Google Sheets Mastery

WHAT CAN YOU CREATE?

• → Budgets and expense trackers
• → Project schedules and timelines
• → Data analysis and reports
• → Inventory management
• → Grade books and student rosters
• → Sales tracking and forecasting

ACCESS GOOGLE SHEETS:

1. Visit sheets.google.com
2. OR click the Google Apps icon (9 dots) in Gmail → Sheets
3. Sign in with your Google account

CREATE A NEW SPREADSHEET:

• → Click the colorful "+" icon (Blank spreadsheet)
• → OR choose from a template (budget, schedule, to-do list, etc.)
• → Your spreadsheet starts with "Untitled spreadsheet" - click to rename

MAKE A COPY:

1. Open the spreadsheet you want to copy
2. Click "File" → "Make a copy"
3. Rename the copy
4. Choose where to save it (optional)
5. Click "Make a copy"

Perfect for using templates or working from a shared spreadsheet!

KEY TERMS:

• → Cell: A single box where you enter data (intersection of row and column)
• → Row: Horizontal line of cells (numbered 1, 2, 3...)
• → Column: Vertical line of cells (labeled A, B, C...)
• → Cell Reference: Column letter + Row number (e.g., A1, B2, C3)
• → Range: Group of cells (e.g., A1:C3 means all cells from A1 to C3)
• → Sheet: A single page/tab within your spreadsheet

INSERT ROWS OR COLUMNS:

1. Right-click a row number or column letter
2. Click "Insert 1 row above/below" or "Insert 1 column left/right"
3. A new row/column appears and existing data shifts

DELETE ROWS OR COLUMNS:

1. Right-click a row number or column letter
2. Click "Delete row" or "Delete column"
3. The row/column is removed and data shifts to fill the gap

Remember: You can always undo with Ctrl/⌘+Z

FREEZE ROWS OR COLUMNS:

Keep headers visible while scrolling through data:

1. Click "View" → "Freeze"
2. Choose "1 row", "2 rows", "1 column", or "Up to current row/column"
3. Frozen sections stay in place when you scroll

RESIZE ROWS OR COLUMNS:

• → Hover between row numbers or column letters until you see resize cursor
• → Click and drag to adjust size
• → OR right-click → "Resize row/column" and enter exact pixel size

TEXT FORMATTING:

ALIGNMENT:

Select cells, then click alignment buttons in toolbar:

• → Left align: Standard for text
• → Center: Headers and titles
• → Right align: Numbers and currency
• → Vertical align: Top, middle, or bottom of cell

NUMBER FORMATTING:

Click "Format" → "Number" and choose:

• → Number: Standard numbers (1,000.12)
• → Currency: Money format ($1,000.12)
• → Percent: Percentage (10.12%)
• → Date: Various date formats
• → Custom: Create your own format

MERGE CELLS:

1. Select cells you want to merge
2. Click "Format" → "Merge cells"
3. Choose "Merge all", "Merge horizontally", or "Merge vertically"

Great for creating section headers!

BORDERS:

1. Select cells
2. Click border icon in toolbar
3. Choose border style, color, and thickness

WORK WITH MULTIPLE SHEETS:

• → Add sheet: Click the "+" button at bottom left
• → Rename sheet: Right-click sheet tab → "Rename"
• → Duplicate sheet: Right-click sheet tab → "Duplicate"
• → Delete sheet: Right-click sheet tab → "Delete"
• → Change tab color: Right-click sheet tab → "Change color"
• → Move sheet: Click and drag sheet tab to reorder

CREATE A DROPDOWN LIST:

1. Select the cells where you want the dropdown
2. Click "Data" → "Data validation"
3. Under Criteria, select "List of items"
4. Enter your list items separated by commas (e.g., "Yes, No, Maybe")
5. Check "Show dropdown list in cell"
6. Click "Save"

VALIDATE NUMBER RANGES:

1. Select cells
2. Click "Data" → "Data validation"
3. Select "Number" → choose condition (between, greater than, etc.)
4. Enter minimum and maximum values
5. Choose to show warning or reject input
6. Click "Save"

REMOVE VALIDATION:

1. Select cells with validation
2. Click "Data" → "Data validation"
3. Click "Remove validation"

SORT DATA:

