Google Sheets is a powerful tool that comes with a lot of benefits. It’s accessible from the cloud, it’s fast, and it allows you to collaborate with your team members seamlessly. If you are using Google Sheets as part of your Google Drive suite, you’ll also be able to view and edit files directly from your mobile device. In this article, we explore some of the lesser-known Google Sheets features and functions that will save you time and effort when working with data in spreadsheets. Read on to learn about some handy tips and tricks for getting more out of your Google Sheets experience.
Merge cells in Google Sheets
One of the most common use cases for Excel is to consolidate data across multiple cells into one cell. With Google Sheets, however, you can do this by simply merging cells. If you have data in multiple cells that need to be combined into one cell, you can select the cells and then click the Merge button, which will be located right above the Copy button. If you need to select multiple cells that are not adjacent to each other, use the Shift+click method to select each cell one by one.
Conditional formatting with colours
You can use conditional formatting in Google Sheets to add visual cues and highlights to your data, which can be particularly useful when you have large datasets in your spreadsheet. You can use conditional formatting to create data visualizations like highlighting the top 10 salespeople, showing the most frequently occurring numbers, or highlighting negative numbers. You can also use conditional formatting to add colours to your data. You can do this by selecting the cells you want to colour, choosing the formatting menu and choosing the Highlight option from the drop-down menu. You can then choose the colour you want to use from the drop-down menu below the coloured bars icon.
Create custom shortcuts for functions
Google Sheets has an extensive and powerful library of spreadsheet functions. You can use functions to facilitate calculations and generate information with a single click. These functions also work across multiple Google Sheets. The only limitation to these functions is that you have to memorize the exact syntax, which can be challenging. To streamline your spreadsheet process and save time, you can create custom shortcuts for each of these functions. To do this, select the function you wish to create a shortcut for, click the arrow next to the function, and then click the Create Shortcut link. You can then give your shortcut a custom keyword so you can use it later in your spreadsheet instead of having to type out the full function. This is particularly useful if you’re using functions regularly.
Add a hyperlink to a cell in Google Sheets
You can add hyperlinks to cells in Google Sheets that prompt your computer to open up a web page when clicked. This is an excellent way to enrich your data and provide useful external links to your content. To do this, select the cell you want to turn into a hyperlink, click the Insert menu and choose the Hyperlink option. To link to an external web page, enter the URL you want to link to in the URL field and select where you want the link to go in the Target field. You can select any cell in your spreadsheet or even click the Bookmarks icon to link to a bookmark in your browser.
Use the Import Data function
The Import Data function allows you to import data into a new or existing Google Sheet. This function is particularly useful if you have to regularly import a massive amount of data, as it allows you to do so in one click. To import data, select the cell in your spreadsheet where you want the data to be imported and then select the Data menu option. Select the Import Data option from the drop-down menu and choose the type of data you want to import. You can import data from a Google Sheets file, an Excel file, or a file from a URL. You can even select multiple files to import by holding down CTRL while selecting the files you want to import.
Sum up multiple cells in a column or row
You can quickly add up a row’s or column’s total by highlighting the cells you wish to add up in the spreadsheet and then clicking the Sum button, which is located above the Insert menu. You can also select the cells you want to add up and then click the blue SUM icon that is located above the row numbers.
Hide rows and columns in Google Spreadsheets
Sometimes, you may want to temporarily hide rows or columns from your spreadsheet that you don’t need to see or use. You can do this by selecting the rows or columns you want to hide and clicking the Hide button on the menu bar. You can also select the rows or columns you wish to hide and then click the gear icon on the menu bar and choose the Hide option. You can unhide rows and columns by clicking the gear icon on the menu bar and then clicking the Unhide option.
Make rows visible or invisible based on conditions
You can use the Filter function on Google Sheets to make certain rows invisible to you. You can set conditions like making all rows visible where the numbers are less than 5 or making all rows visible where the numbers are more than 10. To do this, select the rows you want to make visible and then click the gear icon on the menu bar and choose the Filter option. You can also select the rows you want to make invisible and then click the gear icon on the menu bar and choose the Filter option.
Use the Research tool from Google Sheets
The Research tool in Google Sheets is a powerful tool that allows you to search for information from a plethora of sources, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and government websites. To use the Research tool, open a spreadsheet and then select the Explore menu option. You can enter your query in the Discover menu or click the Question Mark icon to open a keyboard and begin typing your query.
Add a table of contents to your Google Spreadsheet
If you have a long and complex spreadsheet, you may want to add a table of contents to help navigate through the data. This table of contents should list the titles of each spreadsheet and the corresponding page numbers where they can be found. You can add a table of contents to your spreadsheet by clicking the gear icon on the menu bar and choosing the Table of Contents option. You can also select the cells you want to include in the table of contents and then click the gear icon on the menu bar and choose the Table of Contents option. Hopefully, these tips will help you get more out of your Google Sheets experience. These tips will be useful whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned Google Sheets user.