Automating Your Forms
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Automating your forms is a great way to save time and be able to focus on what is important. On this page you will learn how you can use Google Forms and autocrat to automate your forms.
Automating your forms is a great way to save time and be able to focus on what is important. On this page you will learn how you can use Google Forms and autocrat to automate your forms.
Why you should automate your forms
Why you should automate your forms
1. It saves you time.....The end.
1. It saves you time.....The end.
2. Automating your forms reduces the amount of paper you have to deal with. NO MORE BINDERS!
2. Automating your forms reduces the amount of paper you have to deal with. NO MORE BINDERS!
3. Automatic sharing guarantees that the right people receive the form right after it is completed.
3. Automatic sharing guarantees that the right people receive the form right after it is completed.
4. You create an digital archive that has every completed form.
4. You create an digital archive that has every completed form.
5. Did I mention that it saves you time?
5. Did I mention that it saves you time?
Examples of Automated Forms
Examples of Automated Forms
A teacher enters their sub plan into this Google Form.
A teacher enters their sub plan into this Google Form.
The information the teacher submitted is then mail merged into this Google Form. The form is also set up to email a copy of the form to key staff members.
The information the teacher submitted is then mail merged into this Google Form. The form is also set up to email a copy of the form to key staff members.
How to automate your forms
How to automate your forms
Before You Start
Before You Start
1. Take a look at the forms that you currently ask people to fill out. Determine which ones can be filled out online and which ones still need to be filled out on paper.
1. Take a look at the forms that you currently ask people to fill out. Determine which ones can be filled out online and which ones still need to be filled out on paper.
2. Create a Google Form where you will enter all of the information required for the form.
2. Create a Google Form where you will enter all of the information required for the form.
3. Create a Google Doc or Google Slide that you will use to mail merge the info into. You can use a blank copy of the form that you normally fill out on paper for this step. No need to recreate anything.
3. Create a Google Doc or Google Slide that you will use to mail merge the info into. You can use a blank copy of the form that you normally fill out on paper for this step. No need to recreate anything.
4. Insert merge tags into your template. The merge tags tell autoCrat where to place information. For example if I wanted to merge a name into a document I can use the merge tag <<name>>.
4. Insert merge tags into your template. The merge tags tell autoCrat where to place information. For example if I wanted to merge a name into a document I can use the merge tag <<name>>.
Automating the Form
Automating the Form
1. Create a Google Sheet from the responses in your Google Form.
1. Create a Google Sheet from the responses in your Google Form.
2. Install the autoCrat add-on. You only need to do this one time. If you have installed autoCrat in another Google Sheet it will appear in your new sheet.
2. Install the autoCrat add-on. You only need to do this one time. If you have installed autoCrat in another Google Sheet it will appear in your new sheet.
3. Launch the autoCrat add-on and follow the on screen prompts to set up the merge.
3. Launch the autoCrat add-on and follow the on screen prompts to set up the merge.
4. Enter a row of data into your form to make sure that everything is set up correctly.
4. Enter a row of data into your form to make sure that everything is set up correctly.
Below is a quick tutorial on how to set up an autoCrat merge.
Below is a quick tutorial on how to set up an autoCrat merge.
Free Merge Templates You Can Use
Free Merge Templates You Can Use
If you do not want to start from scratch below are free templates that you can use. To use a template click on the links below. You will then be forced to make a copy.
If you do not want to start from scratch below are free templates that you can use. To use a template click on the links below. You will then be forced to make a copy.
10 Quick Suggestions
10 Quick Suggestions
1. Make sure you set up your forms to trigger after form submission and every hour. This creates a fail safe in case one of the triggers does not run.
1. Make sure you set up your forms to trigger after form submission and every hour. This creates a fail safe in case one of the triggers does not run.
2. Make sure you set up your merges to email a copy of the file. If you are not sharing it with others have the merge email you so you don't have to constantly be checking the spreadsheet for updates.
2. Make sure you set up your merges to email a copy of the file. If you are not sharing it with others have the merge email you so you don't have to constantly be checking the spreadsheet for updates.
3. When emailing a merged form send the form as a pdf. This ensures that the data in the form is not tampered with.
3. When emailing a merged form send the form as a pdf. This ensures that the data in the form is not tampered with.
4. If you need to rerun a form simply delete the merge information and then rerun the merge.
4. If you need to rerun a form simply delete the merge information and then rerun the merge.
5. Create a folder in your Drive where your merged files go. You don't want them going to your main Drive folder and creating a mess.
5. Create a folder in your Drive where your merged files go. You don't want them going to your main Drive folder and creating a mess.
6. Always run a test of the form to make sure that the merge is set up correctly.
6. Always run a test of the form to make sure that the merge is set up correctly.
7. When naming files and sending emails don't forget that you can pull data from your form into the file name or email fields.
7. When naming files and sending emails don't forget that you can pull data from your form into the file name or email fields.
8. If you need to find a copy of a file go to the spreadsheet and scroll to the right. autoCrat places a link to the merged file on the spreadsheet.
8. If you need to find a copy of a file go to the spreadsheet and scroll to the right. autoCrat places a link to the merged file on the spreadsheet.
9. FormMule is a similar add-on that merges Google form information into an email.
9. FormMule is a similar add-on that merges Google form information into an email.
10. Check out New Vision's CloudLab for more awesome add-ons.
10. Check out New Vision's CloudLab for more awesome add-ons.