Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 are two of the most widely available productivity solutions on the market, suitable for both small and large businesses. Which one you choose depends on your organization’s needs—but for many, the seamless collaboration features of Google Workspace are a major advantage.
For users of Google services, there’s a powerful tool called Google Apps Script. It allows you to add custom functionality to Google Sheets, Google Docs, and other Google apps, automate organization-specific workflows, or even build lightweight web applications tailored to your business.
In this article, we’ll explore how automation and app development using Google Apps Script can streamline your operations.
What Can You Do with Google Apps Script?
Google Apps Script is a powerful scripting platform that extends and automates various Google Workspace applications such as Google Sheets, Docs, Forms, and more.
One particularly useful—but not widely known—feature is the ability to build web applications that interact with Google services and even external APIs. If your data requirements are relatively small, Apps Script can be a highly effective way to build custom apps.
Here are just a few of the many things you can do with Apps Script:
- Add custom menus, dialogs, or sidebars to Google Docs, Forms, or Sheets
- Create custom functions in Google Sheets
- Interact with other Google services like AdSense, Analytics, Calendar, Drive, Gmail, and Maps
- Integrate workflows with Google Chat
- Develop lightweight web applications
Pricing and Limitations of Google Apps Script
Apps Script is free to use, whether you’re using the free Gmail version or a paid Google Workspace account. If your organization is already using Google Workspace, there’s no additional cost to use Apps Script. You don’t need to worry about hosting or server setup.
However, there are some usage limits you should be aware of:
Paid Google Workspace users have a higher daily execution limit of 6 hours per day.
Google imposes limits on the total processing time per user per day.
For example, if a function takes 5 minutes to run, a free Gmail user can run that function up to 18 times per day (5 min × 18 = 90 minutes total).
Daily Execution Time Limits:
| Account Type | Daily Execution Time |
|---|---|
| Free Users (e.g. @gmail.com) | 90 minutes per day |
| Google Workspace Accounts | 6 hours per day |
※Each user can also have up to 20 triggers per script.
If you’re building complex or custom enterprise-grade systems, a more robust development platform may be a better fit. However, for routine automation tasks or simple web apps, Google Apps Script often provides all the flexibility and power you need.
At FLOURISH, we help businesses grow with future-ready solutions by supporting development using Google Apps Script. Whether it’s automation or custom apps, we’re here to help your organization work smarter.
