8 Google Sheets tips and tricks guaranteed to make you more productive
Some people use Google Sheets for basic stuff. Some use it for complicated statistical calculations. You may use the app to manage your household budget. We know someone who uses a sheet to track every step they’ve taken during the year.
Whatever your priorities, Google Sheets offers advanced features that increase data accuracy and help you work faster. You can change themes to make the app visually appealing and automate repeated processes on Android phones,tablets,Chromebooks, and personal computers.
Like most apps inGoogle Workspace, Google Sheets is cloud-based and allows you to sync your work across your devices. Try these tips to maximize the benefits of using Google Sheets.
What is Google Sheets?
Google Sheets is a free and cloud-based alternative to Microsoft Excel. The spreadsheet program is designed for data entry and has an interface that’s fit for business or personal use. You can use the app to create and format special blocks called cells,use functions and formulasto alter and calculate values inside cells, and collaborate with people in real time.
Google Sheets is an online app that saves your work as you go. Your data remains private until you give people access to it, the same way most Workspace applications operate. Sheets is free for personal use and hasseveral business plans. A Google Workspace subscription plan unlocks the business versions of Google’s other productivity apps.
Google Sheets has a web app you can use from your browser and a mobile app. Using it on your phone limits its functionality, so it’s best used for quick edits and not intense computations.
Freeze columns and rows
There can be millions of cells in one Google spreadsheet. You could miss important data if you scroll too much. Sheets allows you to freeze columns or rows to ensure that doesn’t happen. The frozen cells go along with you when you scroll around the spreadsheet. However, you can’t freeze only one cell.
Freeze columns and rows on computers
Freeze columns and rows on the mobile app
Filter data
When collaborating with third parties on Google Sheets, your data may combine with theirs and become messy to sort through. The filter option allows you to hide everyone’s data and view only yours. Here are the different ways to hide data:
Filter data in Google Sheets on computers
Filter data in Google Sheets on the mobile app
Quickly find relevant data in Google Sheets!
Use Google Sheets themes
Google Sheets has 16 themes on the web app. Your theme is set to Standard, but you can change it to a different one. You can customize your selected theme with different fonts and colors for chart backgrounds, text, and hyperlinks.
The theme only applies to the current spreadsheet you’re working on, not existing or future spreadsheets. you may only change themes from light to dark on the mobile app, but the theme you choose on the web app reflects on your phone. Use the dark theme to save the battery.
Use Google Sheets themes on computers
Use Google Sheets themes on the mobile app
Automate repetitive processes
Google Sheets has an extension called Macros. A macro records actions you take on a spreadsheet and then assigns a keyboard command to that set of actions. When you press the command on your keyboard, the recorded action repeats on your spreadsheet. Macros are available on the Google Sheets web app but not the mobile apps. Here are the ways it’s possible to use macros:
Use Macros from your browser
Add custom functions
Google Sheets has many mathematical functions like SUM, DURATION, and FREQUENCY. If you don’t find a function that does what you need, create one and add it to Sheets from the Google Apps Script extension, a platform where you can write code and integrate it with Google Workspace apps.
Apps Script is available on Google Sheets from your browser. You’ll find it under the Extensions tab. The extension isn’t available on the mobile app. If you’re new to code, use Google Workspace Marketplace to get functions as add-ons.
Cleanup and trim data
Google Sheets can double-check your spreadsheet for errors. Use the cleanup tool toremove duplicate valuesfrom all or select columns. If double spaces appear between words, trim them for a neater appearance. Sheets offers suggestions on anything else that needs correcting. For example, if there are inconsistent values. This feature is not available on the mobile app.
Create a drop-down menu
Drop-down menus are useful in spreadsheets with repeated values or tocollect responsesin a survey. You can predefine a list of items or numbers and select from it instead of retyping the value into a cell. You can also copy and paste drop-down menus to different cells to save time.
Create a drop-down menu in Sheets on computers
Create a drop-down menu in Sheets on the mobile app
Create a series
You can enter numerical values such as dates, time, whole numbers, negative numbers, and more sequentially without retyping them in Google Sheets. You can also autofill alphabets and names of months horizontally or vertically on your spreadsheet. The feature is available on the web and mobile app.
Create a series in Google Sheets on computers
Create a series in Google Sheets on the mobile app
Take data entry to the next level
Google Sheets offers powerful capabilities to simplify work. Additionally, Google Workspace Marketplace offersadd-ons for your Sheetsthat you can use to spice up your work. You can create diagrams, build forms, make calendars and schedules, track down email addresses, generate invoices, and more.
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