Using Google™ Spreadsheets By Michael Miller ............................................... Publisher: Que Pub Date: July 26, 2006 Print ISBN-10: 0-7686-6833-6 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-7686-6833-9 Pages: 50
Table of Contents
Google Spreadsheets is the new web-based spreadsheet application that's giving Microsoft Excel a run for its money. With Google Spreadsheets, you can create complex spreadsheets online, using any web browser, complete with sophisticated formulas and functions. You can even share spreadsheets online and perform collaborative editing on those spreadsheets with other users anywhere in the world. And the best thing is, Google Spreadsheets is completely free! Using Google Spreadsheets is the first e-book to cover Google's innovative online spreadsheet program. You learn how to create new web-based spreadsheets, upload and work with existing Excel spreadsheets, create complex formulas, apply a variety of formatting effects, and let other users share and edit their spreadsheets. Delivered in Adobe PDF format for quick and easy access, Using Google Spreadsheets includes everything you need to create your own sophisticated online spreadsheets. It also includes a detailed reference to the more than 200 functions included in the program, and a great cheatsheet you can print off and refer to for quick reference.
Using Google™ Spreadsheets By Michael Miller ............................................... Publisher: Que Pub Date: July 26, 2006 Print ISBN-10: 0-7686-6833-6 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-7686-6833-9 Pages: 50
Table of Contents
Copyright Introduction We Want to Hear from You! Section 1. Introducing Google Spreadsheets What's Unique About Google Spreadsheets? Comparing Google Spreadsheets to Excel Other Web-Based Spreadsheets Privacy and Security Concerns Should You Use Google Spreadsheets? Section 2. Migrating from Excel to Google Spreadsheets Section 3. Navigating the Google Spreadsheets Workspace Understanding Elements of the Workspace Navigating with the Keyboard Freezing Rows While You Scroll Section 4. Creating, Opening, and Saving Google Spreadsheets Creating a New Spreadsheet Opening an Existing Spreadsheet Importing a Spreadsheet from Excel Saving a Spreadsheet Saving a Copy of a Spreadsheet Renaming a Spreadsheet Exporting a Google Spreadsheet to Excel Format Deleting a Spreadsheet Section 5. Entering and Editing Data Entering New Data Editing Previously Entered Data Section 6. Working with Ranges Understanding Ranges Selecting a Range Section 7. Sorting Data Executing a Sort Sorting a Range
Performing Multiple-Column Sorts Section 8. Inserting, Deleting, Moving, and Copying Data Inserting Rows and Columns Deleting Data Moving Data with the Cut and Paste Commands Copying Data Section 9. Changing Column Width and Row Height Changing Column Width Changing Row Height Section 10. Formatting Google Spreadsheets Enhancing Text with Bold, Italic, and Other Attributes Changing Fonts and Type Sizes Aligning Information in a Cell Changing Number Formats Changing the Background Color of Cells and Ranges Section 11. Entering and Editing Formulas Understanding Formulas Entering Formulas Creating Formulas with Your Mouse Editing Formulas Section 12. Using Functions Understanding Functions Entering Functions Using the SUM Function Using the COUNT Function Using the AVERAGE Function Using the MIN Function Using the MAX Function Using the PRODUCT Function Other Google Spreadsheets Functions Section 13. Working with Multiple Sheets Adding New Sheets Renaming Sheets Deleting Sheets Section 14. Printing Google Spreadsheets Section 15. Sharing and Collaborating with Google Spreadsheets Sharing a Spreadsheet for Viewing Sharing a Spreadsheet for Collaboration Chatting with Spreadsheet Viewers Rescinding Access Versioning Your Work in Progress Section 16. A Final Word Command Reference
Copyright INCLUDES A HANDY, PRINTABLE COMMAND REFERENCE Print it and keep it next to your keyboard while getting up to speed!
Copyright © 2007 by Que Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this document shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
Trademarks All terms mentioned in this document that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Que Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this document should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark. Google is a trademark of Google, Incorporated.
Warning and Disclaimer Every effort has been made to make this document as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information provided is on an "as is" basis. The author(s) and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this document.
PUBLISHER Paul Boger ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Greg Wiegand ACQUISITIONS EDITOR Michelle Newcomb DEVELOPMENT EDITOR Rick Kughen MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Kanouse PROJECT EDITOR Tonya Simpson INDEXER Tim Wright PROOFREADER Elizabeth Scott TECHNICAL EDITOR Rajat Gupta PUBLISHING COORDINATOR Cindy Teeters MULTIMEDIA DEVELOPER Dan Scherf
BOOK DESIGNER Anne Jones
Introduction Introducing Google Spreadsheets
4
Migrating from Excel to Google Spreadsheets
12
Navigating the Google Spreadsheets Workspace
12
Creating, Opening, and Saving Google Spreadsheets
21
Entering and Editing Data
26
Working with Ranges
27
Sorting Data
29
Inserting, Deleting, Moving, and Copying Data
30
Changing Column Width and Row Height
33
Formatting Google Spreadsheets
34
Entering and Editing Formulas
39
Using Functions
42
Working with Multiple Sheets
64
Printing Google Spreadsheets
65
Sharing and Collaborating with Google Spreadsheets
65
A Final Word
70
Index
71
Command Reference
73
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Section 1. Introducing Google Spreadsheets Google Spreadsheets is a web-based spreadsheet that mimics some of the key features of freestanding spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Excel. Using a familiar row-and-column format, Google Spreadsheets allows you to manipulate numeric data in a variety of ways. Instead of using ledger paper, calculator, and pencil, you can now use Google Spreadsheets to do both simple and complex number-crunching activitiesfrom any computer connected to the Internet. Google Spreadsheets was born in Google Labs (labs.google.com), which is the incubator for many of Google's most innovative applications. Google, of course, is the Internet's most popular search site, and also host to a variety of search-based and non-search applicationsincluding Google Maps, Gmail, Picasa, Blogger, and the like. You access Google Spreadsheets (shown in Figure 1) at spreadsheets.google.com .
Figure 1. Access Google Spreadsheets at spreadsheets.google.com. [View full size image]
Note Learn more about Google and all its services and applications in my companion book, Googlepedia (Michael Miller, Que Publishing, 2006).
