Google Apps Script - ListItem Bullet Indentation Issue

Google Workspace Developers Q&A
1

Goal: Convert Unicode bullet characters (•) in a Google Doc to native Google Docs bullets via Apps Script, matching the exact spacing/indentation of the template’s existing native bullets.

Problem: The converted bullets display with different spacing than the template’s native bullets, even when using setIndentStart() and setIndentFirstLine() with values extracted from the template bullets themselves.

Current Approach:

javascript

const listItem = body.insertListItem(index, text);
listItem.setGlyphType(DocumentApp.GlyphType.BULLET);
listItem.setIndentStart(36);      // From template bullet
listItem.setIndentFirstLine(18);  // From template bullet

Result: The text position is correct, but the gap between the bullet point and text is visually different from template bullets.

Context:

  • Creating docs from template via Zapier

  • Placeholders get replaced with Unicode bullets

  • Apps Script webhook converts them post-creation

  • Template bullets were created manually in Google Docs

Question: What’s the correct way to programmatically create bullets that perfectly match native Google Docs bullet formatting? Is there another property/method I’m missing?

Multiple approaches attempted without success. Any suggestions appreciated!

2

Instead of just setting indents, you might also ensure that the LIST_ID is consistent. If you insert items without linking them to an existing list, Google Docs may treat them as new, standalone lists with default internal padding.

3

Thanks for the response! If I set the right list ID will it follow the same formatting as the list?

4

I think so … but I haven’t tried it myself, so caveat emptor. :slightly_smiling_face:

You might also try forcing the paragraph attributes to clear any Zapier-inherited “Left Indent”, which might be stacking on top of your bullet indents.

const style = {};
style[DocumentApp.Attribute.INDENT_START] = 36; style[DocumentApp.Attribute.INDENT_FIRST_LINE] = 18;
listItem.setAttributes(style);