Google Sheet Basic

What is Google Sheets?

Google Sheets is a free, web-based spreadsheet program offered by Google as part of its Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). It allows users to:

✅ Key Features of Google Sheets:

1. Create and edit spreadsheets online

– Similar to Microsoft Excel but cloud-based.

2. Real-time collaboration

– Multiple people can work on the same sheet at the same time.

3. Automatic saving

– Changes are saved instantly in Google Drive.

4. Accessible from anywhere

– Use it on a browser or mobile app; no installation needed.

5. Formulas and Functions

– Supports mathematical, statistical, and logical operations.

6. Data visualization

– Create charts, pivot tables, and conditional formatting.

7. Add-ons and Scripting

– Automate tasks using Google Apps Script.

8. Import/Export
– Open Excel files or download your sheet in various formats (XLSX, PDF, CSV, etc.).

In short, Google Sheets is a powerful, collaborative spreadsheet tool for working with data in the cloud.

How to open Google Sheets?

Here are simple steps to open Google Sheets:

✅ Method 1: Using a Web Browser

1. Open any web browser (like Chrome, Firefox, etc.).

2. Go to: https://sheets.google.com
3. Sign in with your Google account (if not already signed in).
4. Click on “+ Blank” to create a new sheet, or choose an existing template.

✅ Method 2: From Google Drive

1. Go to: https://drive.google.com

2. Click the “+ New” button (top-left corner).

3. Select Google Sheets from the list.

✅ Method 3: Using Mobile App

1. Download the Google Sheets app from the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone).

2. Open the app and sign in with your Google account.

3. Tap the "+" icon to create a new sheet or open existing ones.

How to upload a Microsoft Excel sheet to Google Sheets? 

Here are the steps:

1. Open Google Drive
Go to https://drive.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
2. Click on “New”
On the top left, click the + New button.
3. Select “File upload”
From the dropdown, click on File upload.
4. Choose your Excel file
Select the Microsoft Excel file (e.g., .xlsx) from your computer and click Open.
5. Wait for the upload
The file will appear in your Google Drive once it's uploaded.

6. Open with Google Sheets

• Right-click on the uploaded Excel file.
• Click Open with > Google Sheets.

7. (Optional) Save as Google Sheet
If you want to convert and save it as a Google Sheets file:

• Click File > Save as Google Sheets inside the opened file.

How to Freeze a Row or Column in Google Sheets?

Freezing rows or columns helps keep headers visible while scrolling.

✅ To Freeze Rows:

1. Open your Google Sheet.
2. Click on the View menu at the top.
3. Hover over Freeze.

4. Select one of the following:

• 1 row – freezes the top row.
• 2 rows – freezes the first two rows.
• Up to current row – freezes rows up to the one you have selected.

✅ To Freeze Columns:

1. Click on the column letter you want to freeze (like A, B, etc.).
2. Go to the View menu.
3. Hover over Freeze.
4. Choose:
• 1 column
• 2 columns
• Up to current column

How to remove gridlines in Google Sheets?

Here are the steps:

1. Open your Google Sheet.
2. Click on the "View" menu at the top.
3. From the dropdown, uncheck the option "Show gridlines".
4. The gridlines will now be removed from the active sheet.

How to insert an image into a cell in Google Sheets?

Here are the steps:

1. Open your Google Sheet.
2. Click on the cell where you want to insert the image.
3. Go to the top menu and click on “Insert”.
4. From the dropdown, choose “Image” → “Image in cell”.
5. Select the image source (Upload, Camera, URL, Photos, Drive).
6. Choose or upload your image.

7. The image will now appear inside the selected cell.

How to insert a checkbox inside a cell in Google Sheets?

Follow these simple steps:

1. Open your Google Sheet.

2. Select the cell or range of cells where you want to insert the checkbox.
3. Go to the top menu and click on “Insert”.
4. From the dropdown menu, click on “Checkbox”.
5. A checkbox will now appear in the selected cells.
6. You can click the checkbox to check or uncheck it.