Note Google Spreadsheets is currently an experimental product in beta test. This means that Google may (or may not) add or change functionality as the test proceeds.
What's Unique About Google Spreadsheets? At first blush, Google Spreadsheets looks pretty much like every other spreadsheet you've ever seen. You can enter numbers, words, formulas, functionsyou name itinto any cell, and then format each cell as you like. And, as with Excel, you can have multiple sheets in each spreadsheet. What's unique about Google Spreadsheets is that it's all web-based. The application and all your spreadsheets reside on Google's server, not on your computer. One nice thing about this is that your spreadsheets can be accessed wherever you are, from any PC; you'll never discover that the spreadsheet you need is located on your office PC when you're at home or away. The other nice thing is that, by being web-based, you can share your spreadsheets with others. That makes workgroup collaboration possible, which is something you don't have with Excel and other spreadsheet programs. Another benefit of being web-based is that you can't lose your worktheoretically, anyway. Once you've named the spreadsheet you're working on, Google Spreadsheets saves your file on its servers. From that point on, every change you make to the spreadsheet gets saved to the Google servers automatically. Nothing gets lost if you close your web browser, navigate to another website, or even turn off your computer. Everything you do is saved by Google.
Caution Given the way in which websites and web browsers work (or sometimes don't), it's always possible that your latest changes might not make it to Google's servers; server overload or a slow connection can sometimes cause your changes to take more time than expected to get stored on the server. Bottom line, even though Google goes to great lengths to avoid data loss, there's always some slight chance of losing your latest data when the Internet is involved.
The other thing that's unique about Google Spreadsheets is that it's free. That's free, as in it costs zero dollars, unlike the increasingly more expensive Microsoft Excel. Being free makes it easy to take for a test drive, and even easier to add to your bag of applications. Many early users who've tried Google Spreadsheets have said that they're likely to switch from Excel; it can do almost everything Excel can do, from a numbers standpoint (there aren't any charts and graphs as yet), and it's perfect for corporate and small business environments.
Note Google Spreadsheets looks to be the first component of a full-featured Google office suite.
Next up? Google recently purchased Writely, a web-based word processor; look for it to join Google Spreadsheets online in the near future.
Comparing Google Spreadsheets to Excel If you've used Microsoft Excel at all in the past, Google Spreadsheets will look somewhat familiarto a point. Although Google Spreadsheets adds some unique web-based collaboration features, it also lacks some features that you might be used to in Excel, such as charts and macros. So the two programs, while similar, end up being somewhat different. (Figures 2 and 3 show how similar the two applications look.)
Figure 2. A blank spreadsheet in Google Spreadsheets... [View full size image]
Figure 3. ...compared to a similar blank spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. [View full size image]
Just how similaror differentare Google Spreadsheets and Excel? Table 1 compares and contrasts the two spreadsheet applications.
Table 1. Comparison: Google Spreadsheets Versus Microsoft Excel Google Spreadsheets
Microsoft Excel 2003
Reads and writes XLS-format files
Yes
Yes
Imports and exports CSV-format files
Yes
Yes
Multiple sheets per spreadsheet
Yes
Yes
Excel-type formulas
Yes
Yes
Number of built-in functions
232
288
Macros
No
Yes
Pivot tables
No
Yes
Database functionality
No
Yes
Charts and graphs
No
Yes
Google Spreadsheets
Microsoft Excel 2003
Text formatting
Yes
Yes
Number formatting
Yes
Yes
Cell formatting
Yes
Yes
Online sharing and collaboration
Yes
No
Saves documents online for access from any PC
Yes
No
Can use when not connected to the Internet
No
Yes
As you can see from this table, the major features lacking in Google Spreadsheets are Macros Pivot tables Database functionality Charts and graphs However, Google Spreadsheets does offer online sharing and collaboration and the capability to save all documents online.
Note The lack of charts and graphs is due to the fact that Google Spreadsheets doesn'tas yethave a built-in graphics engine.
In addition, there are some minor differences between the two programs. For example, while Google Spreadsheets can work with most Excel data and import Excel XLS files, some Excel text and date formatting doesn't directly import. Google Spreadsheets also lacks cell border formatting (you can format cell background color, however), and doesn't offer Excel's time-worn right mouse button options. Finally, unlike Excel, Google Spreadsheets doesn't let you zoom in or out of a spreadsheetyou can't change the size of the spreadsheet grid.
Other Web-Based Spreadsheets Google Spreadsheets isn't the only web-based spreadsheet out there, either. There are a number of standalone web-based spreadsheet applications, as well as a few that are part of online office suites. These alternative online spreadsheets applications include EditGrid (www.editgrid.com) iRows (www.irows.com ), shown in Figure 4
Figure 4. The iRows online spreadsheet. [View full size image]
Num Sum (www.numsum.com) The following web-based office suites also have spreadsheet components:
ThinkFree (www.thinkfree.com) Zoho (www.zoho.com), shown in Figure 5
Figure 5. The Zoho Sheet spreadsheet application in the Zoho webbased office suite. [View full size image]
Most of these web-based applications offer the same type of sharing and collaboration that you find in Google Spreadsheets. Many of them also offer a few more features than Google Spreadsheets, such as charting and graphing. All, like Google Spreadsheets, are free.
Privacy and Security Concerns When you're using Google Spreadsheets, you're relying on Google to store your work on their servers. This may raise some concerns about privacy and security; all your data is in Google's hands. These sound like reasonable concerns, but Google says you shouldn't worry. Although Google Spreadsheets stores your spreadsheets on their servers, they do not collect other personal information about you. In addition, Google uses a secure authentication method to control access to any spreadsheet you create. While you can grant others access to share your spreadsheets, those spreadsheets are private by default. Unless you share a spreadsheet URL, no one else can view that spreadsheet.
