How to print each order for packing?

"this will have blank spaces in every response from the user"- Google Docs Editors Community

This is a common problem with long order forms. If you take restaurant orders in a Google Form with a lot of products on it, nobody orders everything, so each row in your Sheet is mostly blank cells, and staff have to read across to find what this person wants. Joining those cells into one takes a formula, and one misread row means the wrong bag goes out.

In this article, we will show you how to print each order on its own page, with only what this person ordered and where it goes.

1. Name your order form

Click Create a new form, type your form's name and click Generate. Check the outline it suggests and click Proceed. Already have a Google Form? Click Import Google Form instead.
Neartail's screen to name your order form, with Restaurant orders typed in and the Generate button marked

2. Open the order

When orders come in, click ORDERS, then Kanban board. Under Submitted, click the order you're packing.
The Kanban board with three orders in the Submitted column, and order #3 for Maria Garcia at $21.50 marked

3. Click Print

Click the ⋮ at the top of the order and choose Print.
Order #3 open with 2 Cheeseburgers and 1 Fries, a total of $21.50, Maria Garcia's phone, email and address, and its menu with Print marked

4. Pack from a page with no blanks

The page has the order number, only what this person ordered, the total, and their name and address. Pack from it, then put it on the bag.
The printed page for order #3, listing Cheeseburger 2 and Fries 1, Order Amount $21.50, and Maria Garcia's name, phone, email and delivery address

5. Print a whole column on a busy night

Click the ⋮ on the Submitted column and choose Print, then choose how many orders and click Print. You get one table with a row for each order.
The printed table with columns for the order number, customer, address, order and payment, and a row each for orders 3, 2 and 1

Summary

If most cells in your order Sheet are blank, staff have to read across every row, and one misread means the wrong bag goes out. With Neartail, you print each order on its own page, with only what this person ordered and where it goes.

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