Google Sheets Overview Updated March 17, 2023
Spreadsheets originated from a company bought by Google in June 2005. A year later Spreadsheets launched in Google Labs as a limited test.
In October of 2012, Spreadsheets was rebranded as Sheets and made a part of the Google Drive umbrella. Like Docs, Sheets has full offline support and allows users to work without a connection. Users can collaborate and share with many other people at the same time. Powerful Android and iOS apps allow users to access and work on files on the go.
Google Sheets Stories March 17
Material You is now available for Google Drive’s web app
In February, Google announced that its expansion of Material You would finally expand to Google Drive and its various tools on the web. Now, that rollout is happening widely.
Google Sheets Stories March 6
Formally announced last month, the Material You inspired redesigns of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides on the web are beginning to appear for some Workspace customers.
Google Sheets Stories February 23
While the mobile Workspace apps were quickly updated alongside Android 12’s Pixel launch in fall of 2021, it took much longer for Material Design 3 to arrive on the web. Following the Gmail redesign last year, Material You is coming next to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Google Sheets Stories December 7, 2022
Google today announced an add-on for Google Sheets that applies “Simple ML” to your data that was built by the TensorFlow team to help make “machine learning accessible to all.”
Google Sheets Stories August 25, 2022
Google Sheets adds XLOOKUP, Named Functions, and a few other advanced features
Google Sheets is giving power users a boost this week, as the Excel alternative has just picked up XLOOKUP and several other long-missing features.
Google Sheets Stories August 18, 2022
How to alphabetize data in Google Sheets
Google Sheets, much like Excel, is a great tool for storing and organizing data in a legible and comprehensive way. But what good is data if it’s all over the place? This quick tutorial will give you a step-by-step guide on quickly alphabetizing data in Google Sheets.
Google Sheets Stories August 17, 2022
How to merge cells in Google Sheets on desktop or mobile
Google Sheets is effectively a full-featured version of Microsoft Excel in your browser with many powerful functions and features also included. Like Excel, you can merge cells in Google Sheets into a larger single cell, and here’s how to do it.
Google Sheets Stories August 16, 2022
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides now offer individual control over accessibility settings
Google products are generally well-equipped when it comes to accessibility tools, but Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are now picking up an enhancement to their existing tools.
Google Sheets Stories July 25, 2022
At I/O 2022, Google announced that over 20 first-party apps would be optimized for tablets. We’ve already seen a handful of launches since May, and Google Drive, Docs/Sheets/Slides, and Keep are now set to receive updates that improve multitasking on Android tablets.
Google Sheets Stories May 4, 2022
Google Docs and Sheets getting native integration with SAP S/4HANA Cloud
At today’s virtual Workspace Summit, Google announced an expanded partnership with enterprise software giant SAP that sees Docs and Sheets integrate with S/4HANA Cloud.
Google Sheets Stories April 12, 2022
As announced at the end of last month, Google Meet is now built into Docs, Sheets, and Slides with a prominent new button that’s rolling out from today.
Google Sheets Stories March 31, 2022
When G Suite was rebranded to Google Workspace in 2020, the company teased that Meet was coming to Docs, Sheets, and Slides. That Google Meet integration is now coming along with desktop web Picture-in-Picture (PiP), in-call reactions and more.
Google Sheets Stories March 17, 2022
Available now, Google Sheets has greatly expanded how much data you can fit on a single spread, with a whopping 10 million cell limit.
Google Sheets Stories January 11, 2022
Google is rolling out a trio of productivity updates to its iPhone and iPad productivity apps. Notably, Gmail will get a homescreen widget, while iOS Picture-in-Picture is now available for Google Meet.
Google Sheets Stories November 8, 2021
In 2019, Google started testing a review and approval system for Docs, Sheets, and Slides. After the two-year beta period, “formal document approvals” are now rolling out to Workspace users.
