How a Google Script Slashed 20 Hours Per Fundraising Event

How a Google Script Slashed 20 Hours Per Fundraising Event

The Grind Before Automation

Twelve events a year. Same chaos every time:

• 3 hours/event rebuilding calendars and forms — 36 hours lost annually
• 5 hours/event copy-pasting emails — 60 hours on manual outreach
• Paper check-ins caused delays, errors, and double data entry
• Thank-yous sent 3-5 days late — donors noticed
• Data scattered across sheets — year-end reporting took days

Burnout was real. So was donor drop-off.

The Fix: One Script, Full Workflow

No third-party tools. No extra cost. Just Google Apps Script automating the entire event lifecycle — from registration to thank-you. Everything runs inside Google Workspace. Secure. Scalable. Silent.

How It Works (in 60 Seconds)

Submit form → auto-calendar invite + confirmation email.
7 days out → reminder. 1 day out → reminder.
Check-in live via Sheet.
24 hours post-event → thank-you with donation link.
All automatic. Zero clicks.

Build It: Tools & Setup

Required

• OAuth Scopes:
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/calendar - manage events
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send - send emails
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets - store data
• Permissions: Google Workspace account, editor access to master Sheet
• Config: Store settings in a Config tab or PropertiesService — EventID, Title, Date, Capacity, CalendarID. No code changes needed for new events.

Core Script

// Pseudo code for the application 
FUNCTION onFormSubmit(event)
  TRY
    GET Registrant Sheet
    GET Submission Row Data [Name, Email, Title, Date]
    
    VALIDATE Data
    
    GET Calendar Event by Title & Date
    IF Event Not Found:
      CREATE Calendar Event
      
    ADD Email as Guest to Event
    
    SEND Confirmation Email
      SUBJECT: "Confirmed: {Title}"
      BODY: "Registered for {Date}..."
      
    UPDATE Sheet Status to "Confirmed"
    
  CATCH Error
    LOG Error to 'ErrorLog' Sheet
    THROW Error
END FUNCTION

Setup in 7 Steps

1. Create master Sheet: Tabs — Registrants (Name, Email, Event, Date, Status), Events, ErrorLog
2. Link Google Form: Match fields to columns. Set destination to master Sheet
3. Deploy script: Extensions > Apps Script. Paste code. Authorize (click “Advanced” → “Go to [project]”)
4. Install trigger: Triggers > Add trigger → onFormSubmit, “From spreadsheet”, “On form submit”
5. Add reminders: Create sendReminderOneWeek and sendReminderOneDay. Use time-driven triggers (daily at 6 AM)
6. Build check-in dashboard: Check-In tab with =FILTER(Registrants!A:E, Registrants!C:C=[Event Name]). Use onEdit to timestamp check-ins
7. Set post-event emails: sendThankYou runs 24h after event. Include donation link. Trigger via time-based event

Fix Common Issues Fast

• Script not running? Verify trigger setup. Check OAuth scopes. Look for error emails from apps-scripts-notifications@google.com
• Emails failing? Quota: 100/day (Gmail), 1,500/day (Workspace). Gmail Quotas. Use BCC batching or upgrade. Retry from ErrorLog
• Duplicates or missing guests? Script matches events by title + date. Enforce naming. Max 200 guests per event. Validate email format

Need This for Your Team?

Skip the weekend build. We’ll deploy it in your nonprofit by Friday — branded, tested, and team-trained.

Book a 30-minute call. Get a 30-day code warranty. If it breaks, we fix it — free.

Use Case 1: Automated Attendee Communication

A Google Script triggers personalized confirmation emails and calendar invites immediately upon form submission, replacing manual follow-ups for hundreds of guests. ROI: Saves 12 hours of administrative data entry and email correspondence per event.

Use Case 2: Real-Time Auction & Raffle Management

The script automatically calculates winning bids from a spreadsheet and randomly selects raffle winners based on weighted ticket quantities, instantly notifying winners via SMS or email. ROI: Reduces manual tallying and winner verification time by 5 hours.

Use Case 3: Instant Digital Tax Receipting

Upon payment confirmation, the script pulls donor data into a Google Doc template, converts it to a PDF, and emails the official tax receipt to the donor. ROI: Eliminates 3 hours of manual document creation and reduces clerical errors by 95%.