POST Data to an API – Apps Script

UrlFetchApp supports POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE requests. You set the method, contentType, and payload options to send structured data — JSON, form data, or raw strings — to any external API endpoint.

Basic POST Request with a JSON Body

function basicPostRequest() {
  var url = "https://httpbin.org/post";

  var payload = JSON.stringify({
    customerName: "Sarah Johnson",
    product: "Pro Plan",
    amount: 299
  });

  var options = {
    method: "POST",
    contentType: "application/json",
    payload: payload,
    muteHttpExceptions: true
  };

  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, options);
  Logger.log("Status: " + response.getResponseCode());
  Logger.log("Response: " + response.getContentText());
}

Posting a Closed Deal to a CRM API

This example reads each newly closed deal from the Sales Tracker and POSTs it to a CRM:

function syncClosedDealsToCRM() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp
    .getActiveSpreadsheet()
    .getSheetByName("Sales Tracker");

  var data = sheet.getRange(2, 1, sheet.getLastRow() - 1, 9).getValues();
  // Columns: [Customer Name, Email, Product, Amount, Region, Sales Rep, Status, Date, CRM Synced]

  var apiUrl = "https://api.your-crm.com/v1/deals";
  var apiToken = "YOUR_API_TOKEN";

  data.forEach(function(row, i) {
    var customerName = row[0];
    var email = row[1];
    var product = row[2];
    var amount = row[3];
    var region = row[4];
    var salesRep = row[5];
    var status = row[6];
    var dealDate = row[7];
    var synced = row[8];

    if (status !== "Closed" || synced === "Synced") return;

    var payload = JSON.stringify({
      contact: { name: customerName, email: email },
      deal: {
        title: customerName + " – " + product,
        value: amount,
        currency: "USD",
        stage: "won",
        region: region,
        owner: salesRep,
        close_date: Utilities.formatDate(new Date(dealDate), Session.getScriptTimeZone(), "yyyy-MM-dd")
      }
    });

    var options = {
      method: "POST",
      contentType: "application/json",
      headers: { "Authorization": "Bearer " + apiToken },
      payload: payload,
      muteHttpExceptions: true
    };

    var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(apiUrl, options);

    if (response.getResponseCode() === 201) {
      sheet.getRange(i + 2, 9).setValue("Synced");
      Logger.log("Synced to CRM: " + customerName);
    } else {
      Logger.log("Failed for " + customerName + ": " + response.getResponseCode());
    }

    Utilities.sleep(200);
  });
}

Sending a PUT Request to Update a Record

function updateDealInCRM(dealId, newStatus) {
  var url = "https://api.your-crm.com/v1/deals/" + dealId;

  var payload = JSON.stringify({ stage: newStatus });

  var options = {
    method: "PUT",
    contentType: "application/json",
    headers: { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" },
    payload: payload,
    muteHttpExceptions: true
  };

  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, options);
  Logger.log("Update status: " + response.getResponseCode());
}

Sending Form-Encoded Data

Some APIs (like older REST endpoints or OAuth flows) require application/x-www-form-urlencoded data:

function postFormData() {
  var url = "https://httpbin.org/post";

  var options = {
    method: "POST",
    payload: {
      customer: "Mark Chen",
      product: "Enterprise Plan",
      amount: "999"
    }
    // Apps Script auto-sets content type to application/x-www-form-urlencoded
  };

  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, options);
  Logger.log(response.getContentText());
}

Handling the POST Response

function handlePostResponse(response) {
  var code = response.getResponseCode();

  if (code === 200 || code === 201) {
    var result = JSON.parse(response.getContentText());
    Logger.log("Success. Created ID: " + result.id);
    return result;
  } else if (code === 400) {
    Logger.log("Bad request – check your payload.");
  } else if (code === 401 || code === 403) {
    Logger.log("Auth error – check your API key.");
  } else if (code === 429) {
    Logger.log("Rate limited – slow down requests.");
  } else {
    Logger.log("Error " + code + ": " + response.getContentText());
  }

  return null;
}