Google Apps Script for creating and emailing multiple PDFs using data from a Google Sheet and a Google doc template.

PDFCreator_SendMultiplePDFs.gs

/*

PDF Creator - Send multiple PDFs
================================

On selecting a number of contiguous rows and clicking "Create PDFs > Create PDFs 
for selected rows" this script constructs a PDF for each selected row in the 
attached GSheet. 

The value in the "File Name" column is used to name the file and - if there is a 
value - it is emailed to the recipient in the "Email" column.

The keys are identified by having a << and >> either side, e.g. <<Name>>.

Placeholders in both the body and the header of the template are replaced.

The date/time any emails are sent is stored in the SENT_COLUMN_NAME column.

The folder to store the PDFs can be specified in RESULTS_FOLDER_ID.

Demo sheet with script attached: goo.gl/8aJMjG

*/

// JSHint.com - 20170828 15:37

/**
 * Eventhandler for spreadsheet opening - add a menu.
 */

function onOpen() {

  SpreadsheetApp
    .getUi()
    .createMenu('Create PDFs')
    .addItem('Create PDFs for selected rows', 'sendMultiplePdfs')
    .addToUi();

} // onOpen()

// Config
// ------

// Create a GDoc template and put the ID here - THIS HAS TO BE COMPLETED
//var TEMPLATE_ID = '';

var TEMPLATE_ID = '1kp0AkE90Pxp-dS1xOsI3PcKM9SanrQ1xGS5wlTISv_k'; // Demo template

// Naming the PDF:
//
// - specify a name for the new PDF file here or
// - leave empty to use the name of the template or 
// - specify the file name in the sheet (the FILE_NAME_COLUMN_NAME column)

var PDF_FILE_NAME = '';

// If an recipient email address (EMAIL_COLUMN_NAME) is specified the 
// script emails the PDF

var EMAIL_SUBJECT = '---- UPDATE ME -----';
var EMAIL_BODY = '------ UPDATE ME ---------';

// The ID of the folder the PDFs are to be stored in. If left blank they 
// are stored in the root of the GDrive

var RESULTS_FOLDER_ID = '';

// The name of the column in which to store the date & time the PDF was emailed

var SENT_COLUMN_NAME = 'Date Sent';

// If there is a value in the column with this name it will be used to name the PDF

var FILE_NAME_COLUMN_NAME = 'File Name';

// If there is a value in the column with this name it will be used to email the PDF

var EMAIL_COLUMN_NAME = 'Email';

// The format used for any dates 

var DATE_FORMAT = 'yyyy/MM/dd';

// The format used for any date and time

var DATE_TIME_FORMAT = 'yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss';

// Functions
// ---------

function sendMultiplePdfs() {

  var ui = SpreadsheetApp.getUi();

  if (TEMPLATE_ID === '') {    
    throw new Error('TEMPLATE_ID needs to be defined in Code.gs');
    return;
  }

  // Set up the docs and the spreadsheet access

  var templateFile = DriveApp.getFileById(TEMPLATE_ID); 
  var activeSheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();  
  var activeRows = activeSheet.getActiveRange().getValues()

  if (activeRows.length === 0) {
    throw new Error('No rows are selected');
  }
  
  var headerRow = activeSheet.getRange(1, 1, 1, activeSheet.getLastColumn()).getValues()[0];
  var numberOfColumns = headerRow.length;

  // Create a PDF for each row
  
  var rowNumber = activeSheet.getActiveRange().getRow();

  if (rowNumber > activeSheet.getLastRow()) {
    throw new Error('The selected row is empty');
  }

  var sentColumnNumber = getColumnNumber({
    columnName: SENT_COLUMN_NAME,
    headerRow: headerRow,
    sheet: activeSheet,
  });
  
  var fileCount = 0;
  var emailCount = 0;
        
  activeRows.forEach(function(activeRow) {
  
    createPdf();
    rowNumber++;
    return;
    
    // Private Function
    // ----------------
  
    function createPdf() {
    
      var copyFile = templateFile.makeCopy();
      var copyDoc = DocumentApp.openById(copyFile.getId());
      var copyBody = copyDoc.getActiveSection();
      var copyHeader = copyDoc.getHeader();
      var fileName = null;
      var recipient = null;
      
      // Replace the keys with the spreadsheet values
            
      for (var columnIndex = 0; columnIndex < numberOfColumns; columnIndex++) {
        
        var headerValue = headerRow[columnIndex];
        var activeCell = activeRow[columnIndex];
        activeCell = formatCell(activeCell);
        
        if (headerValue === FILE_NAME_COLUMN_NAME) {
        
          fileName = activeCell;
          
