment? Then perhaps you would like to know more about Google Apps Script. Apps Script allows you to extend and automate things from within your Google Apps domain – powered by JavaScript and the cloud.

While doing intensive development with Google Apps Script would require proficiency with JavaScript, anyone can get a taste for what these functions can do by implementing them within a Google Apps Spreadsheet. Here is how you would do that.

Open up a new spreadsheet and head over to the “Tools” menu option. Choose the “Script gallery” option.

When the Script Gallery window opens, you’ll see that there are a number of scripts developed by existing Google Apps users that could improve the functionality of your experience. The best way to move through these is by selecting a specific category that you may be looking for.

The Script Gallery in spreadsheets is mainly used for that application as well as for forms. But you can also have some customized services enabled in other portions of Google Apps. Check out this customized shared contacts script that syncs your personal contact group.

There is a range of development that you can do within Google Apps to make it customized to your own specifications. While there are limitations to the underlying structure of the Apps services, many types of automation and data gathering can be completed through simplified processes. To learn more about getting custom Google Apps Scripts, you can take a look at this resource to get a better idea of what Google Apps Script projects entail.

Please check out our recently recorded webinar that we hosted regarding Google Apps Script in this YouTube video.

Are you currently using Google Apps Script on your domain? If not, was this the first time that you had heard of this?