Connect Google Forms to WhatsApp

Most guides in this series show WA.Expert calling an external service. This one is reversed: Google Forms calls WA.Expert. When someone submits a form, an Apps Script trigger fires and sends the response data to WA.Expert, which then sends a WhatsApp message. No External API Request step is needed on the WA.Expert side. The trigger comes from Google.

Apps Script has two trigger types. A simple trigger (a function literally named onSubmit) only runs when you test it manually in the editor. It does not fire on real form submissions. An installable trigger, added from the Triggers menu (the clock icon in the sidebar), registers with Google and fires on every real submission. If your script is not running on submissions, a missing installable trigger is almost certainly the reason.

Apps Script Form triggers: developers.google.com

var WA_WEBHOOK_URL = 'YOUR_WA_EXPERT_WEBHOOK_URL';

function onFormSubmit(e) {{
  var response  = e.response;
  var items     = response.getItemResponses();
  var payload   = {{}};

  // Build a key:value map of question title -> answer
  for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {{
    var title  = items[i].getItem().getTitle();
    var answer = items[i].getResponse();
    payload[title] = answer;
  }}

  // Add the submission timestamp
  payload['submitted_at'] = response.getTimestamp().toISOString();

  // Send to WA.Expert
  var options = {{
    'method':      'post',
    'contentType': 'application/json',
    'payload':     JSON.stringify(payload)
  }};

  UrlFetchApp.fetch(WA_WEBHOOK_URL, options);
}}

// NOTE: After saving, add an installable trigger for this function
// Triggers menu -> Add Trigger -> onFormSubmit -> From form -> On form submit

After adding the trigger, submit your form as a real user (open the form link and fill it in). The Run button in the editor does not pass a real form event object, so the script will error. A live submission is the only reliable test.

POST https://your-wa-expert-webhook-url
Content-Type: application/json

Body:
{{
  "Full Name":       "Priya Sharma",
  "WhatsApp Number": "+919820000001",
  "Email":           "priya@example.com",
  "Enquiry Type":    "Product Demo",
  "Message":         "I would like to see a demo of your platform.",
  "submitted_at":    "2026-06-23T08:30:00.000Z"
}}

In WA.Expert, map these JSON keys to automation variables:
  {{customer_name}}    <- Full Name
  {{customer_phone}}   <- WhatsApp Number
  {{customer_email}}   <- Email
  {{enquiry_type}}     <- Enquiry Type
  {{customer_message}} <- Message

Any combination works: alert your team AND send a confirmation to the submitter in the same WA.Expert automation flow.

1. Someone fills in your 'Request a Demo' Google Form.

2. Apps Script onFormSubmit fires, builds JSON payload:
   {{"Full Name":"Priya","WhatsApp Number":"+919820000001",
    "Enquiry Type":"Product Demo","submitted_at":"2026-06-23T..."}}

3. UrlFetchApp POSTs the payload to your WA.Expert webhook URL.

4. WA.Expert automation receives it and maps:
   customer_name  = Priya
   customer_phone = +919820000001
   enquiry_type   = Product Demo

5. WA.Expert sends two WhatsApp messages:

   TO YOUR TEAM (+91 XXXXXXXXXX):
   'New demo request from Priya Sharma.
    Phone: +919820000001
    Type: Product Demo
    Reply to claim this lead.'

   TO THE SUBMITTER (+919820000001):
   'Hi Priya! We received your demo request.
    Our team will contact you within 2 hours.
    — WA.Expert Team'