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April 6, 2013 4:49 PM

Google Docs Sheets question

I want to create a Google Docs Sheet with a form. The form would have the usual form fields, which I understand how to do and how to link to the sheet.

What I want to happen is for there to also be a kind of routing function. So once one person approves the form it gets sent to the next person to approve. It needs to pass through about 6 people before it ends up with the final person.

I know people can share it with the next person, but I want this to be built into the form. So the next person gets a link to the form and an email saying the form needs their attention.

I also want to keep track of the form.

posted by fifilaru to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

I'm doubtful that it can be done just within the form. But what I would do to come close is:

Create a new shared folder under Evernote.
Create a single new note in that folder.
Add a link to the GDrive document.
Place checkboxes for each member of the group to check when he or she is done with it.
posted by yclipse at 5:17 PM on April 6, 2013

Google Apps Tutorial on Workflow

Not sure if this truly covers what you're looking for, but it might be a jumping off point.
posted by skittlekicks at 5:23 PM on April 6, 2013 [2 favorites]

Are you comfortable with javascript? If so, you can write a google script to accomplish it. Here's roughly what I'd do:

Make a spreadsheet with the linked form.

Make a google script associated with the spreadsheet

Using a form submit event which triggers an e-mail to be sent to a specified recipient alerting them that a form has been submitted.

I would then create another sheet in the spreadsheet which would display the contents of the most recent form submission in a readable format. Most of this new sheet would be protected from editing, except a few columns where someone can indicate that it has been approved by writing their name or something.

When someone adds their approval "signature", your google script will again trigger an e-mail to be sent to the next recipient, and so forth.

This is doable, but not without some javascript experience.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 5:24 PM on April 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

A guy I know wrote a few scripts that work amazingly well for things like this. Most of the top-rated scripts in the Google Scripts Gallery are his actually. On your spreadsheet, Insert-->Script and look for FormMule and AutoCrat.

I've used them for a lot of similar projects, and they can do some of what Salvor Hardin describes.
posted by etc. at 5:30 PM on April 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

You can set up notifications when the content of a cell changes. So you can set up cells for each person's approval that trigger emails to the next person in the chain. This would send a link to the spreadsheet associated with the form though, not the form itself.
posted by emeiji at 6:08 PM on April 6, 2013 [1 favorite]