Automate Birthday Wishes with Google Sheets: A Time-saving Solution

Automate Birthday Wishes with Google Sheets: A Time-saving Solution

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Setting up Google Sheets and App Script
   1. Logging into your Google account
   2. Making a copy of the sheet
   3. Entering employee data
   4. Adding images
   5. Uploading greeting images
   6. Sharing image files
   7. Adding image codes to the spreadsheet
   8. Adding messages
3. Testing the code
   1. Running the code manually
   2. Setting up automatic execution
4. Customizing the emails
   1. Adding more employee details
   2. Adding more images
   3. Customizing colors
5. Conclusion

🎯 How to Schedule and Send Automated Birthday Wishes using Google Sheets and App Script

Introduction

In this article, we will guide you step-by-step on how to schedule and send automated birthday wishes to your employees using Google Sheets and App Script. By following these instructions, you will be able to streamline the process of sending personalized birthday greetings to your team members, saving you time and effort.

Setting up Google Sheets and App Script

1. Logging into your Google account: To begin, open a browser and log in to your Google account.
2. Making a copy of the sheet: After successfully logging in, click on the link provided in the description below or copy and paste the link into your browser. Once the page opens, click on the "Make a Copy" option.
3. Entering employee data: In the copied sheet, you will need to enter the list of employees for whom you want to send wishes. Ensure that you do not change the column structure and fill in the mandatory fields such as Name, Date, Month, and Email.
4. Adding images: Open Google Drive and create a new folder named "Images" or any other preferred name. Upload the greeting images from your hard drive to this folder. Share the image files for public view and copy the file ID.
5. Adding image codes to the spreadsheet: Go back to the spreadsheet and paste the image code in the "Images" sheet. Add names to easily identify the uploaded images. Note that customizing other columns in yellow is optional for code execution.
6. Adding messages: Search for birthday quotes online and copy and add them to the "Messages" sheet. Now, all the required fields, including employee details, images, and messages, have been successfully added.

Testing the code

1. Running the code manually: Click on "Tools" in the menu, select "Script editor," and run the code using the provided icon. Grant the necessary permissions for the code to execute. Verify that the email is sent successfully.
2. Setting up automatic execution: To schedule automated birthday wishes, click on the trigger icon, select "Add Trigger," and choose "Time driven" as the event source. Set the trigger interval to "day timer" and the last option to midnight. Save the trigger to enable the code to run automatically.

Customizing the emails

1. Adding more employee details: Add additional employee details to the fields provided in the spreadsheet. Expand your recipient list and personalize the birthday wishes further.
2. Adding more images: You can upload more images to the "Images" sheet and copy the corresponding codes. Add various images with different colors to enhance your birthday greetings.
3. Customizing colors: To customize the text, background, and border colors of the emails, search for the relevant hex codes for the colors you desire. Add the hex codes preceded by a hash symbol in the appropriate columns to achieve your desired color combination.

Conclusion

By following this comprehensive guide, you have successfully set up and customized an automated system to send birthday wishes to your employees using Google Sheets and App Script. This efficient process will help you maintain a personal touch while managing a large number of birthday greetings. Good luck in implementing this time-saving solution for your team!

"Highlights:"

1. Learn how to automate sending birthday wishes to employees using Google Sheets and App Script.
2. Step-by-step instructions for setting up the required Google Sheets and App Script.
3. Customization options for images, messages, and email colors.
4. Testing the code and setting up automatic execution.
5. Save time and effort by streamlining the process of sending personalized birthday wishes.

FAQ:

Q: Can I add more columns to the spreadsheet? A: Yes, you can add additional columns to the spreadsheet to include more employee details or customize your message further.

Q: Can I schedule the automated birthday wishes for specific times other than midnight? A: Yes, you can change the trigger interval to match your preferred time for the execution of the code.

Q: Can I use this method for sending automated wishes for other occasions? A: While this guide focuses on sending automated birthday wishes, you can modify the code and spreadsheet to adapt it for other occasions like anniversaries or work anniversaries.

Resources:

• Google Sheets
• Google App Script