        } else if (headerValue === EMAIL_COLUMN_NAME) {
        
          recipient = activeCell || null;
          
        } else {
        
          copyBody.replaceText('<<' + headerValue + '>>', activeCell);
          copyHeader.replaceText('<<' + headerValue + '>>', activeCell);
        }
        
      } // for each column
           
      // Create the PDF file
        
      copyDoc.saveAndClose();
      var pdfFile = DriveApp.createFile(copyFile.getAs('application/pdf'));
      copyFile.setTrashed(true);
      
      if (PDF_FILE_NAME !== '') {

        pdfFile.setName(PDF_FILE_NAME);

      } else if (fileName !== null) {
      
        pdfFile.setName(fileName);
      }
      
      // Put the new PDF file into the results folder
      
      if (RESULTS_FOLDER_ID !== '') {
        DriveApp.getFolderById(RESULTS_FOLDER_ID).addFile(pdfFile);
        DriveApp.removeFile(pdfFile);
      }

      fileCount++;

      // Email the new PDF

      if (recipient !== null) {      
        emailPdf();
      }
            
      return;
      
      // Private Functions
      // -----------------

      /**
       * Format the cell's value
       *
       * @param {Object} value
       *
       * @return {Object} value
       */

      function formatCell(value) {
      
        var newValue = value;
      
        if (newValue instanceof Date) {
        
          newValue = Utilities.formatDate(
            value, 
            Session.getScriptTimeZone(), 
            DATE_FORMAT);
        }
        
        return newValue;
        
      } // sendMultiplePdfs.createPdf.formatCell()

      function emailPdf() {

        if (sentColumnNumber !== null) {
        
          var sentValue = activeSheet.getRange(rowNumber, sentColumnNumber).getValue();
          
          if (sentValue instanceof Date) {
          
            var response = ui.alert(
              'There is already a date in row number ' + rowNumber + ' do you wish to send another PDF?', 
              ui.ButtonSet.YES_NO);
              
            if (response !== ui.Button.YES) {
              return;
            }
          }
        }

        MailApp.sendEmail(
          recipient, 
          EMAIL_SUBJECT, 
          EMAIL_BODY,
          {attachments: [pdfFile]});
          
        emailCount++;

        if (sentColumnNumber !== null) {   
          var timeZone = Session.getScriptTimeZone();
          var sentDate = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), timeZone, DATE_TIME_FORMAT);
          activeSheet.getRange(rowNumber, sentColumnNumber).setValue(sentDate);
        } 
        
      } // sendMultiplePdfs.createPdf.emailPdf()

    } // sendMultiplePdfs.createPdf()

  });

  ui.alert(fileCount + ' new PDF files created, ' + emailCount + ' emailed out.');

  return;
  
  /** 
  * Find the column number of the field with this name.
  *
  * @param {Object} config
  *   @param {String} columnName
  *   @param {Sheet} sheet [OPTIONAL, null if no headerRow]
  *   @param {Array} headerRow [OPTIONAL, DEFAULT = 1]
  *   @param {Number} rowNumber The row to find the header row[OPTIONAL, DEFAULT = 1]
  *
  * @return {Number} column 1-based index or null
  */
  
  function getColumnNumber(config) {
    
    var rowNumber;
    var headerRow;
    var sheet;
    var columnName;
    
    if (!config.hasOwnProperty('columnName') || config.columnName === '') {
      throw new TypeError('No column name');
    }
    
    columnName = config.columnName;
    sheet = config.sheet;
    
    if (!config.hasOwnProperty('headerRow')) {
      
      if (!config.hasOwnProperty('sheet')) {
        throw new Error('Need sheet if no header row');
      }
      
      rowNumber = (config.hasOwnProperty('rowNumber')) ? config.rowNumber : 1;
      
      headerRow = sheet
      .getRange(rowNumber, 1, 1, sheet.getLastColumn())
      .getValues()[0];
      
    } else {
      
      headerRow = config.headerRow;
    }
    
    for (var columnIndex = 0; columnIndex < headerRow.length; columnIndex++) {
      
      if (headerRow[columnIndex] === columnName) {            
        return columnIndex + 1;
      }
    }
    
    return null;
    
  } // sendMultiplePdfs.getColumnNumber()
  
} // sendMultiplePdfs()