Menu and Toolbar options in google sheets

Menu and Toolbar options in google sheets

Google Sheets is a powerful online spreadsheet application that allows you to create, edit, and share spreadsheets with others. Google Sheets has many features and options that can help you work more efficiently and productively. In this article, we will explore the menu and toolbar options in Google Sheets and how to use them.

Menu Options

The menu options in Google Sheets are located at the top of the screen, next to the Google Sheets logo. They are organized into nine categories: File, Edit, View, Insert, Format, Data, Tools, Add-ons, and Help. Each category has a drop-down list of sub-options that you can access by clicking on it. Here are some of the most useful and common menu options in Google Sheets:

File

The File menu allows you to perform basic operations on your spreadsheet, such as creating a new spreadsheet, opening an existing one, saving, printing, downloading, importing, exporting, and sharing. Some of the sub-options in the File menu are:

• New: Creates a new blank spreadsheet or a spreadsheet from a template.
• Open: Opens an existing spreadsheet from your Google Drive or your computer.
• Make a copy: Creates a copy of the current spreadsheet with a new name and location.
• Download: Downloads the current spreadsheet as an Excel, PDF, CSV, or other file format.
• Share: Shares the current spreadsheet with other people via email or a link. You can also set the permissions for who can view, comment, or edit the spreadsheet.
• Version history: Shows the history of changes made to the current spreadsheet and allows you to restore a previous version.

Edit

The Edit menu allows you to modify the content and appearance of your spreadsheet, such as undoing or redoing an action, cutting, copying, pasting, deleting, finding and replacing, filling, clearing, sorting, filtering, and more. Some of the sub-options in the Edit menu are:

• Undo: Undoes the last action you performed on the spreadsheet.
• Redo: Redoes the last action you undid on the spreadsheet.
• Cut: Cuts the selected cells or objects and places them on the clipboard.
• Copy: Copies the selected cells or objects and places them on the clipboard.
• Paste: Pastes the content from the clipboard to the selected cells or objects.
• Find and replace: Finds and replaces text or values in the spreadsheet. You can also use advanced options such as match case, match entire cell contents, search within formulas, etc.
• Fill: Fills the selected cells with a value or a pattern based on an adjacent cell or a range of cells.
• Clear: Clears the content, format, notes, or links from the selected cells or objects.
• Sort range: Sorts the selected range of cells by one or more columns in ascending or descending order. You can also use custom sort orders or sort by color.
• Filter: Filters the selected range of cells by one or more criteria. You can also use advanced filters or filter by color.

View

The View menu allows you to change how your spreadsheet looks on the screen, such as zooming in or out, freezing rows or columns, hiding or showing gridlines, formulas, headings, sheet tabs, etc. Some of the sub-options in the View menu are:

• Zoom: Zooms in or out of the spreadsheet by a percentage. You can also use keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl + Plus (+) to zoom in and Ctrl + Minus (-) to zoom out.
• Freeze: Freezes one or more rows or columns so that they remain visible when you scroll through the spreadsheet. You can also unfreeze them by selecting No rows or No columns.
• Gridlines: Shows or hides the gridlines that separate the cells in the spreadsheet. You can also change their color from the Format menu.
• Formulas: Shows or hides the formulas instead of their results in the cells. You can also toggle this option by pressing Ctrl + ` (grave accent).
• Headings: Shows or hides the row numbers and column letters at the top and left of the spreadsheet. You can also change their size from the Format menu.
• Sheet tabs: Shows or hides the sheet tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet. You can also add, rename, delete, duplicate, move, color code, hide, or unhide sheets from here.

Insert

The Insert menu allows you to add new elements to your spreadsheet, such as rows, columns, cells, charts, images, drawings, forms, comments, links, functions, and more. Some of the sub-options in the Insert menu are:

• Row above: Inserts a new row above the selected row or rows.

• Column left: Inserts a new column to the left of the selected column or columns.

• Cells: Inserts new cells in the selected range of cells. You can also choose to shift the existing cells down or right, or delete the existing cells.

• Chart: Inserts a new chart based on the selected data or a blank chart. You can also choose from various types of charts, such as pie, bar, line, scatter, etc.