Google Sheets Stories September 9, 2021
Following the Gmail redesign last week, Google today showed off Material You for the key Workspace apps on Android 12. This includes Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, Gmail, Meet, Sheets, and Slides.
Google Sheets Stories June 2, 2021
Google Sheets adds dedicated sidebar to review all comments
Google is making it easier to review, reply, and resolve comments in Sheets with a new consolidated sidebar that matches the one already available in Docs.
Google Sheets Stories May 26, 2021
At I/O 2021, Google announced several “Smart canvas” features that will better integrate the company’s various productivity apps. The ability to present from Docs, Sheets, and Slides directly to Google Meet is now rolling out.
Google Sheets Stories May 18, 2021
In unveiling “Smart canvas” at I/O 2021, Google called it the “next big step” in the future of work. The goal is to create a more integrated and interactive Workspace experience, especially in Google Docs.
Google Sheets Stories April 12, 2021
If you’re having trouble with Google Drive services this morning, you’re not alone. Google Drive is experiencing a partial outage that’s bringing down Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for many users.
Google Sheets Stories November 24, 2020
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for iOS add Microsoft Office editing
Following the web last year and Android in September, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for iOS can now edit Office files.
Google Sheets Stories October 28, 2020
Have you received an email about a new comment in a Google Docs or other Google Workspace file you don’t recognize? Do not click the included link, as it’s likely part of a new source of spam emails that are abusing comments in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Google Sheets Stories October 21, 2020
After coming to Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, the Google Workspace Add-ons side panel will soon be available in Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Google today also showed off a useful Translate integration.
Google Sheets Stories September 8, 2020
Google Docs for Android adds Microsoft Office editing, improves line spacing
As announced last month, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Android now support Microsoft Office editing. A related change sees Docs adjust line spacing based on the current font.
Google Sheets Stories August 5, 2020
Google tries to differentiate its G Suite apps by leveraging AI to boost user productivity. It’s now bringing several key features, including Smart Compose, that first debuted on the desktop web to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Android and iOS.
Google Sheets Stories July 6, 2020
For over a year now, Google has been bringing dark mode to its Android apps to go with Android 10’s dark theme toggle. Today, they’re launching a long-awaited and much needed dark mode to the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps for Android, to make your work easier on the eyes.
Google Sheets Stories June 30, 2020
Google’s goal with G Suite is to leverage AI to boost user productivity, with Smart Compose in Gmail and Docs being prime examples. Google Sheets is gaining similar features this year with Smart Fill and Smart Cleanup.
Google Sheets Stories June 17, 2020
While Drive for Android gained a dark theme last April, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides have been notable holdouts. Night-friendly modes for these apps are coming and will likely also apply to the document view.
Google Sheets Stories June 9, 2020
After tweaking the search bar, Google is rolling out a more substantial update to Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Android. The UI for commenting has been redesigned to be more mobile-friendly.
Google Sheets Stories May 27, 2020
G Suite’s productivity apps are seeing a pair of updates on Android and the web today. On the latter platform, there’s a Google Docs “document status” indicator, while the mobile apps pick up a new search field.
Google Sheets Stories April 28, 2020
Google Drive and the G Suite family of productive apps often get small, iterative refreshes. The latest update today is more notable and sees a big redesign of the sharing UI that focuses on ease of use.
Google Sheets Stories March 12, 2020
Google Sheets is now gaining a new feature that allows you to filter and sort cells by text color and fill (background) color.
Google Sheets Stories October 8, 2019
Google tweaks editor UIs for Docs, Sheets, and Slides on Android
While Drive was one of the first Google apps to adopt the Material Theme, Docs, Sheets, and Slides followed later on the web and mobile. The latest set of updates brings Material Theme tweaks to the productivity app’s editor interfaces on Android.