Organize your data in ascending or descending order:

• → Sort entire sheet: Click column letter → "Data" → "Sort sheet" → Choose A to Z or Z to A
• → Sort range: Select cells → "Data" → "Sort range" → Choose options

CREATE A FILTER:

Show only specific data based on criteria:

1. Select your data range (including headers)
2. Click "Data" → "Create a filter"
3. Filter icons appear in header row
4. Click filter icon → Check/uncheck values to show/hide
5. Click "OK"

FILTER BY CONDITION:

Filter based on text, numbers, or dates:

1. Click filter icon
2. Select "Filter by condition"
3. Choose condition (contains, greater than, etc.)
4. Enter value
5. Click "OK"

FILTER VIEWS:

Save different filter configurations:

1. Click "Data" → "Filter views" → "Create new filter view"
2. Set up your filters
3. Name the view
4. Switch between views using dropdown at top

Filter views don't affect how others see the sheet!

BASIC OPERATORS:

SUM FUNCTION:

Add numbers quickly:

1. Click cell where you want the total
2. Type =SUM(
3. Select the range of cells to add
4. Type ) and press Enter

AVERAGE FUNCTION:

Calculate the average:

COUNTIF FUNCTION:

Count cells that meet a condition:

1. Type =COUNTIF(
2. Select the range to search
3. Type comma, then the criteria in quotes
4. Type ) and press Enter

OTHER USEFUL FUNCTIONS:

• → =MAX(range) - Largest value
• → =MIN(range) - Smallest value
• → =COUNT(range) - Count numbers in range
• → =IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false) - Conditional logic
• → =TODAY() - Current date

INSERT A CHART:

1. Select the data you want to visualize (including headers)
2. Click "Insert" → "Chart"
3. Google Sheets suggests a chart type
4. Customize using Chart Editor sidebar

CHART TYPES:

• → Column/Bar Chart: Compare values across categories
• → Line Chart: Show trends over time
• → Pie Chart: Show parts of a whole
• → Scatter Plot: Show relationship between two variables
• → Stacked Chart: Compare totals and parts

CUSTOMIZE CHART:

Use Chart Editor to modify:

• → Chart title and axis labels
• → Colors and font styles
• → Legend position
• → Data range

MOVE CHART TO OWN SHEET:

1. Click the three dots on chart
2. Select "Move to own sheet"
3. Chart gets its own dedicated tab

SHARE YOUR SPREADSHEET:

1. Click the blue "Share" button (top-right corner)
2. Add email addresses
3. Choose permission level:
   • • Viewer: Can only view (cannot edit or comment)
   • • Commenter: Can view and add comments (cannot edit)
   • • Editor: Full access to edit, comment, and share
4. Add a message (optional)
5. Click "Send"

SHARE VIA LINK:

1. Click "Share"
2. Click "Copy link"
3. Change link access:
   • • Restricted: Only people you add can access
   • • Anyone with the link: Anyone with link can access
4. Share the link

COMMENTS:

1. Right-click cell → "Comment" (or Ctrl/⌘+Alt+M)
2. Type your comment or question
3. Tag someone with @ (e.g., @victor)
4. Click "Comment"
5. Resolve comments when addressed by clicking "Resolve"

VIEW EDIT HISTORY:

1. Click "File" → "Version history" → "See version history"
2. OR click "All changes saved in Drive" at the top
3. Browse versions by date and time
4. Click a version to preview it
5. See who made each change (color-coded)

RESTORE OLD VERSION:

1. Open version history
2. Find the version you want
3. Click "Restore this version"
4. Confirm restoration

Don't worry - the current version is saved in history too!

NAME A VERSION:

1. Open version history
2. Click three dots next to a version
3. Select "Name this version"
4. Give it a meaningful name

DOWNLOAD YOUR SPREADSHEET:

1. Click "File" → "Download"
2. Choose format:

FILE FORMATS:

• → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx): Open in Excel, compatible with most systemsBest for: Sharing with Excel users
• → PDF (.pdf): Preserves formatting, cannot be editedBest for: Final reports, printing
• → CSV (.csv): Plain text, data only (no formatting)Best for: Importing into databases
• → Web Page (.html): Publish as webpageBest for: Websites, online viewing