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AI-generated summary
I have two kids. And two kids means pocket money. Nothing too technical so far. The problem is that my goldfish memory means I constantly forget who spent what. “Dad, you owe me €3.” — “Do I? Since when?” — awkward silence.
So I did what any self-respecting developer would do: a Google Sheet. Except pulling up a spreadsheet in the sweets aisle at the supermarket isn’t exactly the image I want to project.
The thing nobody knows about
Google Apps Script lets you bolt a mini API onto any Sheet. You write a doGet function, deploy it as a web app, and you get a fixed URL that reads and writes to your spreadsheet. No expiring tokens, no OAuth hell. Just a URL.
From Apple’s Shortcuts app, you call that URL and get back JSON. One tap, one response. The spreadsheet stays hidden, and you just have a clean button on your home screen.
The Apps Script side
The code fits in a few lines. A function that routes based on an action parameter:
function doGet(e) {
var action = e.parameter.action;
var nom = e.parameter.nom;
if (action === "solde") {
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName(nom);
var solde = sheet.getRange("G1").getValue();
return ContentService
.createTextOutput(JSON.stringify({solde: solde.toFixed(2) + " €"}))
.setMimeType(ContentService.MimeType.JSON);
}
}
You add as many actions as you need: read a balance, add a line, deduct an amount. Deployment is Deploy > New deployment > Web app > Anyone. Done.
The Shortcuts side
My shortcut offers three choices: check the balance, log a spend, add money. Depending on the option, it asks for an amount and a description, calls the URL, and displays the result in an alert.
It works from the widget, from Siri, and even from Apple Watch. In the sweets aisle, I pull out my phone, two taps, it’s logged. Dignity intact. If you already know the Shortcuts app for saving YouTube videos to Plex or summarising podcasts , it’s exactly the same principle.
What it looks like day to day
Every Monday, the script automatically adds €1. Expenses are logged in real time. The balance is always up to date. No need to remember anything 👏.
I could have used a dedicated app. But a Sheet is free, customisable, and most importantly I control the data. No account to create, no ads, no premium feature to unlock for the export.
It works for everything else too
The same principle applies to any Sheet. Expense tracking, training log, photo gear inventory that keeps growing (yes, I have a problem). Anything that requires “open a spreadsheet to add a row” can become a tap on the home screen.
If you have a Sheet you update regularly from your phone, give it a try. The time savings are guaranteed.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to react to this article.
