Automatically convert and send Google Sheets as Excel files on schedule

Other Questions Google Sheets
1

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to figure out how to automatically convert my Google Sheet to an Excel file and email it on a regular schedule. Here’s what I want to do:

  1. Use my phone to update a timesheet using Google Forms
  2. Create a copy of the sheet and rename it with the current date
  3. Convert the sheet to an Excel file
  4. Email it to my boss every Sunday at 9 PM

I’ve looked around online but most of the info I found is for the old Google Docs. I tried using some code I found, but Excel says the file is corrupt when I open it.

Has anyone done something like this with the new Google Sheets? Any tips or tricks would be really helpful! Thanks in advance!

2

hey there! i’ve dealt with similar stuff before. have u tried using zapier? it’s pretty cool for connecting diff apps. u could set it up to grab ur sheet, turn it into excel, and email it on sundays. might take a bit to figure out but once it’s running it’s awesome. no more manual work!

3

I’ve actually tackled a similar challenge at my workplace. We ended up using Google Apps Script, which worked pretty well for our needs. Here’s what we did:

We created a script that runs every Sunday evening. It makes a copy of our main sheet, renames it with the date, then uses the built-in export function to save it as an Excel file. The tricky part was getting the email part right - we had to use MailApp to send the file as an attachment.

One gotcha we ran into was file size limits for attachments. If your sheet is large, you might need to use Google Drive to create a shareable link instead.

It took some trial and error, but once we got it working, it’s been running smoothly for months. The boss is happy, and we don’t have to remember to send it manually anymore. If you’re comfortable with a bit of scripting, I’d definitely recommend giving Apps Script a shot.

4

Have you considered using Google Apps Script for this? It’s a powerful tool built right into Google Sheets that can handle your requirements. You’d need to write a script that runs on a time-based trigger every Sunday at 9 PM. The script would create a copy of your sheet, rename it with the current date, export it as an Excel file, and then email it to your boss. The trickiest part might be the Excel conversion, but there are libraries available that can help with that. As for updating from your phone, you’re already on the right track with Google Forms. Just make sure your script is pulling data from the correct sheet. It might take some time to set up, but once it’s running, it’ll save you a lot of hassle in the long run.