Automate Document Approvals in Google Docs & Sheets

You finish a draft, send it for a signature, and then waste hours chasing responses across Slack, email, or text. This manual approval loop stalls projects, especially when teammates are scattered across time zones. The solution lives inside Google Workspace: a simple comment‑triggered Apps Script that logs signatures to a Sheet, so you always know who’s approved and who’s still pending—without leaving Docs or Sheets.

How to Automate Document Approvals in Google Docs & Sheets

The trick combines Google Docs’ native commenting feature with a tiny Apps Script that pushes every resolved comment into a tracking spreadsheet, akin to the Google Docs Real‑Time Review Workflow for remote teams. Once set up, the process runs on autopilot, turning a tedious chase into a glance‑at‑the‑sheet moment.

Set Up the Comment Workflow in Your Document

1. Open the Google Doc that needs approval.
2. Click Comment, type a prompt like “Please review and sign here,” and tag the reviewer with + or @.
3. When the reviewer receives the email notification, they can click the comment, resolve it, and leave a quick “approved” reply.
4. The comment thread stays attached to the file, giving anyone who opens the doc an instant history of decisions.

Why this works: Reviewers stay in the familiar commenting flow; no new logins or extra steps are required.

Create the Tracking Sheet and Apps Script

1. In Google Sheets, create a new spreadsheet with columns: Document Name, Reviewer, Status, Timestamp.
2. Choose Extensions > Apps Script.
3. Paste the following snippet (copy it verbatim from the source tutorial; no changes needed):

function logCommentApprovals() {
  const doc = DocumentApp.openById('YOUR_DOC_ID');
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Approvals');
  const comments = doc.getBody().getComments();
  
  comments.forEach(comment => {
    if (comment.getContent().toLowerCase().includes('approved') ||
        comment.getContent().toLowerCase().includes('signed')) {
      sheet.appendRow([
        doc.getName(),
        comment.getAuthor().getName(),
        'Approved',
        new Date()
      ]);
    }
  });
}

4. Replace 'YOUR_DOC_ID' with the actual ID of your document (found in the URL).
5. Save the project, click Run to grant permissions, then set a trigger: Triggers > Add Trigger → choose logCommentApprovals, Time‑driven, Every 5 minutes.

Now every time a reviewer resolves a comment with “approved” or “signed,” the script adds a new row to the Sheet. You can glance at the sheet anytime to see who’s still pending.

Add Visual Cues with Conditional Formatting

1. Select the Status column in your Sheet.
2. Choose Format > Conditional formatting.
3. Set the rule: Text is exactly Approved → green fill.
4. Optionally, add a rule for Pending → orange fill.

This color‑code gives you an instant visual status without reading each cell.

Benefits You’ll Notice Immediately

• No context switching: Reviewers keep using Docs comments; you stay in Sheets for oversight.
• Zero extra tools: Everything runs inside Google Workspace—no new subscriptions or installations.
• Audit trail: Every approval is timestamped and linked to the original comment thread.
• Time saved: Users report saving at least an hour per week on approval chasing.
• It also pairs well with a Google Docs Real‑Time Review Workflow for remote teams for distributed teams.

Quick Checklist to Get Started

• [ ] Add a comment prompt and tag each reviewer in the Doc.
• [ ] Create the Approvals Sheet with the four columns.
• [ ] Paste the Apps Script, insert your Doc ID, and authorize.
• [ ] Set a 5‑minute trigger.
• [ ] Apply conditional formatting for instant visual feedback.

Implementing this workflow turns a chaotic approval chase into a seamless, self‑service process. Give it a try today and watch the bottlenecks disappear—no magic, just a little script that lets Google Docs & Sheets do the busy work for you.