Schedule Recurring Bulk PDF Exports from Google Docs
If you produce the same batch of PDFs every week, a scheduled export removes the manual work. Google Apps Script supports time-based triggers that run a Drive-to-PDF conversion automatically on any schedule you choose.
Setting up a time-based trigger in Apps Script
Open Google Apps Script (script.google.com), create a new project, and write a function that exports a specific Drive folder to PDF. Then go to Triggers and create a time-based trigger that runs the function daily or weekly. The script runs in the background even if you are not logged in.
Saving converted PDFs back to Drive
Use the DriveApp.createFile() method in Apps Script to save each exported PDF back to a specified folder in Google Drive. This creates a versioned archive: each scheduled export adds a new set of PDFs with a timestamp in the file name.
Notifications when the job completes
Apps Script can send you an email when the scheduled conversion finishes. Add a MailApp.sendEmail() call at the end of your function with a summary of how many files were converted and any errors encountered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I schedule the Chrome extension to run automatically?
No. The Chrome extension requires a user to be present and click. Use Apps Script for scheduled, unattended bulk conversions.
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