I need help with Google Apps Script to automatically populate formulas in a spreadsheet column. I’m working on an Android application that requires integration with Google Sheets, but I’m new to both Apps Script and Sheets functionality.
Here’s what I’m trying to accomplish: I have a spreadsheet with a column called “Stock Price” where I want to insert Google Finance formulas. These formulas should calculate the current stock price based on company names listed in another column called “Company”. Currently my sheet has 3 data rows, and I need the script to apply the pricing formula to all existing rows in the Stock Price column.
The goal is to have the formula automatically update the stock prices for each company entry in real-time. I’m looking for a way to use Apps Script to insert these formulas programmatically rather than manually entering them into each cell.
Any guidance on how to write this Apps Script code would be really helpful. Thanks for your assistance!
quick tip - use getDataRange() to find your actual data rows instead of hardcoding the range. try var data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues() then loop through it. also make sure your company column has proper ticker symbols like ‘AAPL’ not ‘Apple Inc’ or googlefinance won’t work.
When dealing with the GOOGLEFINANCE function, I found it effective to use the getRange() method combined with setFormula() for bulk processing. Instead of setting formulas for each row, you can apply the formula across a range. For example: sheet.getRange(2, stockPriceColumn, lastRow-1, 1).setFormula('=GOOGLEFINANCE(A2:A' + lastRow + ',"price")'). This allows you to input the formula for multiple rows at once, which significantly enhances performance. Keep in mind that GOOGLEFINANCE uses tickers rather than company names, so have a mapping system ready. Additionally, be aware of the function’s limitations on stock symbols and rate limits; a test run with a small dataset is advisable, along with integrating error handling for potential lookup failures.
I encountered a similar challenge when I was developing a financial dashboard using Google Sheets. The solution lies in utilizing the setFormula method rather than setValue for entering your formulas. Here’s a practical approach: first, obtain a reference to your sheet, then identify the columns that contain your data. Loop through each row and dynamically create the GOOGLEFINANCE formula for the funds you want. For example, if your company names are in column A and the stock prices need to be in column B, you’d implement something like sheet.getRange(row, 2).setFormula(‘=GOOGLEFINANCE(A’ + row + ‘,“price”)’). Just a note: GOOGLEFINANCE requires stock symbols, not just the company names, so ensure your data is properly formatted. This method will automatically refresh the stock values, aligning with your need for real-time updates.