Should You Use Google Spreadsheets? Before you jump in to the Google Spreadsheets waters, you need to ask the question, is Google Spreadsheets right for your particular needs? The answer, of course, is that it all depends. Here are the following users for whom I'd say Google Spreadsheets holds promise: Beginning spreadsheet users If you're just starting out in the spreadsheet world, there's no better place to start than with Google Spreadsheets. GS's slightly limited functionality actually works to the benefit of beginning users; you won't be overwhelmed by all the advanced options that clutter the Excel workspace. Plus, Google Spreadsheets is extremely easy to use; everything you need is right out in the open, not hidden beneath layers of menus and dialog boxes. I wish I'd had Google Spreadsheets 20 years ago, when I was learning how to use PC spreadsheets (with Lotus 1-2-3, if your memory extends back that far). Casual spreadsheet users Google Spreadsheets is also a good choice if you have modest spreadsheet needs. If all you're doing is creating a few lists, totaling a few numbers, or creating a simple budget or two, Google Spreadsheets gets the job done with ease. Anyone who wants access to their spreadsheets from multiple locations If you work on the same data at work and at home (or on the road), you know what a hassle it is to carry your data around with you from computer to computerand keep it synchronized. Google Spreadsheets solves this problem. Wherever you are (home, office, on the road), you're always accessing the same version of your spreadsheet file, stored on Google's servers. There are no synchronization issues; you work on the same file wherever you go. Anyone who needs to share their spreadsheets with others Sometimes you need others to view what you're working on. Maybe you have a family budget that you and your spouse both need to see. Maybe you have a soccer team schedule that other parents need to view. Whatever the need, Google Spreadsheets lets you share your spreadsheets with anyone you like, over the Web. Anyone who needs to edit their spreadsheets in a collaborative environment Sharing is one thing; collaborative editing is another. If you need multiple users to both access and edit data in a spreadsheet, Google Spreadsheets lets you do things that are impossible in Excel. For example, I know of one entrepreneur who adopted Google Spreadsheets for his small telemarketing company. He has five employees making calls at the same time, all from their homes. He has all five employees work from the same spreadsheet; they not only access the same call data, they also enter their results into the spreadsheetlive, via the Internet. All that said, Google Spreadsheets isn't for everyone. So who shouldn't use Google Spreadsheets? Power users If you've created your own custom spreadsheet or database applications in Excel, Google Spreadsheets is not for you. It lacks many of Excel's most advanced features and simply won't get the job done. Same thing if you use a lot of macros and advanced functions; Excel has a lot of high-end features that Google Spreadsheets doesn't.
Anyone who wants to create charts and graphs At present, Google Spreadsheets lacks a graphics engine. This means no pie charts or bar graphs. If you need graphing capability, stick with Excel. Anyone who wants to create sophisticated printouts Likewise, Google Spreadsheets lacks some of the more sophisticated formatting options that some Excel users take for granted. (No cell borders, for example.) With Google Spreadsheets, what you see onscreen is exactly what prints outfor better or for worse. If you need fancy printouts, Google Spreadsheets will probably disappoint. Anyone who needs to work when not connected to the Internet This is the blatantly obvious one, but if you're not connected to the Internet, you can't connect to and work with Google Spreadsheets. To work offline, you need Excel. So, if you're a beginning or casual spreadsheet user who doesn't need fancy charts or printouts, or if you need to share your data or collaborate online with other users, Google Spreadsheets might be for you.
Section 2. Migrating from Excel to Google Spreadsheets If you've decided to give Google Spreadsheets a spin, the first question (if you've used Excel at all in the past) is how to transfer your existing Excel spreadsheets to Google Spreadsheets. Fortunately, it's pretty easy. As you'll learn in the "Importing a Spreadsheet from Excel" section of this document, it's easy to open your Excel spreadsheets from within Google Spreadsheets. All you have to do is click the File button and select the Open command, then select and upload the spreadsheet you want to import. In most cases, the Excel spreadsheet imports into Google Spreadsheets with only superficial formatting changes. In some instances, however, Google Spreadsheets won't be able to import an Excel spreadsheet. You'll probably run into problems if you try to open a spreadsheet that has embedded charts or graphics, that include macros or pivot tables, or are overly large. In some cases, these spreadsheets simply won't import; Google will give you a message saying that it couldn't open the file. In other cases, Google Spreadsheets will be able to open the file, but the non-Google features will be carved off. Even with fully compatible spreadsheets, it's not uncommon to find some formatting changes when you import into Google Spreadsheets; for example, the cell backgrounds might be one color in Excel and another in Google Spreadsheets. Full compatibility is just a dream at this point. It's also possible to export from Google Spreadsheets back into Excel's XLS format. This lets you work on your spreadsheets online, for sharing and collaboration, but then go offline with an Excel file for more private or detailed work. Just click the File button and select Download as XLS; this downloads an XLS-format version of the spreadsheet file to your computer.
Section 3. Navigating the Google Spreadsheets Workspace The Google Spreadsheets workspace looks a lot like every other PC-based spreadsheet application you've ever used. Whether you started with VisiCalc, 1-2-3, Quattro Pro, or Excel, you'll recognize the row-and-column grid you see when you first access Google Spreadsheets. Sure, the buttons or links for some specific operations might be in slightly different locations, but pretty much everything you expect to find is somewhere on the page.
Understanding Elements of the Workspace Let's take a quick look at what's where in the Google Spreadsheets workspace. The first thing to note is that the workspace changes slightly, depending on which tab (Format, Sort, or Formulas) you select at the top of the page. You can view the three different tabs in Figures 6, 7, and 8; Table 2 details all the functionality of the various workspace elements.
Figure 6. Google SpreadsheetsFormat tab.
1 File button 2 Save button 3 New link
4 Open link 5 Title and info 6 Show/Hide Sharing Options 7 Format tab 8 Sort tab 9 Formulas tab 10 Cut 11 Copy 12 Paste 13 Undo 14 Redo 15 Column headings 16 Row numbers 17 Add Sheet 18 Choose different sheet 19 Reference area 20 Choose Format 21 Bold 22 Italic 23 Underline 24 Font Family 25 Font Size 26 Text Color 27 Background Color 28 Clear Format 29 Align 30 Insert 31 Delete
32 Wrap Text 33 Merge Across
Figure 7. Google SpreadsheetsSort tab.
1 File button 2 Save button 3 New link 4 Open link 5 Title and info 6 Show/Hide Sharing Options 7 Format tab
8 Sort tab 9 Formulas tab 10 Cut 11 Copy 12 Paste 13 Undo 14 Redo 15 Column headings 16 Row numbers 17 Add Sheet 18 Choose different sheet 19 Reference area 20 Freeze Rows 21 Sort A>Z 22 Sort Z>A
Figure 8. Google SpreadsheetsFormulas tab.
