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The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

I could barely think of using any spreadsheet other than Microsoft Excel. This was before Google decided to release Sheets as part of its office suite of web apps. Google Sheets has helped me to be platform and computer independent. Since I've had a great time using it, I've compiled some of the best and most used Google Sheets tips and tricks.

Contents1. How to Lock a Row in Google Sheets2. How to merge cells in Google Sheets3. How to make a chart in Google Sheets4. How to wrap text in Google Sheets5. How to sum a column in Google Sheets6. How to add columns and rows in Google Sheets7. How to Lock Cells in Google Sheets8. How to Create a Dropdown Menu in Google Sheets9. How to Label Caption in Google SheetsSpread Well The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Although Excel is much more powerful, Google Sheets comes packed with features and packs a lot of punch. You need to know what to do and how to do it. That's where we come in with a bunch of helpful ways to help you use Sheets like a pro.

Let's start.

1. How to lock a row in Google Sheets

Locking a row or column will lock it in the grid. This means that it (row or column) will stay on top when you scroll down or sideways. In a Google Sheets document, select the row you want to freeze by clicking the corresponding number or alphabet.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Select Freeze from the View menu and you'll see a bunch of options.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

The No rows option will unfreeze the selected rows. Then one line will freeze the selected line while two lines will also freeze the line below it. Up to current row (1) will freeze all rows up to where your cursor is on the sheet. Below are the same options but for columns instead.

2. How to merge cells in Google Sheets

Select the rows and columns you want to merge in the sheet.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Click Format and select Merge Cells to view all available options.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

You can merge horizontally or vertically. Merge all will do both. When you select an option, you will see this popup.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Depending on the option you selected, merging cells will retain the leftmost value. Always.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

In our case, only cells A1 and A2 are kept while the rest have been deleted. So keep that in mind before merging cells.

3. How to make a chart in Google Sheets

Data can be difficult to interpret, so we use graphs. Google Sheets comes with many different chart types. Before choosing one, make sure your data is ready. Select all the cells you want to graph and click Graphs under Insert.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

You should now see a default bar chart with some options on the right. You can change chart type from pie bar or other, color, select cells, add title and legend, and much more here.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

I suggest you use dummy data and play until you get it right. Creating charts and tables isn't that hard anyway.

4. How to wrap text in Google Sheets

You write a long string of text and it overflows into the next cell, obscuring the value there, or it just disappears into the cell wall. Select the cell and click Text Wrapping under Format. This is where you choose the Wrap option.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Selecting the Overflow option will let the text continue into the next cell while Clip will cut it short, as we saw in the screenshot above.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

5. How to sum a column in Google Sheets

Google Sheet can perform mathematical calculations easily. Addition is a formula that most people use often. Select the column or row cells you want to total and select the Sum option under the math icon.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Notice all the other plans out there? Google Sheets can be a very good calculator.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

6. How to add columns and rows in Google Sheets

When you are managing a lot of data on a single sheet, just moving it around to add a single row or column is not a good idea. Fortunately, there is an easy way. Simply select the row or column where you need a new blank row/column, and select the Insert 1 Above or Below option.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

You should see the blank line now. The index/alphabet number will automatically change on the sheet.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

You can also use the same method to add columns.

7. How to Lock Cells in Google Sheets

Locking a cell will prevent accidental changes to it. Do not confuse it with a security measure. People can still take a screenshot, print, or even copy-paste the cell contents.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Select the cells you want to lock and select Protected Sheets and Ranges under Data.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Not only can you lock cells here, but also the whole sheet. Enter a description that will make it easier to recognize locked cells in the future in case you have more than one. Select Set Permissions when you're done. Now you can select who all have permission to access locked cells.

8. How to Create a Dropdown Menu in Google Sheets

Drop-down lists save a lot of space, making it easier to select values ​​and fill out forms or play with variables. Select the cell where you want to create a drop-down list and click Data Validation under Data.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

You can now choose the criteria for the cell in question. For example, you can create a list of dates, numbers, names, checkboxes, or items. You can then choose a range and determine what happens when invalid data is entered.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

I selected a number from 10 to 100. So when I enter 5 in that particular cell, Google Sheets shows a red mark to indicate an error.

The 9 Best Google Sheets Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a Pro

Creating a list with multiple optional values ​​will insert a down arrow to signify the drop-down list.

9. How to label caption in Google Sheets

You can easily add text and format captions in Google Sheets. The process is simple and easy to make your data easily identifiable, especially if you share the sheet with several other people.

Spread well

Google Sheets is powerful, versatile, and free for life with no strings attached. The fact that it is available on all platforms and works directly from a browser makes it even more popular. Share your tips and tricks with us in the comments section below.

Then: Constantly working with Google Sheets? Here are some of the Google Sheets templates to save time and increase productivity.