How to Auto-Generate and Display a Unique Number on Google Form Submissions

Learn how to auto-generate and display a unique number on your Google Form submissions, making form management and tracking easier.
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How to Auto-Generate and Display a Unique Number on Google Form Submissions

Managing multiple submissions in Google Forms can quickly become cumbersome, especially when trying to track or differentiate between individual responses. Having a unique identifier for each submission can streamline this process, ensuring that each form entry is easily distinguishable. Here’s a guide to auto-generating and displaying a unique number on Google Form submissions.

Why Auto-Generate Unique Numbers?

Auto-generating unique numbers for each form submission helps in:

Simplifying Data Tracking: Easily reference specific entries.

Ensuring Accuracy: Reduce manual error by automating numbering.

Organizing Responses: Particularly useful in survey or application forms where managing numerous entries is essential.

Setting Up Auto-Generated Unique Numbers

Google Forms does not inherently offer built-in functionality to assign unique numbers to each submission. However, you can achieve this by integrating Google Forms with Google Sheets and using a script to automate the process.

Step-by-Step Process:

Create a Google Form: Start by designing your Google Form as you normally would, including all necessary questions and sections.

Link the Form to a Google Sheet: After setting up your form, link it to a Google Sheet to store and view the submission data.

Go to Responses -> Spreadsheet icon -> Create a new spreadsheet.

Open Google Sheets Script Editor:

Open the linked Google Sheet.

Navigate to Extensions -> Apps Script.

Add a Script to Auto-Generate Unique Numbers: Copy and paste the script below to generate unique IDs for each response.

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Save and Deploy the Script:

Save the script giving it an appropriate name like AutoGenerateID.

Deploy the function createTrigger() to ensure the script runs whenever a form is submitted.

Test Your Form: Submit a test response to ensure unique numbers are being generated and displayed in your Google Sheets.

Troubleshooting Tips

Check Script Permissions: If the script does not run, ensure you have granted all necessary permissions. Google Apps Script will ask for authorization to access your files.

Form ID: Ensure you replace 'your_form_id' with the actual ID of your Google Form in the script.

Column Placement: Modify the script if the unique ID needs to be placed in a column other than the first one.

Conclusion

Auto-generating and displaying unique numbers in Google Form submissions is a powerful way to efficiently manage and track responses. With a simple script integration, your Google Forms can be optimized for better organization and data accuracy. Happy Form Managing!