1 File button 2 Save button 3 New link 4 Open link 5 Title and info 6 Show/Hide Sharing Options 7 Format tab 8 Sort tab 9 Formulas tab 10 Cut
11 Copy 12 Paste 13 Undo 14 Redo 15 Column headings 16 Row numbers 17 Add Sheet 18 Choose different sheet 19 Reference area 20 Sum 21 Count 22 Average 23 Min 24 Max 25 Product 26 More formulas
Table 2. Elements of the Google Spreadsheets Workspace Element
Tab
Description
File button
All
Lets you save, open, import, and export spreadsheet files
Save button
All
Saves the current spreadsheet
New link
All
Opens a new spreadsheet in a new browser window
Open link
All
Opens a previously saved spreadsheet, or uploads an XLS spreadsheet file stored on your computer
Spreadsheet title and info All
Displays the title of the current spreadsheet, as well as when it was last saved (visible only when using a saved spreadsheet)
Share This Spreadsheet link
Saves the current spreadsheet and displays sharing options (visible only on newly createdthat is, unsavedspreadsheets)
All
Element
Tab
Description
Show/Hide Sharing Options link
All
Lets you invite other users to share or view the current spreadsheet (visible only when using a saved spreadsheet)
Format tab
All
Displays formatting controls
Sort tab
All
Displays sorting controls
Formulas tab
All
Displays formula controls
Cut button
All
Cuts the data in the selected cell(s)use when you want to move data to another location
Copy button
All
Copies the data in the selected cell(s)
Paste button
All
Pastes cut or copied data
Undo button
All
Undoes the most recent entry, edit, or operation
Redo button
All
Redoes an undone operation
Add Sheet button
All
Adds a new sheet to the current spreadsheet
Sheet 1, Sheet 2, etc.
All
Click to select different sheets within the current spreadsheet
Reference area
All
Displays the contents of the current celleither raw data or the formula behind the numbers
Choose Format button
Format
Selects a number, date, or plain text format for the selected cell(s)
Bold
Format
Bolds the contents of the selected cell(s)
Italic
Format
Italicizes the contents of the selected cell(s)
Underline
Format
Underlines the contents of the selected cell(s)
Font Family
Format
Applies a particular font (typeface) to the selected cell(s)
Font Size
Format
Changes the font size of the selected cell(s)
Text Color
Format
Changes the color of the contents of the selected cell(s)
Background Color
Format
Changes the background color of the selected cell(s)
Clear Format
Format
Clears all formatting from the selected cell(s)
Align button
Format
Changes the alignment (left, center, right, etc.) of the selected cell(s)
Insert button
Format
Inserts new rows or columns into the spreadsheet
Delete button
Format
Deletes rows or columns from the spreadsheet
Wrap Text
Format
When checked, wraps long text to additional lines within the selected cell(s)
Merge Across
Format
Merges adjacent cells into a single cell
Element
Tab
Description
Freeze Rows
Sort
When sorting, freezes the top row(s) of the spreadsheet as header rows
Sort Sheet by Selected Column: A > Z
Sort
Sorts the spreadsheet by the currently selected column, in alphabetical (or numerical) order
Sort Sheet by Selected Column: Z > Z
Sort
Sorts the spreadsheet by the currently selected column, in reverse alphabetical (or numerical) order
Reference area
Formulas Displays the name of the selected cell
Sum
Formulas Calculates the total of a group of cells
Count
Formulas Counts the number of cells in a range that contain numeric values
Average
Formulas Calculates the mean average of a group of numbers
Min
Formulas Returns the minimum value in a range of cells
Max
Formulas Returns the maximum value in a range of cells
Product
Formulas Calculates the product of the specified valuesthat is, it multiplies all the values together
More>>
Formulas Displays all available Google Spreadsheets functions
Navigating with the Keyboard While the easiest way to navigate Google Spreadsheets is with your mouse, you can also use your keyboard to move from cell to cell in a spreadsheet. Table 3 details the key combinations that enable you to move around the worksheet.
Table 3. Google Spreadsheets Navigation Keys Key(s)
Navigation
Up arrow
Move up one cell
Down arrow
Move down one cell
Right arrow
Move right one cell
Left arrow
Move left one cell
Tab
Move right one cell
Shift+Tab
Move left one cell
Ctrl+Home
Move to cell A1
Page Down
Move one screen down
Page Up
Move one screen up
Freezing Rows While You Scroll As just noted, you can use your keyboard's Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through long spreadsheets. You can also use your mouse to click the onscreen scrollbars to achieve the same movement. The only problem with scrolling in this manner is that the top rows of the spreadsheettypically used as column headersscroll off the screen when you move down a spreadsheet. Wouldn't it be nice if you could "freeze" your spreadsheet's header row so that it's always visible, even when you're scrolling down? You're in luck; Google Spreadsheets provides just such a header row freeze function. As you can see in Figure 9, when you freeze the top row (or rows) of a spreadsheet, it stays at the top of the screen, no matter how far down you scroll down. Here's how you do it: 1. From within your spreadsheet, click the Sort tab. 2. Click the Freeze button. 3. Select how many rows you want to freeze as the header row.
Figure 9. A spreadsheet with a frozen header row.
Now, when you scroll through your spreadsheet, the selected rows stay frozen in place at the top of the spreadsheet.
Section 4. Creating, Opening, and Saving Google Spreadsheets Google Spreadsheets makes it really easy to create new spreadsheets, save the ones you're working on, and reopen previously saved spreadsheets. You can also import your Excel spreadsheets and download your Google spreadsheets in XLS format to work on from within Excel. Know, however, that Google Spreadsheets is still in beta testing, and that Google has set some limits as to how large a spreadsheet you can work with. At present, Google lets you create a maximum 100 spreadsheets. Each spreadsheet can contain up to 20 tabs (sheets), 50,000 cells, 256 columns, or 10,000 rowswhichever comes first. As to importing existing Excel spreadsheets, Google only lets you import files sized 400KB or less. (Which means you can't import really large Excel files.) Past that, you're free to use Google Spreadsheets however you see fit.