• Image: Inserts an image from your computer, Google Drive, Google Photos, the web, or your camera. You can also resize, crop, rotate, adjust, or replace the image.

• Drawing: Inserts a new drawing that you can create using various tools, such as shapes, lines, text boxes, etc. You can also edit, duplicate, or delete the drawing.

• Form: Inserts a new form that you can use to collect responses from others. You can also add questions, options, images, videos, etc. to the form.

• Comment: Inserts a new comment on the selected cell or object. You can also reply to, edit, resolve, or delete the comment.

• Link: Inserts a new link to a web page, another sheet, a named range, or an email address. You can also edit or remove the link.

• Function: Inserts a new function into the selected cell or formula bar. You can also browse or search for various functions by category or name.

Format

The Format menu allows you to change the appearance and layout of your spreadsheet, such as fonts, colors, borders, alignment, text wrapping, merging, conditional formatting, number formats, data validation, and more. Some of the sub-options in the Format menu are:

• Bold: Makes the selected text bold. You can also toggle this option by pressing Ctrl + B.

• Italic: Makes the selected text italic. You can also toggle this option by pressing Ctrl + I.

• Underline: Underlines the selected text. You can also toggle this option by pressing Ctrl + U.

• Strikethrough: Strikes through the selected text. You can also toggle this option by pressing Alt + Shift + 5.

• Font color: Changes the color of the selected text. You can also choose from various colors or use a custom color.

• Fill color: Changes the background color of the selected cells or objects. You can also choose from various colors or use a custom color.

• Borders: Adds or removes borders around the selected cells or objects. You can also choose from various border styles, colors, and widths.

• Align: Aligns the content of the selected cells or objects to the left, center, right, top, middle, or bottom. You can also use keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl + Shift + L for left alignment and Ctrl + Shift + R for right alignment.

• Wrap text: Wraps the text within the selected cells or objects to fit their width. You can also toggle this option by pressing Ctrl + Shift + W.

• Merge cells: Merges two or more adjacent cells or objects into one larger cell or object. You can also unmerge them by selecting Unmerge cells.

• Conditional formatting: Applies formatting rules to the selected cells or objects based on certain conditions. You can also manage or remove the rules from here.

• Number format: Changes the format of the selected cells or objects to display numbers as currency, percentage, date, time, fraction, scientific notation, etc. You can also use custom formats from here.

• Data validation: Sets rules for what type of data can be entered into the selected cells or objects. You can also show warnings or errors if invalid data is entered.

Data

The Data menu allows you to manipulate and analyze your data in various ways, such as splitting text into columns, grouping rows or columns, pivoting tables, slicers, named ranges, protected ranges, data sources, and more. Some of the sub-options in the Data menu are:

• Split text to columns: Splits the text in the selected column into multiple columns based on a delimiter such as comma, space, semicolon, etc.

• Group rows/columns: Groups two or more adjacent rows or columns together so that you can collapse or expand them with a single click.

• Pivot table: Creates a new pivot table based on the selected data that summarizes and analyzes it by different categories and values.

• Slicer: Creates a new slicer that allows you to filter your data by clicking on buttons that represent different values.

• Named ranges: Creates a new named range that assigns a name to a cell or a range of cells that you can use in formulas instead of their addresses.

• Protected sheets and ranges: Creates a new protected sheet or range that prevents others from editing it without permission.

• Data sources: Connects your spreadsheet to an external data source such as Google Analytics, BigQuery, Salesforce, etc. You can also refresh, edit, or remove the data source from here.

Tools

The Tools menu allows you to access various tools and features that can enhance your spreadsheet experience, such as macros, scripts, add-ons, spelling, word count, translate, voice typing, explore, and more. Some of the sub-options in the Tools menu are:

• Macros: Records or runs a macro that automates a series of actions on your spreadsheet. You can also manage or edit your macros from here.

• Script editor: Opens the script editor that allows you to write and run custom scripts using Google Apps Script. You can also access various resources and documentation from here.

• Add-ons: Opens the add-ons store that allows you to browse and install various add-ons that can extend the functionality of your spreadsheet. You can also manage or remove your add-ons from here.

• Spelling: Checks the spelling of the text in your spreadsheet and suggests corrections. You can also change the language or ignore certain words from here.

