Automatically Save Google Docs as PDF with a Timestamp
Automatically saving with a timestamp in the file name creates a dated archive of PDF exports. Each run of the script adds a new file with the date and time in its name, making it easy to track when each version was generated.
Generating a timestamp in Apps Script
Automatically saving with a timestamp uses JavaScript's Date object in the script. Use new Date() to get the current date and time, then format it as a string like YYYY-MM-DD. Append this to the file name before saving: var filename = docTitle + '-' + dateString + '.pdf'.
Formatting the date string
For a sortable date string, use the ISO format YYYY-MM-DD. In Apps Script: var now = new Date(); var dateString = Utilities.formatDate(now, Session.getScriptTimeZone(), 'yyyy-MM-dd'). This produces a string like 2026-03-13 that sorts correctly in alphabetical order.
Adding a time component
For exports that run multiple times per day, add the time: 'yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm'. This distinguishes exports that happen on the same day at different times. Use this format for on-edit triggers or hourly schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I add a timestamp to automatic PDF exports?
Timestamps make it easy to find the version of a document from a specific date. Without timestamps, repeated exports with the same name are hard to distinguish from each other.
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