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I'm developing a Google Sheets add-on and I wonder what is the best strategy to test it with real users before submitting it to the add-on store. I have read the development checklist on this page:

https://developers.google.com/gsuite/add-ons/how-tos/publishing-editor-addons

And it says, among other things:

  • The editor add-on must be fully functional - it can't be a “work in progress.”
  • The script has been tested with multiple active users.

So the question is now, how can I share it with multiple real active users so that they can test it? The only real way to actually share it seems to be to publish it to the add-on store, so this seems like a bit of a catch 22.

The alternatives I have found so far:

  • I have been developing the add-on as a script (Using Tools -> Script Editor) in Google Sheets. This will cause the script to be attached to the spreadsheet. I can share this spreadsheet with other people, and when they open it they can run the script. However, they can only run the script in the particular spreadsheet I share with them. What if they want to test it on their own data?

  • I can share the actual script with other people. If I do this they can open the script and create a test configuration as explained here: https://developers.google.com/gsuite/add-ons/how-tos/testing-editor-addons. However, this is quite a technically involved process. Asking friends without programming experience to follow the steps seems like asking a bit much. If I only ask friends with programming experience, the tests will not really be representative for average users. And it says in the checklist that the add-on should be tested with "multiple active users", not "multiple active programmers".

Is there an alternative test method that I have missed? Anyone who has experience of this process and who has insights to share?

Rubén
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Mikael Lindqvist
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  • Have you tried publishing the add-on as "Unlisted?" I'm not sure if this is still possible, because of the changes happening, but that's the first thing that I'd try. – Alan Wells Apr 08 '19 at 16:15
  • Hm... I think the concept of "Unlisted" only applies to web apps, and not add-ons. Reference: https://developers.google.com/apps-script/guides/distribute-web-app – Mikael Lindqvist Apr 11 '19 at 06:23
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    I have add-ons that are published as "Unlisted." – Alan Wells Apr 11 '19 at 14:16
  • I finally got it to work! And yes @AlanWells, it is possible to publish add-ons as unlisted. The process is not that well documented though, IMO. The answers here helped me a lot: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/50231896/there-is-no-api-console-project-with-the-id-specified-in-the-manifests-api-cons – Mikael Lindqvist May 19 '19 at 09:12
  • It's also possible to test add-on triggers by developing the add-on in a script that is bound to the document. But, I'd still want to use a "stand alone" script to publish an add-on. So, if you develop using a bound script, and publish with a stand alone, then you need a way to transfer the code from one to the other. For a script with lots of files, copying and pasting probably isn't an option. So, you could use the [Apps Script GitHub Assistant](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-apps-script-github/lfjcgcmkmjjlieihflfhjopckgpelofo?hl=en) – Alan Wells May 19 '19 at 12:48
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    @AlanWells "a way to transfer the code from one to the other" — `clasp pull` `clasp setting scriptId standalone-script-id` `clasp push` – traxium Apr 08 '21 at 16:26

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