Timestamp PDF Filenames When Saving to Drive
A timestamp in the filename makes every export unique, prevents overwrites, and lets you sort files chronologically. This is the simplest way to build a PDF version history without managing folder structures.
Formatting the timestamp
Use Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), Session.getScriptTimeZone(), 'yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss') to generate a sortable timestamp string. The format YYYY-MM-DD sorts chronologically when files are listed alphabetically, which is a key advantage over formats like MM/DD/YYYY.
Combining name and timestamp
A good filename pattern is: docName + '_' + timestamp + '.pdf'. This keeps the document name first for easy scanning and appends the timestamp for uniqueness. Avoid spaces in the filename; use underscores or hyphens instead.
Cleaning up old timestamped files
Timestamped files accumulate over time. Set up a separate cleanup function that scans the output folder and trashes files older than a certain number of days. Run it on a monthly trigger to keep the folder from growing indefinitely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which timestamp format is easiest to sort in Google Drive?
ISO 8601 format: YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS. Files named this way sort correctly when sorted alphabetically in Drive, with the oldest files first and the newest last.
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