Email Newsletters with Google Apps Script

This Google Script sends a daily newsletter containing a summary of your Starred e-mails in Gmail. You can extend it to attach other information like RSS feeds, summary reports, etc.

var LABEL = 'STARRED';
var TOTAL = 10;

function Install() {
  ScriptApp.newTrigger('readStarredMessages').timeBased().everyDays(1).create();
}

function readStarredMessages() {
  var thread,
    subject,
    link,
    body,
    from,
    date,
    html,
    emails,
    color,
    index = [],
    i;

  var mySheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();

  emails = GmailApp.search('label:' + LABEL);
  var count = emails.length;

  if (count == 0) return;

  if (count > TOTAL) index = getIndex(TOTAL, 0, count);
  else {
    for (i = 0; i < count; i++) index.push(i);
  }

  for (i = 0; i < TOTAL; i++) {
    var n = index[i];

    if (emails[n]) {
      thread = emails[n].getMessages()[0];

      subject = thread.getSubject();
      body = processHTML(thread.getBody(), 250);
      link = thread.getId(); // can also use GetPermalink()
      from = thread.getFrom();
      date = Utilities.formatDate(thread.getDate(), Session.getTimeZone(), 'MMM dd, yyyy');

      if (i % 2 == 0) color = '#f0f0f0';
      else color = '#f9f9f9';

      html += '<p>On ' + date + ', <i>' + from + '</i> wrote: ';
      html += '<strong>' + subject + '</strong><br /><br />';
      html += body + " <a href='https://mail.google.com/mail/#all/";
      html += link + "'>Click to read &raquo;</a></p>";
    }
  }

  html += "<p><a href='" + SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getUrl();
  html += "'>click here</a> and choose Gmail &gt; unsubscribe.</p> ";

  GmailApp.sendEmail(Session.getActiveUser(), emails.length + ' pending messages in Gmail', '', {
    htmlBody: html,
  });
}

// Pick random messages from the Gmail label

function getIndex(count, min, max) {
  var results = [],
    index;
  while (count > 0) {
    randNumber = Math.round(min + Math.random() * (max - min));
    if (results.indexOf(randNumber) == -1) {
      results.push(randNumber);
      count--;
    }
  }
  return results;
}

// Remove HTML tags from the Gmail messages

function processHTML(html, count) {
  html = html.replace(/<(?:.|\n)*?>/gm, '');
  html = html.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, '');
  return html.substring(0, count);
}

Amit Agarwal is a web geek, solo entrepreneur and loves making things on the Internet. Google recently awarded him the Google Developer Expert and Google Cloud Champion title for his work on Google Workspace and Google Apps Script.

Awards & Recognition

Google Developer Expert

Google Developer Expert

Google awarded us the Developer Expert title recogizing our work in Workspace

ProductHunt Golden Kitty

ProductHunt Golden Kitty

Our Gmail tool won the Lifehack of the Year award at ProductHunt Golden Kitty Awards

Microsoft MVP Alumni

Microsoft MVP Alumni

Microsoft awarded us the Most Valuable Professional title for 5 years in a row

Google Cloud Champion

Google Cloud Champion

Google awarded us the Champion Innovator award for technical expertise

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