Tag: app-subdomain-redirection:google-sheets

Google Sheets is a free, cloud-based tool that’s invaluable for measuring and controlling essential business information like sales and performance metrics. And while the app is available at no cost, it shouldn’t be mistaken for a watered-down version of Microsoft Excel or some other pricey add-on attached to a licensed operating system like Windows 11.

With that in mind, optimizing Google Sheets requires a strong command of several core functions. Google Sheets functions give you enough power and control over your spreadsheets to handle almost any complex assemblage of data. Here are eight widely used spreadsheet functions assured to help you get the most out of Google Sheets.

The TRIM function

If you’ve worked with spreadsheets in the past, you know that cells with extra blank spaces at the beginning or end of a text string can render your formulas useless and produce ineffective results.

TRIMremoves blank spaces at the beginning and end of spreadsheet cells and even multiple spaces between words. Even if the unnecessary spaces do not impact your calculations, TRIM gives your text strings a clean and professional look when you print your spreadsheet.

The IF function

The IF function is one of the most useful tools in Google Sheets. It lets you use previously entered spreadsheet data to determine if a condition is true or false. You can use the IF function to test whether or not a new value is greater or less than all the current information on the spreadsheet.

This function helps you determine true or false answers about your latest data entries against previously entered information. You can use these results to run additional calculations later.

The IMAGE function

Because spreadsheets are powerful tools for organizing and comparing raw data, it’s nice that you can upload images to Google Sheets with the IMAGE function. Spreadsheets are often hard to work with because they lack visual elements. Gazing at a mundane wall of cells with numbers and strings is the breeding ground for needless data entry errors.

One way to break up the monotony and stimulate focus is by adding images to your Google Sheet to improve readability and emphasize the critical details of your spreadsheet. To insert the desired graphic, simply add the image URL inside the parentheses for the IMAGE function.

The SUM function

The SUM function is fundamental to any spreadsheet application, and Google Sheets wouldn’t be complete without it. As in Excel, use the SUM function after selecting a range of cells to find the sum of a value.

The SPLIT function

Use the SPLIT function in Google Sheets to break up a text string in a single cell. If you have a string containing more than one word, the SPLIT function separates the words into individual cells. This way, you don’t have to recreate the entire spreadsheet.

To use the SPLIT function, look for the parentheses followed by the cell address of the string you want to split. Type the SPLIT function in the cell and enter the first character that designates where you want the string to split. The information will separate, starting a new cell where you entered the SPLIT function.

The SUMIF function

The SUMIF function extends the IF functions by incorporating the SUM function. For example, if you want to know the total amount of a specific value within a range, the SUMIF function lets you do this.

Within the parentheses of the SUMIF function, enter the value type (for instance, a person’s name) for which you need a sum in quotation marks. Then, select the range of cells reflecting the values you wish to calculate. SUMIF will only calculate the sum for the value you entered in quotes.

ISEMAIL/ISURL function

For spreadsheets that entail a lengthy series of emails or URLs, a quick way to validate them is always helpful. To ensure that all your email address and URL information is correct, use the ISEMAIL/ISURL function to verify. This function offers a fast and automated way of double-checking your data entry and confirming that all the email and URL formats are valid.

IMPORTRANGE function

IMPORTRANGE allows you to pull data from another spreadsheet in Google Sheets. This feature comes in handy for replicating data across multiple spreadsheets. IMPORTRANGE lets you pull this information in by simply entering the URL address for the Google Sheet that contains the source data.

Download Google Sheets for free

While this quick guide covered only a few basic and unique functions of the Sheets interface, you’ll find several more practical tools and features after downloading the app. Google also offers the Sheets mobile app for both Android and iOS. If you’re interested in more free tools from Google, check out this list of 10 essential Chrome extensions for developers.

When you need to create a spreadsheet fit for a specific purpose and don’t have the time to set it up, you can rely on templates for Google Sheets. They contain formulas and themes for different categories, which means you’ll be able to create sheets in less time and with less fuss. 

Today we’re presenting 10 of the best free Google Sheets templates for any type of business or industry. We’ve covered several categories that are suitable for companies of any size, while freelancers will also find them useful. Save time so you can focus on your core work.

