How to create an RSPV/Headcount Database using GoogleDocs
Have You Tried Google Docs?
You can create documents, forms, spreadsheets and even presentations using Google Docs, and this wonderful tool is all premised on the idea that collaboration is key. When you're organizing a wedding, nothing is more true. In this article I'll show you how to create an attractive, user-friendly form and share it with your mother, future mother-in-law, and other people who keep track of family statistics. That way you can get some help organizing your guest list!
Create a Wedding Planning Form
We will be creating a Google Doc that contains the following information:
Guest Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
Phone Number
Relationship
Bridal Shower 1 Attending?
Bridal Shower 2 Attending?
Bridal Shower Gift
Thank You sent
Wedding RSVP Head Count
Meal Choice
Seating Assignment
Notes
Wedding Gift
Thank You sent
Go to Google Docs; choose Create and, in the drop-down window, choose New Form.
In the top you can type in the name of your form, and then enter the information you want people to answer in the first question. It should be a place for your mom and future mother-in-law to type in the names of people they want to invite to the wedding. When you complete the first question, you will click on the pencil to the right—in the blue circle—to add another question.
Entering Your Questions
As you proceed, Google Docs will want you to keep adding questions by using the Add button at the top left. As you click Add, a drop- down menu allows you to specify the question format, such as text, paragraph, multiple choice, checkboxes, choose from a list, scale, and grid.
When I came to the question about attendance at the bridal shower, although I chose a text question at the top under Add, I was able to change my choice while I was creating the question. I changed it to multiple choice. Google Docs provides you with a radio-button format in which you can enter your choices, in this case Yes or No. Incidentally, I did not make this a required question, because it is information that I can add as we go through the various stages of wedding planning.
Now that we have entered every question that needs to be included in the Wedding Google Doc, we can actually create the form. Go to the top of the form, toward the left. Next to the word “Add" you will see the word Theme. Click on this and you will see a whole array of choices—up to 97.
Once you’ve chosen a theme, you will see your finished form. Then you can close it and you will see it in your list of Google Docs. Right- click on it in order to share it. A window will open up that allows you to enter the email addresses of the selected people, and on the right-hand side of the address window is a box so that you can decide whether people can edit it—i.e., add names—or simply view it. Then send it.
When your recipient opens it up, he will see a Google Doc that resembles an Excel spreadsheet. If the person chooses Form (or Tools) and then Go to Live Form in the drop-down window, the attractive questionnaire you created will be available and they can begin entering the names of suggested wedding guests.
Since Google Docs saves all the changes that everyone makes, your mom (if that’s who you’ve chosen, for example) will be able to see your updates, and she can enter data, too. As your mother, your future mother-in-law, and your cousin the family historian all enter data—which is really fun and easy using the form—it will all be collected on your copy of the form, which is designated the master copy. Each time your friends open it, they will see the new changes made by others.
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