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Quick Answer

Go to sheets.google.com, click the Blank spreadsheet tile, and start typing. To quickly format numbers as currency or percentages, use the quick format buttons (`$`, `%`) on the top toolbar.

How to Use Google Sheets: The Basics ​

Applies to: Google Sheets, Google Workspace
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-07-10

Summary ​

Google Sheets is a powerful, cloud-based alternative to Microsoft Excel. While power users might notice the absence of complex VBA macros, Google Sheets handles 99% of daily business math with ease. Plus, multiple people can edit the exact same spreadsheet simultaneously without locking each other out. This guide covers the essentials of getting started.

Prerequisites ​

  • You must be signed into your company Google account.
  • You must have an active internet connection to create a new sheet.

Instructions ​

1. Creating a New Sheet ​

  1. Open your web browser (Google Chrome is recommended).
  2. Go to sheets.google.com.
  3. Click the large + (Blank) button at the top to start a new spreadsheet.
  4. Pro Shortcut: Open a new browser tab and type sheet.new to instantly generate a blank spreadsheet.
  5. Click Untitled spreadsheet in the top-left corner and type a name for your file. It saves automatically to Google Drive.

2. Freezing Rows and Columns ​

If you have a massive list of data, you want the "Header" row (e.g., Name, Date, Amount) to stay visible as you scroll down.

  1. Click on View in the top menu.
  2. Hover over Freeze.
  3. Select 1 row (to freeze the top row) or 1 column (to freeze the far-left column).
  4. Visual Shortcut: Look at the empty gray square in the very top-left corner of the grid (above row 1 and left of column A). It has thick gray borders. You can click and drag that thick gray border down to instantly freeze rows.

3. Basic Formulas (Autosum) ​

Formulas in Google Sheets work exactly the same way they do in Microsoft Excel.

  1. Click on the empty cell directly below a column of numbers.
  2. Type =SUM(
  3. Click and drag your mouse over the numbers you want to add together.
  4. Press Enter.
  5. Smart Fill: Google Sheets has built-in AI. Often, when you start typing a formula, a gray box will appear predicting what you are trying to calculate. You can press Tab to accept the suggestion.

4. Sorting and Filtering Data ​

If you want to sort a list alphabetically without messing up the data, you should use a Filter.

  1. Click any single cell inside your data set.
  2. Click Data in the top menu.
  3. Select Create a filter.
  4. Small green funnel icons will appear at the top of every column.
  5. Click the funnel icon on the "Last Name" column, and select Sort A → Z. The entire spreadsheet will reorganize itself safely.

5. Sharing the Sheet ​

  1. Click the large green Share button in the top-right corner.
  2. Type the name of a coworker.
  3. Choose if they should be a Viewer (read-only) or an Editor (can change data).
  4. Click Send.

Troubleshooting ​

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Formula shows #ERROR! or #NAME?TypoCheck the formula bar at the top. You likely misspelled the formula (e.g., typing =SUUM instead of =SUM)
I need to open an Excel (.xlsx) fileCompatibilityYou can upload an Excel file directly to Google Drive and double-click it. Google Sheets will open and edit it natively
Coworker accidentally deleted my dataCollaborationClick File > Version history > See version history. You can restore the spreadsheet to exactly how it looked 5 minutes ago