Adding a named worksheet to Google Spreadsheet using Apps Script

Other Questions Google Sheets
1

I’m working on a Google Apps Script project and need to programmatically add a new worksheet to my existing Google Spreadsheet. I want to give this new worksheet a custom name instead of using the default naming.

I’ve been looking through the documentation but I’m not sure which method to use. Can someone show me the proper way to insert a new sheet with a specific title? I’m pretty new to Apps Script so a simple example would be really helpful.

Here’s what I’m trying to achieve:

function addNewWorksheet() {
  var workbook = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var newTab = workbook.insertSheet('Monthly Reports');
  Logger.log('Created sheet: ' + newTab.getName());
}

Is this the right approach or is there a better way to handle this?

2

The insertSheet method you’re using is perfectly fine, but there’s actually another way that gives you more flexibility. You can also use the insertSheet() method without parameters to create a default sheet first, then rename it using setName(). This approach is useful when you want to configure other sheet properties before setting the name. Here’s an alternative:

function addNewWorksheet() {
  var workbook = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var newTab = workbook.insertSheet();
  newTab.setName('Monthly Reports');
  Logger.log('Created sheet: ' + newTab.getName());
}

Both methods work equally well, but I’ve found the second approach handy when I need to set up multiple properties like row count, column count, or initial formatting before finalizing the sheet name. Your original code is more straightforward though if you just need a simple named sheet.

3

yeah that’s pretty much the right way to do it. i’ve used insertSheet() tons of times and never had issues. just make sure your spreadsheet isnt locked or shared with view-only permissions otherwise you’ll get errors when trying to add sheets.

4

Your code looks correct and will definitely work for creating a named worksheet. The insertSheet() method with a string parameter is the standard approach for this task. However, I’d suggest adding some error handling since I’ve run into situations where duplicate sheet names can cause issues. You might want to check if a sheet with that name already exists first using getSheetByName() and handle that case appropriately. Also, if you need more control over the sheet properties like position or number of rows/columns, you can use the overloaded version that accepts an options object as the second parameter. But for basic sheet creation with a custom name, your approach is solid and commonly used in Apps Script projects.