How to copy the format of any cell in Google Sheets?

Follow these steps:

1. Open your Google Sheet.
2. Click on the cell whose format (like color, font, borders) you want to copy.
3. Go to the top toolbar and click on the “Paint format” icon (it looks like a paint roller).
4. Now click on the cell or range of cells where you want to apply the same format.

5. The selected format will be copied to those cells.

How to Change the Tab Name and Color in Google Sheets?

Follow these steps:

🔤 To Rename a Sheet Tab:

1. Open your Google Sheet.
2. At the bottom, right-click on the tab you want to rename.
3. Select “Rename” from the menu.

4. Type the new name and press Enter.

🎨 To Change the Tab Color:

1. Right-click on the sheet tab.
2. Hover over “Change color”.

3. Choose your preferred color from the palette.

How to Create a Filter in Google Sheets?

1. Open your Google Sheet where you want to create the filter.

2. Select the range of cells or the whole table you want to filter.
3. Go to the menu bar at the top.
4. Click on Data.
5. Then click on Create a filter.
6. After this, small filter icons (dropdown arrows) will appear in the header row of your selected range.
7. Click on any filter icon to filter data by condition, value, or sort the data.

How to Create Data Validation in Google Sheets?

1. Open your Google Sheet where you want to apply data validation.
2. Select the cell or range of cells where you want to restrict the data input.

3. From the menu bar, click on Data.

4. Then select Data validation from the dropdown.

5. In the Data validation window, you will see options like:

• Criteria: Choose the type of validation, e.g., list of items, number, text, date, checkbox, etc.
• For example, if you select List of items, enter the allowed values separated by commas (e.g., Yes,No,Maybe).

6. You can also check the box for Show dropdown list in cell to allow users to select from a dropdown.

7. Choose what happens if invalid data is entered:

• Show warning (allows invalid data but warns)
• Reject input (prevents invalid data)

8. Click Save.

9. Now, when you enter data in those cells, it will be validated according to the rules you set.

How to Download a Google Sheet and in which formats?

To download a Google Sheet to your computer, follow these steps:

📥 How to Download a Google Sheet

1. Open your Google Sheet in a web browser.
2. Click on File in the top menu.
3. Hover over Download.
4. Select your desired file format from the list.

📄 Available Download Formats

Google Sheets allows you to download your spreadsheet in various formats:

• Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) – Compatible with Excel and other spreadsheet programs.
• OpenDocument Format (.ods) – Used by OpenOffice and LibreOffice.
• PDF Document (.pdf) – Ideal for printing or sharing as a read-only file.
• Web Page (.html, zipped) – Saves the sheet as a web page.
• Comma-Separated Values (.csv) – Exports the current sheet as a CSV file.
• Tab-Separated Values (.tsv) – Exports the current sheet with tab delimiters.

📧 Email as Attachment

Alternatively, you can email the sheet directly:

1. Click on File > Email as attachment.
2. Choose the file format.
3. Enter the recipient's email address.
4. Click Send.

This method is useful for sharing the sheet without downloading it yourself.

 

How to See Sheets Details in Google Google Sheets?

1. Open the Google Sheet file

• Go to sheets.google.com and open the document you want.

2. Click the File menu

• At the top-left, click File in the menu bar.

3. Select "details"

• In the dropdown menu, click on “Document details”.

4. Check the information

• A small window will open showing:
  • Document Location (where it is stored in Drive)
  • Owner (who created or owns the file)
  • Created Date (when the file was made)
  • Last Modified (when it was last edited)

5. See Version History (optional)

• To know who made what changes, go to:
  File > Version history > See version history

• It will show timestamps and the name of the user who made changes.

Importance

I hope that the complete information I have provided about Google Sheet Basic has helped you understand it well. If you have any doubts or questions regarding this article, feel free to let me know in the comments below. If you liked this article, please share it on your social networks.