Google Sheets Stories August 13, 2019
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides add reading speed-optimized ‘Lexend’ fonts
Google’s productivity apps are gaining a series of fonts “aimed at improving reading speed.” Meant particularly for educators and students, the Lexend font family is available today in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Google Sheets Stories August 9, 2019
Google Drive on the web was one of the very first services to get the Material Theme treatment in 2018, with the Android and iOS clients following this April. The homepages for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides were updated in February, with a similar Google Material Theme revamp now available for the Android apps.
Google Sheets Stories August 1, 2019
Beyond data entry and formulas, Google Sheets has long featured graphing capabilities. Earlier this year, the G Suite app added more tools for “enhanced reporting,” and today Google announced Themes, Slicers, and Scorecard charts to make Sheets more interactive.
Google Sheets Stories July 9, 2019
One longstanding complaint among Google users on the web is how being logged in with both personal and G Suite accounts results in a confusing file launch process. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides will now display a prominent prompt about what account you’re signed in with.
Google Sheets Stories April 19, 2019
Google Sheets adds further enhanced tools for spreadsheet formatting
Google Docs continues to encroach upon Microsoft Excel territory with the addition of many stalwart Excel functions and features. Announced today, the update includes new tweaks to Google Sheets and enhanced formatting functions for images, charts, and Pivot tables.
Google Sheets Stories April 11, 2019
Activity dashboard in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides adds sharing history, comment stats
Last year, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides introduced an Activity dashboard to provide stats and easily see who has viewed a document. The three G Suite apps are now adding sharing history and comment analytics.
Google Sheets Stories February 26, 2019
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides homepages updated with Material Theme tweaks
For most users, Google Drive is their primary homepage when interacting with the web suite of productivity apps. However, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides on the web also have dedicated homepages, with all three recently gaining Material Theme tweaks.
Google Sheets Stories January 15, 2019
Google Drive was one of the first web apps to adopt the Google Material Theme last May and now a similar redesign is rolling out to the core Docs, Sheets, and Slides productivity services on the web, as well as Google Sites.
Google Sheets Stories October 29, 2018
Activity dashboard in Google Docs, Sheets, & Slides updated w/ Google Material Theme
Earlier this year, Google introduced an Activity dashboard in Docs, Sheets, and Slides that allowed users to easily keep track of file history. Like Google Drive, it’s now gaining the Google Material Theme with a redesigned interface on the web.
Google Sheets Stories June 1, 2018
How to celebrate Pride with Google Sheets’ hidden Easter egg
A while back, Google added an Easter egg to Sheets that adds a rainbow theme to the entire spreadsheet. Here’s how to use the Pride-themed Easter egg in Google Sheets.
Google Sheets Stories December 6, 2017
Google Sheets adds pivot tables, suggested formula tools powered by machine learning
Google’s work with machine learning is impressive for a number of reasons, but its most practical uses often come in places you wouldn’t expect. Today, Google is revealing new tools in Sheets made possible by machine learning.
Google Sheets Stories November 8, 2017
Copied Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides can soon include comments, suggestions
Following a very useful tweak to the image picker earlier this week, Google Drive is getting another small, but noticeable feature. Copying a document will soon include the option to bring over the original file’s comments and suggestions.
Google Sheets Stories June 1, 2017
Google Drive is full of powerful tools, and Sheets is one that many rely on as an alternative to Microsoft Excel. Today, Google is debuting several new features for Sheets that are bound to become incredibly useful to its users.
Google Sheets Stories April 18, 2016
In 2013, Google Drive addressed one of the biggest advantages of Microsoft Office: offline access and editing. With this feature enabled, Docs, Slides, and Sheets effectively becomes a native application. An update starting today will allow users to select specific files to store and edit without an internet connection.
Google Sheets Stories March 24, 2016
You can now change themes, filters & layouts in updated Google Sheets and Slides for iOS
Google is updating its Google Sheets and Slides apps for iOS today with new features that allow changing themes, filters and layouts on the fly from within the mobile apps.
For Google Sheets, the update brings the ability to view and change existing filters applied to a spreadsheet.