Creating a New Spreadsheet Creating your first new Google spreadsheet is as easy as logging on to the main Google Spreadsheets page. When you access Google Spreadsheets, you're presented with a blank spreadsheet. That's your new spreadsheet to work with. (You can then save this spreadsheet, as we'll discuss in a moment.) To create another new spreadsheet, you can either click the New link at the top of the page, or click the File button and select New. (Figure 10 shows the menu that appears when you click the File button.) Either action opens a new spreadsheet in a new browser window; the current spreadsheet you were working on remains open.
Figure 10. Use the File menu to create a new spreadsheet.
Opening an Existing Spreadsheet As you continue to work with Google Spreadsheets, you'll want to return to spreadsheets you previously worked with. To open a spreadsheet you created during a previous session, either click the Open link or select File, Open. Either action opens the Open a Spreadsheet dialog box, shown in Figure 11. Click the spreadsheet you want to open from the list presented; that spreadsheet now opens in a new browser window.
Figure 11. Opening a previously saved spreadsheet. [View full size image]
Note A new browser window opens only if you have a saved spreadsheet currently open. If you have a new, blank spreadsheet open, the spreadsheet you select will open in the current browser window.
Importing a Spreadsheet from Excel Google Spreadsheets lets you import XLS- and CSV-format spreadsheet files created with Microsoft Excel. You can then work with these Excel spreadsheets from within Google Spreadsheets.
Note XLS is the standard Excel worksheet format. A CSV (comma-separated values) file is a spreadsheet file in text format, with fields separated by commas.
To import an Excel file, follow these steps: 1. Click the Open link or select File, Open. 2. When the Open a Spreadsheet dialog box appears, click the Browse button. 3. When the Choose File dialog box appears, navigate to and select the XLS or CSV file you want to import, then click the Open button. 4. When the Open a Spreadsheet dialog box displays the message, "File imported successfully," click the Open Now link.
Google now displays the selected spreadsheet in a new browser window. You can now edit the spreadsheet as you like; Google automatically saves a copy of the file on its servers, for your future use.
Saving a Spreadsheet When you are finished with a spreadsheet, you need to save the file. When you first save a file, you must do this manuallyand give the file a name. After this first save, Google automatically resaves the file every time you make a change to the spreadsheet. In essence, this means that you only have to save the spreadsheet once; Google saves all further changes automatically.
Note Google's automatic file save feature is called, appropriately enough, Autosave.
To save a new spreadsheet, follow these steps: 1. Click the Save button or select File, Save. 2. When the dialog box shown in Figure 12 appears, enter a name for the spreadsheet.
Figure 12. Opening a previously saved spreadsheet.
3. Click the OK button.
That's all there is to it. The spreadsheet is now saved on Google's servers, and you don't have to bother resaving it at any future point. Just rememberthe spreadsheet file you just saved isn't on your PC's hard disk. It's stored on Google's servers, which means you must be connected to the Internet to access it. That's the thing about Google Spreadsheets; Google handles all the file storage, and your computer is used merely to access the Google Spreadsheets site. There are no Google Spreadsheets files stored on your
computer, period. (Although you can choose to manually download a copy of any Google Spreadsheets file to your PC, as explained in the "Exporting a Google Spreadsheet to Excel Format" section coming up in a few moments.)
Saving a Copy of a Spreadsheet You can, however, save a copy of any spreadsheet under a different name. You might want to do this if you want to keep different versions of a spreadsheet, for whatever reason. To save a copy of a spreadsheet under a different name, follow these steps: 1. Select File, Save As. 2. When the dialog box appears, enter a new name for the spreadsheet. 3. Click the OK button.
This closes the current spreadsheet and displays the newly saved spreadsheet in the current browser window. Any further editing you do is to the new spreadsheetuntil you reopen the original file, of course.
Renaming a Spreadsheet Google also lets you change the name of any spreadsheet you've saved. To rename a spreadsheet, follow these steps: 1. Select File, Rename. 2. When prompted, enter a new name for the spreadsheet. 3. Click the OK button.
The current spreadsheet is now assigned the new name.
Exporting a Google Spreadsheet to Excel Format By default, all the spreadsheets you work with in Google Spreadsheets are stored on Google's servers. You can, however, download files from Google to your computer's hard drive to work with in Excel. In essence, you're exporting your Google spreadsheet to an XLS-format Excel file. To export the current spreadsheet, follow these steps: 1. Select File, Download as .XLS. 2. When the File Download dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 13, click the Save button.
Figure 13. Downloading a Google Spreadsheets file.
3. When the Save As dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 14, select a location for the downloaded file, rename it if you like, and then click the Save button.
Figure 14. Saving a spreadsheet file in XLS format. [View full size image]
The Google Spreadsheets file is saved in XLS format on your hard disk. You can now open that file with Excel, and work on it as you would with any Excel spreadsheet. Know, however, that whatever changes you make to the file from within Excel affect only the downloaded file, not the copy of the spreadsheet that still resides on the Google Spreadsheets site. If you later want to reimport the Excel file to Google Spreadsheets, select File, Upload New Version to upload the changed spreadsheet from your PC to Google's servers.
Note You can also export a Google spreadsheet as a CSV-format file by selecting File, Download as .CSV. You can then import the CSV-format file into Excel or any other spreadsheet program. (Excel will not directly open CSV-format files, however; you'll have to use the import function from within Excel.)
Deleting a Spreadsheet Spreadsheets you create with Google Spreadsheets are saved on Google's servers indefinitelyunless you choose to manually delete a file. To delete a file, follow these steps:
Caution Be certain you want to delete a file before you attempt this operation. The delete action cannot be undone.
1. Open the spreadsheet you want to delete. 2. Select File, Delete. 3. When asked if you really want to delete the file, as shown in Figure 15, click OK.
Figure 15. Google prompts you before you delete a spreadsheet.
That's it. The selected file is now deleted from Google's servers.
Section 5. Entering and Editing Data Entering data into a Google spreadsheet can be as simple as selecting a cell and starting typingdepending on the type of data you wish to enter. Google Spreadsheets lets you enter four different types of data, as detailed in Table 4.
