Creating custom menus in Google Sheets - Complete Walkthrough

Introduction

Custom menus let you add your own menu options to Google Sheets. This helps you run special tasks or scripts easily without typing commands every time.

When you want to run a script with one click instead of opening the script editor.

When you share a sheet and want others to use your custom tools easily.

When you have repetitive tasks like formatting or data cleanup and want a quick button.

When you want to organize multiple scripts under one menu for easy access.

When you want to add special functions that Google Sheets does not have by default.

Steps

Step 1: Open

- Google Sheets file

Your spreadsheet is ready for editing

Step 2: Click

- Extensions menu > Apps Script

The Apps Script editor opens in a new tab

Step 3: Delete any code in the script editor and type

- Apps Script editor

You have a blank script to write your custom menu code

💡 Use the example code below to create a simple custom menu

Step 4: Type the following code

- Apps Script editor

Code defines a custom menu and a function to run

💡 This code adds a menu named 'My Menu' with one item 'Say Hello'

Step 5: Click

- Save icon in Apps Script editor

Your script is saved

Step 6: Close

- Apps Script editor tab

Return to your Google Sheets file

Step 7: Reload

- Google Sheets tab

The new custom menu appears in the menu bar

Step 8: Click

- New custom menu (e.g., 'My Menu') > menu item (e.g., 'Say Hello')

The script runs and shows a popup message

Before vs After

Before

Google Sheets menu bar shows only default menus like File, Edit, View

After

Google Sheets menu bar shows a new menu named 'My Menu' with a clickable item 'Say Hello'

Settings Reference

onOpen function

📍 Apps Script editor

Runs automatically when the spreadsheet opens to add your custom menu

Default: No custom menu

Menu name

📍 Code inside onOpen function

The name shown in the Google Sheets menu bar

Default: No menu

Menu item name

📍 Code inside onOpen function

The name of the clickable item inside your custom menu

Default: No menu item

Function to run

📍 Code inside onOpen function

The script function that runs when the menu item is clicked

Default: No function

Common Mistakes

Not naming the function 'onOpen' to create the menu

Google Sheets only runs the onOpen function automatically when the sheet opens

Always name your menu creation function 'onOpen' so it runs on file open

Forgetting to reload the spreadsheet after saving the script

The custom menu only appears after the sheet reloads and runs onOpen

Reload the Google Sheets tab after saving your script to see the menu

Using a menu item function that is not defined in the script

Clicking the menu item will cause an error if the function does not exist

Define all functions you link to menu items in the script

Summary

Custom menus let you add your own menu options to Google Sheets for easy script access.

You create custom menus by writing an onOpen function in the Apps Script editor.

Remember to reload your sheet after saving the script to see the new menu.