This is a risky course I'm making.

Last week, I asked Better Sheets members if they'd want me to make a course on Add-ons. Specifically how to make an add-on for Google Sheets.

I let it be known that I was considering sharing the process and the journey because even though I made 5 Add-ons it's still a pretty rough process. And I already made a course on getting you up to speed on Apps Script. The actual making of an Add-on is in Apps Script, but then what? What happens next? it's a quagmire of stuff to do!

At least, I would make a checklist.

But then thought... maybe I should just show step by step. That's what I do on Better Sheets. You get to look over my shoulder as I tinker and toil and plod through Google Sheets.

And as evidenced by the last add-on I made, Spintax, the add-on itself can be very simple. Not all 5 of them I've made, have been simple mind you.

5 Add-ons You Can Use Now

• ​Sheet Styles ← Better Backgrounds for your daily sheet use​
• ​Tiny Sheets ← Delete unnecessary rows and columns​
• ​Button Styles ← Great for Dashboards too!​
• ​Asa: Ask Sheets Anything ← Yes it's AI powered answers inside sheets​
• ​Spintax Content Spinner ⬅ Newest One!

I asked Better Sheets Members if they had any questions:

And Better Sheets Members, if you're reading this, you came through with a bunch of great questions. And I realized, YES I NEED to make this course. But I need to do it sequentially.

I need to show the excruciating step-by-step process.

And I need to show you how I've made it super simple. I use the same Canva and Carrd templates each time. I've taken all the fuzzy stuff you have to do and made a process that in all takes less than a half a day to complete.

You must remember each and every step.

Thus why I thought a checklist would suffice, but there are so many little buttons to click and form fields to upload that are a click away...if you know where to click.

The Risk

There is an inherent risk here. If I start making a course and don't make an add-on.

I don't want to make a course that ultimately fails in producing a Google Sheet Add-on. That would be silly. Right? You don't want to walk through a 3 hour course and come out the other end with nothing.

If I create, and release a course on making Google Sheet add-ons and then don't actually make a Google Sheet Add-on the course would be worthless.

I'm 116 Minutes into it.

I've created 116 minutes of video across 27 lessons so far. The outline of the course I created estimates 46 total lessons, and 183 minutes.

Yes I'm using a Google Sheet to keep track of my progress.

Don't be fooled by the lesson "what is an add on?" I added that because literally a Better Sheets Member did ask that question and I want to answer it. This course will fly! You will soar high if you come along the course with me.

Within 17 minutes of video content we complete the "coding" of an Add-on. The course, so far, is mainly focused on all the faff, all the stuff, all the actions, you need to do once you have an add-on to submit to the marketplace and get the add-on public.

Don't Do Wrong, Like I Did

I relate to you in the middle of these videos the struggles that I overcame to get add-ons on the marketplace. Little tiny things I did wrong along the way and how you don't have to do them wrong.

Simple things like naming the add-on appropriately without getting it rejected due to the name. Making sure you have the right favicon on your site.

Hopefully you can watch this estimated 3 hour course and save yourself about a week of work, and a month of worry. Your anxiety levels should go down.

Instead of an add-on taking years off your life due to the stress, this course can literally put more time in your day so you can actually enjoy sheets again.

GAWD! So Close!

Last Friday I made the first hour of content of making the Add-on, and getting all the materials in place. I even made a website already (not released publicly yet) and dove into Canva.

There are 2 external phases of approval you have to go through.

1. OAuth Consent Screen
2. Marketplace Listing

I submitted for OAuth Consent Screen last Friday. Today (Friday) I got the Request Granted! 🎉

And now just clicked the button for submitting to the add-on marketplace.

Tense! 😬

The Under Review screen is unadorned and very much feels like I'm submitting some kind of ISB report to the Imperial Command Center to allow me safe passage to Coruscant from the Outer Rim.

If this doesn't get approved, this whole course is going to be deleted and these emails will be the only reminder of a failed attempt at making something that never saw the light of day.

And I might not get through the planetary shield.

Members Ask

If you're not a member of Better Sheets, this is the first email you've gotten about this Add-on Idea.

Members have known I might make this course for more than a week. And I'll be releasing a video soon for members-only about the checklist I've made to keep track of my course making progress. You might want to get a copy of that for your Google Drive.

​Become a member and you can ask me anything.

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Wish Me Luck,

Andrew

Resident Google Sheets Wizard at BetterSheets.co​

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