• Word count: Shows the word count of the text in your spreadsheet or in a selected range of cells. You can also see the number of characters, pages, and paragraphs from here.

• Translate document: Translates your entire spreadsheet into another language. You can also choose from various languages or detect the source language automatically.

• Voice typing: Allows you to enter text into your spreadsheet by speaking into your microphone. You can also use voice commands to format or edit your text.

• Explore: Opens the explore panel that provides insights and suggestions based on your data. You can also ask questions, insert charts, apply formatting, and more from here.

Add-ons

The Add-ons menu allows you to access the add-ons that you have installed on your spreadsheet. Each add-on has its own sub-menu that contains its specific options and features. You can also get more add-ons from here.

Help

The Help menu allows you to access various help and support resources for Google Sheets, such as keyboard shortcuts, tips and tricks, training videos, community forums, feedback forms, etc. Some of the sub-options in the Help menu are:

• Keyboard shortcuts: Shows a list of keyboard shortcuts that you can use to perform various actions on your spreadsheet faster and easier.

• Sheets cheat sheet: Shows a cheat sheet that contains tips and tricks for using Google Sheets effectively and efficiently.

• Training videos: Shows a collection of training videos that teach you how to use Google Sheets for various purposes and scenarios.

• Help Center: Opens the help center that contains articles and guides on how to use Google Sheets and its features.

• Community forums: Opens the community forums that allow you to ask questions, share ideas, and get answers from other Google Sheets users and experts.

• Report a problem: Allows you to report a problem or a bug that you encounter while using Google Sheets. You can also attach screenshots or logs to help diagnose the issue.

Toolbar Options

The toolbar options in Google Sheets are located below the menu options, next to the formula bar. They are organized into six groups: Undo/Redo, Print/Save/Share, Font/Text/Cell Format, Insert/Delete/Clear/Sort/Filter/Fill/Merge/Align/Wrap/Indent/Text Direction/Text Rotation/Conditional Formatting/Data Validation/Number Format/Paste Special/Copy Down/Cut/Copy/Paste/Paint Format/Clear Format/Format Painter/Insert Image/Insert Chart/Insert Drawing/Insert Form/Insert Comment/Insert Link/Insert Function/Split Text To Columns/Group Rows Or Columns/Pivot Table/Slicer/Named Ranges/Data Sources/Macros/Add-ons/Voice Typing/Explore. Each group has one or more icons that represent different options or features that you can access by clicking on them. Here are some of the most useful and common toolbar options in Google Sheets:

Undo/Redo

The undo icon (a curved arrow pointing left) allows you to undo the last action you performed on your spreadsheet. The redo icon (a curved arrow pointing right) allows you to redo the last action you undid on your spreadsheet. You can also use keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl + Z for undo and Ctrl + Y for redo.

Print/Save/Share

The print icon (a printer) allows you to print your spreadsheet or save it as a PDF file. The save icon (a floppy disk) allows you to save your spreadsheet to your Google Drive or download it as an Excel, CSV, or other file format. The share icon (a person with a plus sign) allows you to share your spreadsheet with other people via email or a link. You can also set the permissions for who can view, comment, or edit your spreadsheet.

Font/Text/Cell Format

The font icon (a capital A) allows you to change the font type, size, color, and style of the text in your spreadsheet. The text icon (a capital T) allows you to apply bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough formatting to the text in your spreadsheet. The cell icon (a square with four smaller squares) allows you to change the background color, border style, border color, and border width of the cells in your spreadsheet.

Insert/Delete/Clear/Sort/Filter/Fill/Merge/Align/Wrap/Indent/Text Direction/Text Rotation/Conditional Formatting/Data Validation/Number Format

