class DocumentApp method .openById()

DocumentApp is the Apps Script service.

.openById() is the method name you will see after a dot in your code.

What it does

Opens an existing Google Doc by its file ID.

Why it's used

  • Merge data into a contract or letter stored in Drive.
  • Update a doc the user never has to open manually.

Common errors

  • Forgetting parentheses on openById. Write DocumentApp.openById(), not DocumentApp.openById or openById by itself.
  • Skipping dots between chained calls. Each step needs a dot, like DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getBody().openById().
  • Adding spaces where they do not belong. Write DocumentApp.openById(), not DocumentApp .openById(), DocumentApp.openById (), or DocumentApp . openById().
  • Wrong capitalization. Use DocumentApp and openById, not documentapp or openbyid.

Explore

Related methods

Better Sheets tutorials

Automate Emails

Automate Emails

Set up automated email notifications based on Google Sheets data. Super ...
Automatically Copy Spreadsheet Tab to New File with Values Only, No Formulas

Automatically Copy Spreadsheet Tab to New File with Values Only, No Formulas

Automatically copy a spreadsheet tab to a whole new spreadsheet file, ge...
Automatic Calculations

Automatic Calculations

Create custom scripts to make your spreadsheets more like tools.
Curate Google Sheets Easily - Automatic Bookmarklet Maker

Curate Google Sheets Easily - Automatic Bookmarklet Maker

Curated sites, articles, and more web resources super easily into a Goog...
Different Kinds of Automation

Different Kinds of Automation

A brief description of types of automation. I go way more in depth in “M...
How to Create a Google Form Automatically

How to Create a Google Form Automatically

How to create a form programmatically using Google Apps Script. I show y...
How to Power Testimonials with Google Forms and Sheets

How to Power Testimonials with Google Forms and Sheets

I show you how I use a Google Form and a Google Sheet to power the testi...

Related blog posts

Written guides about DocumentApp.openById().

Browse the blog