Why you should use Google Sheets templates

Besides the fact that many of them are free, there are many uses for Google Sheets templates. You can also collaborate with your team members or clients on the same documents, providing a more efficient and productive way of working. Most of the templates have everything you need for your task, but there’s an intuitive way to add more functions if needed.

The best benefit is that you’ll save data on the Google server, but you can also download sheets to your PC or company’s network storage. It keeps your data safe, as long as you save a master copy that no one else has access to.

Where to obtain templates for Google Sheets

There are three ways you can get free templates for Google Sheets. The first and most practical way is to open the app on your browser and look at the built-in templates. Secondly, you can install Chrome or Google Sheet add-ons that have templates included. Finally, there are many online service providers or content creators that provide them for free for different categories.

Top 10 Google Sheets templates

Invoices

If you’re a small business or a freelance worker that needs to provide an invoice for payment, have a look at the free Invoices Google Sheets template. It presents the fields you’ll need for your customers, and you can change any of them to suit your needs. Feel free to alter the theme to match your brand to make it more authentic. It even includes formulas to make calculations easier.

Financial Statements

Every company needs to create financial statements where income and expenses are part of the daily business. Instead of wasting hours, maybe days, creating one from scratch, you can use the Google Sheets template, Financial Statements. As you update the transactions, formulas will update the other tabs so you end up with detailed Profit & Loss and Balance statements. The template even offers guidance for improving the interactive process.

Expense Report

If you want to manage your finances more effectively, you’ll need to create a detailed Expense Report. This Google Sheets template is ideal for when the company regularly spends money on business transactions, but it’s challenging to keep track of them. You can make a tab for the company as a whole or per employee, depending on your requirements. 

Website Traffic Dashboard

Moving on from financial Google Sheets templates, let’s look at a better way to analyze your website traffic. All that data can be confusing at times, especially when you need to organize them into charts and graphs. Website Traffic Dashboard has it all laid out already, and you can also synchronize it with the Supermetrics add-on for Google sheets. In this way, you can pull through all your PPC and other traffic data into a report you can customize.

CRM on Google Sheets

Massive companies rely on expensive CRM platforms to help manage customers, sales, and leads more effectively. In some cases, they also use it to keep track of employee activities. Smaller companies don’t have the type of budget for these systems. That’s where this free CRM Google Sheets template comes in handy. It sets the foundation for entering basic detail, but you can customize it to suit your business.

Sales Dashboard

As important as it is to measure expenses, so too will you need to check on your monthly sales and leads. The Sales Dashboard generates charts and graphs from your date, making sure you can effectively track and measure the company’s financial performance. If you’re a bit stuck on how to use it, there’s a detailed instructions tab with guidance on what to do.

Project Timeline

The best project management tools are not free. You’ll need to pay substantial amounts, sometimes as subscriptions, just to use them for your business. Project Timeline for Google Sheets is a free template that lets you set tasks and adjust the Gantt Chart on the side. You’ll need to modify many of the details yourself, and it’s not linked to other resource tabs. It’s excellent if you’re starting out and only need a simple project timeline, though.

Gantt Chart Template

If the above Google Sheets template doesn’t have enough elements for your massive project, try the Gantt Chart template. You’ll have more control over start and end times with duration included. You can also set who the task or project owners are that you’ve assigned per line. It’s a more detailed sheet that helps you deliver the tasks before the deadlines.

Event Marketing Timeline

Beginners may think it’s easy managing an event campaign and setting up timelines and tasks until they actually begin to do so. There are so many factors involved, and you may waste precious time trying to create your own sheet. The Event Marketing Timeline template for Google Sheets has several rows and columns prepared for you. All you need to do is insert the event and PR details, but pay attention to the Smartsheet Tips at the top for advice.

Weekly Timesheet

We’ll end with an HR Google Sheet template for employees and subcontractors. Weekly Timesheet is useful when you want to monitor how much time someone spends on a project to ensure they’re being efficient and productive. When you’re paying for these services per hour, it helps to cut down costs where you see time wasted on specific projects.

Google Sheets works pretty similar to Microsoft Excel, except it’s entirely cloud-based. This living document aspect adds convenience. However, you can make Google Sheets even better with formulas that automate otherwise time-consuming tasks.

