Doorstep reads the shipping emails in your Gmail and shows your packages on your phone: what's arriving, and what's been delivered and is waiting at the door. It takes about 5 minutes on a computer. No apps to install, no coding.
Everything runs inside your own Google account: a Google Sheet you own, a small script attached to it, and the app page that script serves. It reads your inbox (read-only) and writes your packages into that sheet. Once you've made your copy, nothing depends on whoever sent you this page, and nobody else can see your mail or your list.
On a computer
- Copy the template. Open the template link you were sent (it ends in
/copy), make sure the account in the top-right is your Gmail, and click Make a copy. - Run setup. In your copy, wait a few seconds for a Doorstep menu to appear next to Help (reload the page if it doesn't). Choose Doorstep › 1. Set up.
- Google asks for permission. Click Continue and pick your account.
- You'll see "Google hasn't verified this app." That's normal: the "app" is your own copy, which nobody has submitted to Google for review. Click Advanced, then Go to Doorstep (unsafe), then Allow.
- It asks to read your Gmail (read-only), edit this one spreadsheet, run on a timer, show menus in the sheet, and see your email address (so the app page opens only for you).
- After allowing, choose Doorstep › 1. Set up once more. When it says "Doorstep is set up", it has filled the Packages tab from the last 30 days of mail.
- Turn on the phone link. Choose Extensions › Apps Script. In the new tab, click the blue Deploy button › New deployment. Click the gear next to "Select type" and pick Web app. Set Execute as: Me and Who has access: Only myself, then click Deploy (allow again if asked). Click Copy under Web app URL.
"Only myself" means the page opens only when you're signed in to this Google account. There's no password or secret link to keep safe.
- Get the QR code. Back in the sheet, choose Doorstep › 2. Connect my phone and paste the Web app URL. A QR code appears.
On your phone
- Point your camera at the QR code and open the link in Chrome (Android) or Safari (iPhone). Your phone needs to be signed in to the same Google account. If Google shows an error and you have several accounts on the phone, open the link in a private tab and sign in with just this one.
- Add it to your home screen: Android (Chrome): ⋮ › Add to home screen › Install. iPhone (Safari): Share › Add to Home Screen.
Good to know
- Delivered is the first tab: packages stay there until you tap Got it. On the way shows what's coming, and Done keeps the last 30 days.
- Mail is checked every 15 minutes. Check mail in the app does it right away.
- Tap any package to fix its name or date, or archive it. You can also edit the sheet directly.
- To stop it completely, delete your copy of the sheet. You can also remove its access at myaccount.google.com/connections.