Table 4. Types of Google Spreadsheets Data Type of Data
Description
Numbers
Numbers can be in a variety of formats, including currency and percent formats. All numbers can be manipulated mathematically.
Text
Text can contain both alphabetic and numerical characters. Text cannot be manipulated mathematically.
Dates
Dates are specially formatted numbers.
Formulas
Formulas tell Google Spreadsheets how to make calculations using data in other cells.
All data can be formatted in a variety of styles. Formatting and styles are discussed in later lessons.
Entering New Data Entering data is as simple as selecting a particular cell and typing input from the keyboard. Just follow these steps: 1. Move the cursor to the desired cell, using either the mouse or the keyboard arrow keys. 2. Begin typing. 3. When you are finished typing, press the Enter key to accept the data entry.
This approach works for all types of data, with the exception of formulas. Entering a formula is almost this simple, except that you must enter an equal sign (=) first. Just go to the cell, press the = key on your keyboard, and then enter the formula. As to how the individual data is formattedthat is, how Google Spreadsheets interprets numbers and lettersit depends on what type of data you enter: If you typed only numbers, the data will be formatted as a number (with no commas or dollar signs). If you typed a number with a dollar sign in front of it, the data will be formatted as currency. If you typed any alphabetic characters, the data will be formatted as text. If you typed numbers separated by the - or / characters (such as 12-31 or 1/2/06), the data will be formatted as a date. If you typed numbers separated by the : character (such as 2:13), the data will be formatted as a time.
Editing Previously Entered Data Editing existing data in a cell is a fairly simple exercise; you actually edit within the cell. Follow these steps: 1. Move the cursor to the desired cell. 2. Press the F2 key; this opens the cell for editing, as shown in Figure 16.
Figure 16. Editing data within a cell.
3. Move the cursor to the data point within the cell you want to edit. 4. Use the Delete and Backspace keys to delete characters; use other keys to insert characters. 5. Press Enter when you are finished editing. Your changes are accepted into the selected cell.
Section 6. Working with Ranges When you reference data within a spreadsheet, you can reference individual cells or you can reference a range of cells. When you reference more than one contiguous cell, that's called a range. You typically use ranges with specific functions, such as SUM (which totals a range of cells) or AVERAGE (which calculates the average value of a range of cells). We'll learn more about functions later in this document.
Understanding Ranges A range is simply a collection of adjacent cells. These may be in a column, a row, or a larger area consisting of several rows and columns. A range reference is expressed by listing the first and last cells in the range, separated by a colon (:). For example, the range that starts with cell A1 and ends with cell A9 (shown in Figure 17) is written like this: A1:A9
Figure 17. The range of cells specified A1:A9.
As just noted, ranges can run down columns or across rows, or both. For example, a range starting with cell A1 in the top-left corner and running through cell D10 in the bottom-right corner (as shown in Figure 18) is written like this: A1:D10
Figure 18. The range of cells specified A1:D10.
Selecting a Range You can select a range with either your mouse or your keyboard. Using your mouse, you can simply click and drag the cursor to select all the cells in the range. For example, to select the cells from A1 to D1, click the first cell (A1), hold down the mouse button, drag the mouse across to the last cell (D1), and then release the mouse button. You can also select a range with the keyboard. Position the cursor in the first cell in the range, hold down the Shift key, and then use the cursor keys to expand the range in the appropriate direction. Finally, you can use a combination of mouse and keyboard to select a range. Use either the mouse or the keyboard to select the first cell in the range. Then hold down the Shift key, and click the mouse in the last cell in the range. All the cells in between the two cells will be automatically selected.
Section 7. Sorting Data Often, you want your data to appear in a sorted order. You might want to sort your data by date, for example, or by quantity or dollar value. Fortunately, Google Spreadsheets lets you sort your data either alphabetically or numerically, in either ascending or descending order.
Executing a Sort Sorting data in Google Spreadsheets is a two-step operation. You first have to "freeze" the header row(s) of your spreadsheet, then you identify the column by which you want to sort. Google will then order all the "unfrozen" (non-header) rows of your spreadsheet in whichever order (ascending or descending) you specified. Here's how to do it: 1. Click the Sort tab, as shown in Figure 19.
Figure 19. Getting ready to sort via the Sort tab.
2. Click the Freeze Rows button and select how many rows you want to include as the spreadsheet's header, as shown in Figure 20. (In most cases, it's just one row.) When you freeze a header row, it no longer scrolls with the rest of the spreadsheetand is not included in any sort.
Figure 20. Choosing which rows to freeze.
3. Identify which column you want to sort by, and move the cursor to any cell within that column.
The A>Z and Z>A sorts don't just sort by letter; they also sort by number. An A>Z sort will arrange numerical data from smallest to largest; a Z>A sort will arrange numerical data from largest to smallest.
4. To sort in ascending order, click the A>Z button; to sort in descending order, click the Z>A button.
The A>Z and Z>A sorts don't just sort by letter; they also sort by number. An A>Z sort will arrange numerical data from smallest to largest; a Z>A sort will arrange numerical data from largest to smallest.
Sorting a Range This procedure conducts a sort on the entire contents of your spreadsheet. You can also sort within a selected range of cells, with certain limitations. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Select the Sort tab. 2. Position the cursor on the first cell in the first column of the range. 3. Use the mouse or the keyboard to select the entire range; the first cell stays selected. 4. Click the A>Z button to sort the range on the first column, in ascending order; click the Z>A to sort the range on the first column, in descending order.
Caution When you sort a range, you can sort only on the first column selected. You cannot sort on a middle column within a range.
Performing Multiple-Column Sorts Know that, unlike Excel, Google Spreadsheets can sort only on one column at a time. (Excel can sort on up to three columns, in order.) That means you may need to sort your spreadsheet multiple times, for each column you need sorted. For example, if you have one column for names and another for dates, and you want your spreadsheet sorted by date first and then alphabetical by name within each date, you must do two sorts. The first sort should be by name (to set up the alphabetical arrangement), and the second sort should be by date.
Section 8. Inserting, Deleting, Moving, and Copying Data There are times when you need to rearrange data on your worksheetbeyond simple sorting, that is. When you need to move data from place to place, duplicate certain cells, or delete something you don't like, it's time to learn Google Spreadsheets' cell, row, and column editing functions.
