Google Spreadsheets

1. Google Spreadsheets The Basics

2. Purpose • Free spreadsheet • Many similarities to Excel • Not as powerful • Easier to work simultaneously • Great for data entry • We don’t really have a choice • Our students are forced to use it so we must know how it works as well • As I do things, please follow along on your computer

3. Getting Started • Go to your Google drive • Click “Create” • Click spreadsheet

4. Naming your Spreadsheet • A very important thing for you to have your students do is to name their Google Docs • Start by clicking the Untitled Spreadsheet • Replace the highlighted text with the appropriate title

5. Entering Data Google gives you 20 columns and 100 rows to start with If you want more rows, click the Add button at the bottom of the document

6. Navigation • You can move around in your spreadsheet in the following ways: • Arrow keys • Page up, Page down • End – takes you to the Column T of the current row • Home – Takes you to Column A of the current row • Ctrl-End – Takes you to the very last cell in the spreadsheet • Ctrl-Home – Takes you to cell A1

7. Resizing Columns and Rows • Often, columns are not wide enough, rows are not tall enough to handle the data • In column A, type your name • In Column B, type: • The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog • Notice, the spreadsheet automatically wraps the text to fit in the cell • You can widen the cell by moving your cursor to the right-hand column and double-clicking the cell • You can also drag the column to widen it • You can do the same thing with rows

8. Using the Short-cut toolbar • Most of these are pretty self-explanatory • The format painter icon copies the formatting from one cell and pastes it into the next cell or cells selected • Enter a 4-digit number in Example 2 column, try copying my formatting and pasting it into your cell entry

9. Using the Short-cut toolbar • The border button is slightly different from Excel • Used to place borders around cell content • Sets the color of borders • Sets the style of line around the border • Solid • Large Dashed • Small Dashed • Insert a Large Dashed border around Example 1

10. Using the Short-cut toolbar • The Sum button is the button you will use to insert a formula • Formulas generally mirror Excel formulas • To manually enter a formula, it must start with an “=“ sign • If you are not sure what formula you need, go to the following URL: • https://support.google.com/drive/bin/static.py?hl=en&topic=25273&page=table.cs • Can also be found by clicking the More Functions option

11. Using the Short-cut toolbar • We will cover the chart option in the online version of this tutorial • The filter option is for extracting data from your spreadsheet without losing the integrity of the spreadsheet • This will also be covered in the online version

12. The File Menu • Spreadsheet files can be downloaded in a variety of formats • Excel is one format • The Revision History option provides for a paper trail to be able to document when the document was worked on by its collaborators

13. Edit Menu • Pretty standard as well • Try the Paste Special by copying Example 2 and only pasting the value

14. View Menu • Columns and rows can be frozen for easier data entry • The List view allows you to filter out specific commonalities from your spreadsheet • In example 4, insert the first letter of your last name • Compact controls takes away the file name • All Formulas allows you to view formulas in cells

15. Insert Menu • The big thing here is the Function • Functions are a way to make your spreadsheet more powerful • The common ones are listed in the menu, others can be accessed by clicking More

16. Insert Menu • Another thing that can be used is Comments and Notes • Comments can be replied to by other users • Notes are just placed in the cell and cannot be responded to • Can be deleted from the Edit Menu

17. Insert Menu • Try inserting a comment in Example 2 and a note in example 3 • Respond to somebody else’s comment

18. Format Menu • This menu is used to change the appearance of data in your spreadsheet

19. Format Menu • Conditional formatting can be used to set cells apart from the rest of the spreadsheet • Try it using the above rule in Example 5 and then test it • You can change the color of the text or the cell background • Clear Formatting gets rid of this

20. Data Menu • Big feature here is the sorting feature • Helpful for organizing data • https://docs.google.com/a/streetsboroschools.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aj1J7jlbUW2OdG90VmIwUWlSZ0dKcHFjX1VYdjdqRlE#gid=0

21. Data Menu • You can also name and protect ranges • Protecting controls who can edit specific data on the spreadsheet • Clicking “Add A Range” allows you to be able to work with specific data • Show my Example 6

22. Other Items • AutoFill Handle • Little black box in lower right-hand portion of cell • Copies cell contents and pastes them • Formulas adjust in direction being pasted • A $ in the cell reference can anchor that part of the formula so that it does not adjust as the formula is being pasted • Try it • Under example 7, click “=“, click on example 2, then type “*2” • Use the AutoFill handle to drag the formula to Example 8 column • Go back to Example 7 formula, enter a $ before the Column letter then copy and paste the formula to Example 9 column

23. File Conversion • Spreadsheets can be uploaded to your computer to Google • Try it on your own time • I would recommend starting with a blank spreadsheet for best results

24. Thank You for your Time tfoster@streetsboroschools.com Share any problems you might have