There are lots of reasons to create a spreadsheet, including budgeting, habit and book monitoring, business and school presentations, and organizing the children’s tasks. But for that particular meeting, how do you make your spreadsheet stand out? How do you make Excel or Google Sheets work for you rather than the other way around?
These applications are jam-packed with practical features and shortcuts to help you operate more efficiently rather than more laboriously.
Whether you use Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel, these six strategies will help you become an expert spreadsheet user.
Sort your data by alphabet.
The data in your spreadsheet may be arranged in a variety of ways, such as alphabetical or reverse alphabetical.
For Google Sheets, follow these steps:
1. Either click the capital letter at the top of a column or highlight it.
2. To access the dropdown menu, click the down arrow.
3. Select either the Z-A or A-Z sort sheets. Keep in mind that numbers will be arranged from highest to lowest when sorted Z-A, and from lowest to highest when sorted A-Z.
This is how to use Excel:
1. Draw attention to a column
2. Select the Data tab.
3. Select alphabetical order by clicking A-Z, or reverse alphabetical order by clicking Z-A.
Include checkboxes.
Who is not a sucker for a to-do list? Checkboxes can be useful when using a spreadsheet to track habits or complete tasks.
The Google Sheets checkboxes
Where in Google Sheets are checkboxes located?
]For Google Sheets, follow these steps:
1. Emphasize a row, cell, or column.
2. In the toolbar, select Insert.
3. Select the Checkbox
This is how to use Excel:
1. Press the Insert button
2. Click the Form Controls checkbox.
3. When your cursor changes to a four-pointed arrow, click the cell where you wish to enter the checkbox. The box will then appear for you to position.
4. Use the checkbox to highlight the column, then move the mouse down to the desired length.
Drop-down menus
Add dropdown menus to your spreadsheet to make it look more professional.
To add for Sheets, follow these steps:
1. Emphasize a row, cell, or column.
2. In the toolbar, select Insert.
3. Select Dropdown.
By choosing the edit icon, you may further configure the dropdown menu, which will initially have two selections.
Excel data validation
Excel dropdown menus may be added.
To add for Excel, follow these steps:
1. Choose the cells you wish to include a drop-down menu in.
2. Select Data.
3. Select Validation of Data.
4. Choose Allow when the Data Validation pop-up window shows.
5. From the menu, select List.
6. Type your dropdown menu’s content, using commas to divide each item.
7. Press OK.
Adding up a column
There is a simpler way to calculate numbers than using a calculator, even if data recording typically requires some arithmetic.
To add for Sheets, follow these steps:
1. Select a cell that is empty.
2. Type =SUM()
3. Type the data range you wish to add up.
4, provide a closing parenthesis.
5. The empty cell you first selected will display the sum total.
Additionally, you may choose a range of data, and Sheets will display a preview in the lower right corner. The total, average, count, and other functions can then be altered.
To add for Excel, follow these steps:
1. Decide whatever data range you want to combine.
2. Examine the screen’s bottom status bar.
3. The sum ought to appear next to SUM.
Using AutoSum, which will maintain your total on your chart, you may get the same outcome.
Charts Google Sheets chart
Google Sheets offers a plethora of customization options for your chart.
An well positioned pie graph may significantly improve a spreadsheet. Additionally, as you add additional data, spreadsheet-based visualizations will keep updating.
Here’s how to use Google Sheets to add charts to your work:
1. Type in the information you wish to graph.
2. Draw attention to the columns.
3. From the toolbar, select Insert.
4. From the drop-down option, select Chart.
5. On the right side of your screen, a side menu will appear and a chart will fill up.
You may select from elements such as various graph styles, colors, and legend information using the customization menu.
The instructions for Excel are as follows:
Creating a Microsoft Excel chart
1. Decide the data to include in your graphic.
2. Press the Insert button.
3. Select the Suggested Charts.
4. To view how your data might be shown, click on a chart after scrolling through the available options.
5. After locating the desired chart, click OK.
To further alter your chart, go through the styles, filters, and chart elements in the top-right corner.
Freeze rows or columns.
The less scrolling you have to do, the better, especially if you’re working with a big data set with many comparable possibilities. When data in your spreadsheet is frozen, it implies that the initial row or column will remain in place no matter how far you scroll. It’s very helpful if the titles of your x and y axes appear in the first row and column.
To freeze specific rows and columns in Sheets, follow these steps:
How to freeze rows and columns in a spreadsheet.
1. When you navigate through your data, click the column you wish to stay in place.
2. Either right-click or click the down arrow in the relevant column or row.
3. At the bottom of the menu, select View More Column/Row Actions.
4. Select [letter] to Freeze Up to Column/Row. Additionally, any columns or rows that come before the chosen one will be frozen.
The steps in Excel are as follows:
1. Select the column and row that you wish to freeze.
2. Select View.
3, choose Freeze Panes.