Inserting Rows and Columns To insert a new row or column, follow these steps: 1. Position the cursor in the row or column where you want to insert a new row or column. 2. Click the Insert button. 3. Select whether you want to insert a row or a column.
Google Spreadsheets now inserts the new row above the selected row or the new column to the left of the selected column. The existing row or column is shifted either down or to the right.
Note Unlike Microsoft Excel, Google Spreadsheets only lets you insert entire rows or columns; you can't insert individual cells into the spreadsheet. You also can't insert rows below the current row or to the right of the current column.
Deleting Data Google Spreadsheets lets you delete entire rows and columns or clear the contents of individual cells. To delete a row or column, follow these steps: 1. Position the cursor in a cell in the row or column you wish to delete. 2. Click the Delete button. 3. Choose to delete the selected row or column.
Note Google Spreadsheets doesn't let you delete a cell per se, only clear its contents.
To clear the contents of an individual cell or range of cells, follow these steps: 1. Select the cell or range of cells you want to clear. 2. Click the Delete button. 3. Select Clear Selection.
The contents of the selected cell(s) are now deletedeven though the cells themselves remain.
Tip If you accidentally delete data you want to keep, don't panic! Google Spreadsheets includes an Undo option that lets you unwind your last command. All you have to do is click the Undo button at the top right of the workspace. Presto! You've undone your last delete and your data is back where it belongs.
Moving Data with the Cut and Paste Commands Google Spreadsheets lets you move data from one place to another in your worksheet by cutting and pasting the data. The cut and paste procedure is similar to that used in most Windows-based applications. To cut and paste data in your spreadsheet, follow these steps: 1. Select the cell or range of cells to move. (You can cut individual cells, entire rows and columns, or marked cell ranges. Use your mouse or the keyboard to select the range.)
Tip To select an entire column, click the column header (A, B, C, and so on). To select an entire row, click the row header (1, 2, 3, and so on). 2. With the selection highlighted, click the Cut button. 3. Move the cursor to the first cell where you want to move your data. There is no need to select the entire range, just the first (upper-left) cell of the range. 4. Click the Paste button.
Google now moves the highlighted data to the new location.
Caution Be careful when cutting and pasting data! When you use the Paste command, Google will paste the copied data over any data that previously existed in the target range. Be sure no important data resides in the target range.
Tip You can also use the following keyboard shortcuts when cutting and pasting data: CutCtrl+X or Shift+Delete; PasteCtrl+V.
Copying Data Copying data is similar to moving data, except that both the original data and the copied data remain in your spreadsheet. You can use the copy command to duplicate table headings or entire ranges of data. To copy and paste data, follow these steps: 1. Select the cell or range of cells to copy. (You can cut individual cells, entire rows and columns, or marked cell ranges. Use your mouse or the keyboard to select the range.) 2. With the selected highlighted, click the Copy button. 3. Move the cursor to the first cell where you want to paste your data. There is no need to select the entire range, just the first (upper-left) cell of the range. 4. Click the Paste button.
Google places a copy of the selected data in the new location.
Tip You can also use the following keyboard shortcuts when copying and pasting data: CopyCtrl+C or Ctrl+Delete or Ctrl+Insert; PasteCtrl+V.
Section 9. Changing Column Width and Row Height Often you will find that you need to adjust your column or row size to accommodate large amounts of data or large type sizes. With Google Spreadsheets you can adjust your column and row size with either the mouse or the keyboardor you can let Google adjust the size to automatically fit your data.
Changing Column Width Using a mouse to change column width is similar to changing the size of a window in any Windows application. Follow these steps: 1. Use your mouse to move the cursor to the heading area at the top of the column you want to adjust. 2. Move the cursor to the line on the right border of the column. The cursor now changes shape and the border changes to a blue color, as shown in Figure 21.
Figure 21. Adjusting column width.
3. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the line to the right (to widen the column) or the left (to shrink the column). 4. Release the mouse button to accept the new column width.
Changing Row Height There is normally less call to change the height of rows than there is to change the width of columns, primarily because Google automatically adjusts the row height to accommodate different type sizes. However, if you want to change row height for effect, the operation is identical to that used to change column width. Follow these steps: 1. Use your mouse to move the cursor to the heading area at the left of the row you want to adjust. 2. Move the cursor to the line on the bottom border of the row. The cursor now changes shape and the border changes to a blue color, as shown in Figure 22.
Figure 22. Adjusting row height.
3. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the line up or down until the row is the desired height. 4. Release the mouse button to accept the new row height.
Section 10. Formatting Google Spreadsheets Let's face it. A basic Google spreadsheet looks pretty plain. Fortunately, you can spruce up your spreadsheet by changing font size, family, and color, and by changing the background color of individual cells. Read on to learn more.
Enhancing Text with Bold, Italic, and Other Attributes Google Spreadsheets lets you format your text with a number of common attributes, as shown in Figure 23. In particular, you can apply these formatting attributes: Bold Italic Underline Text color
Figure 23. Sample text formatting with Google Spreadsheets.
Note Although you can change text attributes for an entire cell or range of cells, Google Spreadsheets doesn't let you change attributes for selected characters within a cell.
You apply these formatting attributes to all the text (numbers or letters) within a selected cell or range of cells. Just follow these steps: 1. Select the Format tab. 2. Select a cell or range of cells. 3. Click the appropriate format buttonBold, Italic, Underline, or Text Color.
The formatting you select is now applied to the selected cell(s). If you choose to change the text color, you have a choice of 40 different colors. When you click the
Text Color button, a drop-down color menu appears, as shown in Figure 24. Click the color you want, and it's applied to all the text in the selected cell(s).
Figure 24. The color menu for changing text color.
Tip To remove all text formatting within a cell or range of cells, select the cell(s) and click the Clear Format button.
Changing Fonts and Type Sizes To enhance the appearance of your spreadsheet you can employ different fonts and type sizes for various parts of your document. The method to change fonts and type sizes is identical to the method of applying formatting attributes; select the cell or range of cells, and then click the appropriate button.
Note As with the way Google Spreadsheets handles text formatting, you can change fonts or type sizes only for an entire cell or range of cells, not for text within a cell.