The insert icon (a plus sign) allows you to insert a new row, column, or cell in your spreadsheet. The delete icon (a minus sign) allows you to delete a row, column, or cell in your spreadsheet. The clear icon (an eraser) allows you to clear the content, format, notes, or links from the cells in your spreadsheet. The sort icon (an arrow pointing up and down) allows you to sort the selected range of cells by one or more columns in ascending or descending order. The filter icon (a funnel) allows you to filter the selected range of cells by one or more criteria. The fill icon (a paint bucket) allows you to fill the selected cells with a value or a pattern based on an adjacent cell or a range of cells. The merge icon (two arrows pointing inward) allows you to merge two or more adjacent cells into one larger cell. The align icon (three horizontal lines) allows you to align the content of the selected cells to the left, center, right, top, middle, or bottom. The wrap icon (two arrows pointing outward) allows you to wrap the text within the selected cells to fit their width. The indent icon (a right arrow) allows you to increase or decrease the indentation of the text in the selected cells. The text direction icon (a capital A with an arrow) allows you to change the direction of the text in the selected cells from left-to-right to right-to-left or vice versa. The text rotation icon (a capital A with a curved arrow) allows you to rotate the text in the selected cells by 0°, 45°, 90°, -45°, or -90°. The conditional formatting icon (a thermometer) allows you to apply formatting rules to the selected cells based on certain conditions. The data validation icon (a check mark with an exclamation point) allows you to set rules for what type of data can be entered into the selected cells.

Paste Special/Copy Down/Cut/Copy/Paste/Paint Format/Clear Format/Format Painter

The paste special icon (a clipboard with a drop-down arrow) allows you to paste only the content, format, formulas, values, comments, data validation, conditional formatting, or transpose of the copied cells. The copy down icon (a double arrow pointing down) allows you to copy the value or formula of the top cell to all the cells below it in a column. The cut icon (a pair of scissors) allows you to cut the selected cells or objects and place them on the clipboard. The copy icon (two overlapping squares) allows you to copy the selected cells or objects and place them on the clipboard. The paste icon (a clipboard) allows you to paste the content from the clipboard to the selected cells or objects. The paint format icon (a paint roller) allows you to copy and apply the format of one cell or object to another cell or object. The clear format icon (an eraser with a drop-down arrow) allows you to clear only the format from the selected cells or objects. The format painter icon (a paintbrush) allows you to copy and apply both the content and format of one cell or object to another cell or object.

Insert Image/Insert Chart/Insert Drawing/Insert Form/Insert Comment/Insert Link/Insert Function

The insert image icon (a picture frame) allows you to insert an image from your computer, Google Drive, Google Photos, the web, or your camera. The insert chart icon (a bar chart) allows you to insert a chart based on the selected data or a blank chart. The insert drawing icon (a pencil) allows you to insert a drawing that you can create using various tools. The insert form icon (a checklist) allows you to insert a form that you can use to collect responses from others. The insert comment icon (a speech bubble) allows you to insert a comment on the selected cell or object. The insert link icon (a chain link) allows you to insert a link to a web page, another sheet, a named range, or an email address. The insert function icon (an fx symbol) allows you to insert a function into the selected cell or formula bar.

Split Text To Columns/Group Rows Or Columns/Pivot Table/Slicer/Named Ranges/Data Sources/Macros/Add-ons/Voice Typing/Explore

The split text to columns icon (a table with a vertical line) allows you to split the text in the selected column into multiple columns based on a delimiter such as comma, space, semicolon, etc.

The group rows or columns icon (a bracket with a plus sign) allows you to group two or more adjacent rows or columns together so that you can collapse or expand them with a single click.

The pivot table icon (a table with a pivot symbol) allows you to create a new pivot table based on the selected data that summarizes and analyzes it by different categories and values.

The slicer icon (a knife) allows you to create a new slicer that allows you to filter your data by clicking on buttons that represent different values.

The named ranges icon (a tag) allows you to create a new named range that assigns a name to a cell or a range of cells that you can use in formulas instead of their addresses.

The data sources icon (a globe) allows you to connect your spreadsheet to an external data source such as Google Analytics, BigQuery, Salesforce, etc. You can also refresh, edit, or remove the data source from here.

The macros icon (a play button) allows you to record or run a macro that automates a series of actions on your spreadsheet. You can also manage or edit your macros from here.

The add-ons icon (a puzzle piece) allows you to access the add-ons that you have installed on your spreadsheet. Each add-on has its own sub-menu that contains its specific options and features. You can also get more add-ons from here.

The voice typing icon (a microphone) allows you to enter text into your spreadsheet by speaking into your microphone. You can also use voice commands to format or edit your text.

The explore icon (a star) opens the explore panel that provides insights and suggestions based on your data. You can also ask questions, insert charts, apply formatting, and more from here.

Tweet