formMule - Automated Email for Your Google Forms
formMule is a Google Sheet Add-on that can send targeted, personalized emails manually or automatically on a form submission or on a timer. It’s a powerful tool in your Google arsenal if used correctly and within the limits of Google mail.
Discover how to go beyond filing email messages in folders and manually responding to messages and let formMule carry the load!
Slides: http://goo.gl/ZvhzoQ
Why do you need Email?
If you need to receive emails so you can store them in folders, then Google Forms is not the answer for you. You can accomplish the same (and much easier) by using a mailto link (http://goo.gl/lkDZAr) with a predetermined subject line and Gmail’s filters (http://goo.gl/87eqrs).
Google Forms’ power is its ability to submit information directly into a spreadsheet. When properly formatted, you can easily filter and sort the results to generate the reports you need. Best of all, the information can be shared to individuals, allowing various levels for access. If you need to be notified when content has been added to the spreadsheet, you can use Google’s Spreadsheet Notifications (http://goo.gl/DyFxen)
Google’s Sending Limits
In order to to keep the systems healthy and your accounts safe, Google Apps limits the amount of mail one user can send. Limits restrict the number of messages sent per day and the number of recipients per message (http://goo.gl/WbnLLl).
- Personal Gmail:
- daily messages - 500 recipients per day
- scripts - 100 messages per day
- GAFE:
- daily messages - 2000 per day
- scripts - 1500 per day
To send messages to a larger number of users, consider using Google Groups or a mailing service like MailChimp.
Running formMule - Manual vs On-Submission
You can install the Add-on for your spreadsheets by visiting http://goo.gl/7fh5VS. Once you’ve installed the Add-on, you’ll need to take the following steps:
- Choose data source (i.e. which sheet?)
- Set trigger action
- form submission
- timer
- manually run (i.e. don’t select anything)
- Indicate number of templates (i.e. messages) and conditions
- Create email templates
Important: If running formMule manually, emails will be sent from that account. If using a trigger action, emails will be sent from the account that setup the trigger. A different reply-to address can be setup in the template.
On Submit
formMule will run the scripts every time a submission is received. You can have it run automatically (eg. send a confirmation message) or based on a criteria (eg. email sent to session leader when their session is selected)
Note: some users have reported trouble with the script running on submit. As a backup, setup a timer as well.
Manual Submission
Running formMule manually allows you to review data before sending out messages. You can also send out multiple messages at different times based on criteria you setup. Notifications (http://goo.gl/X7XZTD) can be setup to let you know when information has been added to the sheet.
Additional Features to Add to Your Sheet
While not necessary for the function of gathering information, these will help with the organizing and manipulating of your data.
Submission Counter
Use the function CountIF (http://goo.gl/Ir3fPr) to automatically count the submissions as they are entered.
Sample: http://goo.gl/cKkR5p
Conditional Formatting
http://goo.gl/RbdBlO
Have cells change color to highlight contents (eg. Yes/No, True/False, etc)
Filters
Use filters to hide information from a spreadsheet. Great for creating a shorter list from a longer one with a specific criteria (eg: from a school list, show all students in Grade 8)
Data Validation
Tips
- Create a Notes or information sheet and place at front. Include any instructions as well as list any add-ons used on the form and/or the spreadsheet.
Trevor Beck - www.trevorbeck.ca