When it comes to type size, you can choose a range from 6 point to 36 point text. As to fonts, you can choose from the following font families: Arial Courier New Georgia Trebuchet Verdana
Note The Normal font on the Font Family list applies the Arial font.
To change fonts or type size, follow these steps:
1. Select the Format tab. 2. Select a cell or range of cells. 3. Click the Font Family or Font Size buttons, then select the font or size from the pull-down list. (Figure 25 shows the Font Family options; Figure 26 shows the Font Size options.)
Figure 25. Choosing a new font family for your text.
Figure 26. Choosing a new font size for your text.
Aligning Information in a Cell Another way to enhance the look of your worksheet is to make sure that data is aligned properly. There are three horizontal and three vertical alignments possible within Google Spreadsheets: Horizontal: Left, centered, and right (shown in Figure 27)
Figure 27. Left, centered, and right horizontal alignments.
Vertical: Top, middle, and bottom (shown in Figure 28)
Figure 28. Top, middle, and bottom vertical alignments.
You can choose both a horizontal and a vertical alignment for any cell or range of cells in your spreadsheet. Follow these steps: 1. Select the Format tab. 2. Select a cell or range of cells. 3. Click the Align button, then select a horizontal or vertical alignment.
If you want to choose both a horizontal and a vertical alignment, you'll have to work through these steps twiceonce for the horizontal alignment, and a second time for the vertical alignment.
Changing Number Formats There are numerous ways to express a number. A number can be expressed as a whole number, as a percent, as a fraction, as currency, as a date, and even exponentially. Google Spreadsheets employs a wide variety of number formats that you can apply to your data. Table 5 details the number formats available in Google Spreadsheets; Table 6 details the percent formats; Table 7 details the date and time formats. Examples are included for each.
Table 5. Google Spreadsheets Number Formats
Number Format
Number Typed: 5000
Number Typed: 5
Number Typed: - Number Typed: 5 .5
Plain Text
5000
5
-5
0.5
Normal
5000
5
-5
0.5
Rounded
5,000
5
-5
0
2 Decimals
5,000.00
5.00
-5.00
0.50
Financial Rounded
5,000
5
(5)
0
Financial
5,000.00
5.00
(5.00)
0.50
Dollar
$5,000
$5
-$5
$0
Dollar and Cents
$5,000.00
$5.00
-$5.00
$0.50
Table 6. Google Spreadsheets Percent Formats
Number Format
Number Typed: 5
Number Typed: .5
Number Typed: .005
Number Typed: .5
Percent Rounded
500%
50%
0%
-50%
Percent
500.00%
50.00%
0.50%
-50.00%
Table 7. Google Spreadsheets Date and Time Formats.
Number Format
Example
Date (1)
2/14/2006
Date (2)
14-Feb-2006
Time
2:45:30
Date Time
2/14/2006 2:45:30
Note The difference between the plain text and normal formats is in the alignment. The plain text format is left aligned; the normal format, as with all the other number formats, is right aligned.
Google Spreadsheets applies the Normal number format by default when you enter numbers into your worksheet. You can, however, apply any number format to any particular cell. To apply a different number format, follow these steps: 1. Select the Format tab. 2. Select the cell or range. 3. Click the Choose Format button. 4. Choose the number format from the list, as shown in Figure 29.
Figure 29. Choosing a number format.
Changing the Background Color of Cells and Ranges You can add even more pizzazz to your spreadsheets by changing the background color of individual cells or ranges of cells. This sort of shading is useful when you want to highlight information in a spreadsheet, as shown in Figure 30.
Figure 30. A spreadsheet with cells shaded different colors.
To change the background color of a cell or range of cells, follow these steps: 1. Select the Format tab. 2. Select the cell or range. 3. Click the Background Color button. 4. When the color chart appears, as shown in Figure 31, select the color you want.
Figure 31. Choosing a cell background color.
Tip When you change the background color for a cell, be sure the text color is a good contrast to the background color. You don't want green text on a green background, for example; strive for a readable contrast in colors.
Section 11. Entering and Editing Formulas After you've entered data into your spreadsheet, you need to work with those numbers to create other numbers. You do this as you would in the real world, by using common formulas to calculate your data by addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You can also used advanced formulas preprogrammed into Google Spreadsheets; these advanced formulas are called functions and are explained in the next section. If you're an Excel user, you're used to using formulas. If you're new to spreadsheets, it helps to know that a formula is a mathematical expression that defines the relationship between two or more values. In Google Spreadsheets, formulas are used to calculate values for specific cells and can use common mathematical operatorsas well as references to other cells in the spreadsheet.
Understanding Formulas Formulas are used to calculate the values of data entered into other cells in your spreadsheet. A formula can consist of numbers, mathematical operators, and the contents of other cells (referred to by the cell reference).
Note The cell reference is simply the location of a particular cell. Each cell is referenced by the intersection of a column and row; thus, the top-left cell is called A1 (for column A, row 1). The cell reference for the current cell is always listed in the Reference area of the workspace.
You construct a formula from the following elements: An equals sign (=); this = sign is necessary at the start of each formula One or more specific numbers and/or One or more cell references A mathematical operator (such as + or -); this is needed if your formula contains more than one cell reference or number The best way to get used to formulas is to look at a few. That said, Table 8 shows a few representative formulas:
Table 8. Representative Google Spreadsheets Formulas Formula
Result
=2
Places the numerical value 2 in the selected cell
=A1
Places the value of cell A1 in the selected cell
=A1*2
Places the value of cell A1 multiplied by 2 in the selected cell
=A1/2
Places the value of cell A1 divided by 2 in the selected cell
=A1+A2
Places the value of cell A1 plus the value of cell A2 in the selected cell
Formula
Result
=(A1+A2)/2
Places the value of cell A1 plus the value of cell A2, all divided by 2, in the selected cell
Note that Google Spreadsheets formulas can contain common algebraic expressions and follow common algebraic conventions and logic. Table 9 lists the accepted operators for Google Spreadsheets formulas.
Table 9. Accepted Operators for Google Spreadsheets Formulas Operator Description +
Addition
-
Subtraction
*
Multiplication
/
Division
^
Exponentiation (to the power of)
=
Equal to
>
Greater than
>=
Greater than or equal to