The Google Sheets app formulas may be slightly different from that of Excel. Knowing these formulas and shortcuts can make your data entry much more efficient. Plus, some of these formulas can also help you analyze your data. So whether you’re making spreadsheets for business or a class project, the following 10 Google Sheet formulas will come in handy.

COUNTIF() to count cells

This formula counts the number of cells if they meet certain criteria. With this shortcut, there’s no more need to count the cells manually: =COUNTIF(range, criteria)

For example, you’re looking at the sales data for the sales team for a month, and you want to know which salespeople exceeded the minimum threshold of sales, which is $500. You can add the range of the cells in the first part of the formula where the sales data is. In the criteria section, you can define an amount greater than 500. Here’s what it will look like:
=COUNTIF(F1:F10,”>500″)

Text() to change numbers

You can use this formula to reformat numbers into a currency or decimal format: =TEXT(cell,” Format”)

For example, let’s say you have a column with dollar prices of products. You can apply the formula to the first cell and then drag it down to apply to all the other cells in the row. If the first cell is C2, the formula will look like this:
=TEXT(C2,” $0.00″)

SPLIT() to divide data from cells

This formula can help divide data from a single cell in Google Sheets into multiple cells in subsequent rows. The formula is: =SPLIT(Text, Delimiter)

Let’s say you have customers’ full names in one column. And you want to divide that into first and last names. Suppose the first cell is A2. You’ll go to the next cell B2, and enter the formula =SPLIT(A2,””). This will enter the first and last names in cells B2 and C2. You can simply drag the B2 cell down to the last name.

TODAY() for current date

With this formula, you’ll automatically get today’s date without having to type anything extra. Simply type in the cell: =TODAY()

You can also use it to create date ranges. For example, =TODAY() – 2 for two days before the current date.

CONCATENATE() to append cells

If you want to append data from multiple cells, this formula makes the process super easy: =CONCATENATE(string1, string2, …)

For example, you have customers’ first and last names in separate rows. So the first data row is 2, the first name is in B2, and the last name is in C2. Here’s how you can append them and get the full name in adjacent cell D2: =CONCATENATE(B2,” “,C2)Then simply drag the cell D2 to apply the formula to all the other first and last names in the sheet.

SEARCH() to check the value in a string

Use the search formula to help find a string in a text. This comes in handy when you’re working with spreadsheets that have a lot of text. The formula is:=SEARCH(substring, string, or text, starting at)

Here, the substring is the text you’re looking for, the string or text is the text you want to check for in the substring, and the starting at is the position where it will start, which is 1 by default.

SUM() to get total

SUM is probably the most frequently used formula in Google Sheets. Here’s the formula: =SUM(range)

Simply type in the range of cells you want the sum for and apply the formula in the cell where you want the total. Of course, this formula applies to numeric values only.

For example, let’s say you have sales numbers for the month from B2 to B11. Here’s what the formula would look like:
=SUM(B2:B11)

AVERAGE() to Get Average

This formula will give you the average value of a set of numeric data: =AVERAGE(range)

If you wanted the average sales number for the month, here’s what the formula would look like: =AVERAGE(B2:B11)

You can also add multiple ranges. For example: =AVERAGE(B2:B11, C2:C11)

SUBSTITUTE() to replace text

You can use this formula to replace text with another text. Here’s the formula syntax: =SUBSTITUTE(text_to_search, search_for, replace_with, [occurrence number])

In the formula, the text_to_search is the text within which to search, search_for is the text to replace, replace_with is the replacement text, and [occurrence number] is optional if there’s a certain number of times the text should be replaced. Otherwise, all the occurrences will be replaced.

Sort() to sort the rows in one column

If you want to sort the rows of a column in ascending or descending order, use this formula: =SORT(range, sort_column, is_ascending)

Here the range represents the cell or row range, sort_column specifies the column, and is_ascending is either TRUE or FALSE, specifying whether the order is ascending or not.

Google Sheets makes entering, managing, and analyzing data incredibly easy. More importantly, you can access it from anywhere and backup all your spreadsheets in Google Drive. If you want to make the app even better, check out these 10 essential add-ons for Google Sheets.