In today’s digital landscape, efficiently collecting and organizing user information is essential for businesses and organizations. While many advanced CRM solutions exist, a simple and cost-effective method using Google Sheets can often be the ideal choice. This guide will show you how to create a solution that saves website contact form data to Google Sheets, streamlining data collection and management.
Table of Contents
Why Use Google Sheets for Contact Form Data?
Before diving into the implementation, let’s understand why this solution might be perfect for your needs:
- Cost-effective: Google Sheets is free with a Google account
- Easy to access: Team members can view and manage data from anywhere
- Familiar interface: Most people already know how to use spreadsheets
- Simple automation: Google Apps Script makes it easy to automate data processing
- Export flexibility: Data can be easily exported to other formats or systems
This solution is particularly useful for:
- Small businesses collecting customer inquiries
- Event organizers managing registrations
- Freelancers tracking client requests
- Non-profits collecting volunteer information
- Educational institutions gathering student feedback
The Concept Behind Using Google Sheets as a Backend
This method leverages the power of Google Apps Script, a JavaScript-based scripting language that runs within the Google Workspace environment. By deploying a custom function within Google Apps Script, we create a serverless endpoint that can be triggered by an HTTP request. Our HTML form, when submitted, sends an HTTP request to this endpoint along with the form data. The Google Apps Script function receives this data, processes it, and then appends it as a new row to the designated Google Sheet. This seamless integration between the web form, the scripting language, and the spreadsheet enables automated data capture and storage, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
Implementation Overview
We’ll build this solution in the following three main parts:
- Creating the HTML contact form and styling it with CSS
- Setting up the Google Sheets and Apps Script
- Connecting everything with JavaScript
Part 1: Creating an HTML contact form
First, create a clean HTML form with the required input fields. The index.html file, shown in the code snippets section below, contains the HTML form. The CSS for styling the form is located in the style.css file. This CSS file is linked in the <head> section of the index.html file using the following line: <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">.
If you are following this guide as it is, ensure that the index.html and style.css files are placed in the same directory. You can copy the code from the relevant files provided in the code snippets section below and save them as index.html and style.css in the same directory.
Part 2: Setting up the Google Sheets and Apps Script
In this section, we will create a web app that processes HTTP requests sent from your website. Start by creating a Google Sheets workbook in your Google Drive and rename a sheet (tab) as “Contact Form Responses.”
This method uses a bound Google Apps Script project. To create one, open the Google Sheets workbook you just created. Navigate to Extensions > Apps Script, which will open a new Apps Script project bound to your Google Sheet. Rename the Apps Script project (e.g., “Process Contact Form Data”).
Replace the content in the Code.gs file of the Apps Script project with the script provided below (Code.gs file).
You can also make a copy of the following Google Sheet to your drive to get a head start. This file also contains the Google Apps Script code mentioned above.
Link to Google Sheets Workbook (The Apps Script Project also included)
Then, follow these steps to deploy the project as a web app:
- Go to Deploy > New deployment.
- Click the gear icon next to the “Select type” label and choose Web app.
- Set the “Execute as” field to your email.
- In the “Who has access” field, select Anyone.
- Click Deploy.
- Authorize the script by clicking Authorize access.
- Select your Google Account.
- Click Advanced at the bottom left.
- Click the link with the name of your Google Apps Script project.
- Click Allow.
- Copy the Web app URL and click Done.
Part 3: Connecting everything with JavaScript
Now, you need JavaScript to send the HTML form data to the web app. The JavaScript code is provided in the script.js file below. Copy the code, paste it into a text editor like Notepad, and save it as script.js in the same directory where you saved the index.html and style.css files.
Next, replace the 'YOUR_WEB_APP_URL' placeholder in the script.js file with the web app URL you copied in Part 2.
Code Snippets
Test sending contact form data to Google Sheets
If you have followed the steps correctly, your contact form is now ready to send data to Google Sheets. To test it on your local machine, open the index.html file in a browser by double-clicking it. Fill out the form and click the Submit button. If the data is successfully submitted to Google Sheets, you will see the success message “Thank you! Your message has been sent” displayed below the submit button. You can also verify that the data has been successfully inserted into Google Sheets.
How it Works
Let’s break down how this solution works:
- Form Submission: When a user submits the form, the JavaScript code prevents the default form submission and collects the form data.
- Data Formatting: The data is formatted into a JSON object and sent to the Google Apps Script web app URL via a POST request.
- Apps Script Processing:
- The script accesses the specified Google Sheet.
- It adds a timestamp to the data.
- A new row is added to the sheet with the form submission.
- A success response is returned.
- Frontend Response Handling:
- JavaScript displays a success message to the user.
- The form is reset for new submissions.
- Any errors are handled gracefully.
Security Considerations
While this solution is convenient, consider implementing these security measures:
- Add CAPTCHA verification to prevent spam
- Implement rate limiting in your Apps Script
- Validate input data both client-side and server-side
- Regularly audit your Google Sheet permissions
Maintenance and Monitoring
To keep your form system running smoothly:
- Regularly check the Google Sheet for any unusual entries
- Set up email notifications for new submissions using Apps Script
- Create backup copies of your sheet periodically
- Monitor your Apps Script usage quotas
- Test the form regularly to ensure it’s working properly
Wrapping Up
Saving contact form data to Google Sheets offers a simple yet powerful solution for managing user submissions. While enterprise-level applications might need more robust systems, this implementation is perfect for small to medium-sized websites that need a reliable, cost-effective way to collect and organize contact form data. The integration with Google Sheets provides immediate access to your data, easy team collaboration, and straightforward maintenance