Google Sheets Basics
- Adam Garrett
- May 16, 2023
- 1 min read
Updated: Oct 2, 2023
I often use Google Sheets. Here are some basic things to know in case you're unfamiliar.
Basics to Note:
Use a Laptop or a Desktop Preferably
While it's possible to use a tablet or smartphone to edit a Google Sheet, it's much more user-friendly on a desktop or laptop.
If you must use a smartphone, it's best to have the Google Sheets App downloaded, but know that it will still be more cumbersome to navigate, especially with large sheets.
Edit Within Google Sheets
It's best to edit within Google Sheets for an optimized experience. If you download the Google Sheets into a excel doc, you may lose some formatting that were present in Google Sheets that make the excel doc more cumbersome to work with than the Google Sheets document. Google Sheets also enables updates in real-time for all parties to see.
Once you've typed in a cell within Google Sheets, click Enter to go the cell below you and to save your work on the prior cell. Alternatively, click tab to go to the cell to the right of the cell that you're filling in.
Generally speaking, when Adam sends you a form, there will initially be a blank highlighted section (in green on the seller survey; in yellow on the buyer questions for offer) where you should input your responses. Be sure to follow instructions & go from top to bottom. Some cells are supposed to be left blank depending on the circumstances, as the instructions indicate when applicable. If you put anything in that blank, it will throw off future question responses. If you have questions about a cell that has a "leave blank if" option, be sure to reach out to Adam via text or email about it, as stating "I don't know" in a cell could throw off future responses.
Editing Navigation on a Desktop or Laptop:
Incoming Editing Privileges for You
As long as you're using a desktop, laptop, or the Google Sheets app, if you've been given editing privileges, you should be able to enter words into the cells, delete things, add rows, etc.
If you don't have editing privileges
A. ... and are working with something with your name on it, ask the owner for editing privileges.
B. If your name is not on it, the fastest way to work with it is to copy it into another Google sheet (if you have a Google Account) into Excel (if you have microsoft excel) or to another spreadsheet format (i.e. open source spreadsheet options)
Granting Outgoing Viewing & Editing Privileges for Others
To grant sharing privileges,
2. Click on the "Share" button in the top right of the screen:
2. Click on the button (that says "Restricted in this example) under "General access"
3. Click on "Anyone with the link"
4. If you want to provide editing privileges (which I recommend if sending something to me), click on "Editor"
Real-Time Updates
Once you've clicked out of a cell that you were adding to, there are real time updates. There's no saving necessary as long as you've clicked out of the cell that you have been editing.
Efficiency Boosting Navigation Tips
If you're finished editing a particular cell, and want to save it and go to the right to edit the next cell to the right, click the tab key on your keyboard.
If you're finished editing a particular cell, and want to save it and go immediately below it to edit the next cell to the bottom, click the enter key on your keyboard.
Setting Up Notifications on a Shared Spreadsheet
Here's how to set up notifications on a Google Sheet:
Hover over "Tools"
Hover over "Notification settings"
Click "Edit notifications"
4. Set notification rules to "Any changes are made"
5. Notify me with "Email-right away"
6. If you'd like to know right away but aren't on top of email all the time, use CNET's guide on establishing email-to-text notifications.
How to Select Rows & Columns
1. If looking to select more than 1 column (or just 1), click on the far top side letter (in blue below):
2. If looking to select more than 1, hold down shift, and while holding down shift, click on another column to the right or to the left of it, which should highlight each selected column as well as all columns between them.
The same principle applies to rows except selecting the rows with the number on the left and dragging them up or down.
If looking to select more than 1 that is not together, hold down the control key for a PC in between row or column selections:
Adding a Horizontal Row
1. If looking to add a row, click on the far left side # (in blue below) 1st, which should highlight the row:
2. Click on "Insert", hover over "Rows" then click "Insert 1 row above" or "Insert 1 row below"
Adding >1 Horizontal Row at Once
1. If looking to add more than 1 row, click on the far left side # (in blue below) 1st, hold down shift, click on another row below it or above it, which should highlight each selected row as well as all rows between them. For instance, if I wanted to add 5 rows at once, I'd do the following:
A.
B.
2. Click on "Insert", hover over "Rows" then click "Insert 5 rows above" or "Insert 5 rows below"
Adding a Vertical Column
1. If looking to add a vertical column, click on the far top side letter (in blue below) 1st, which should highlight the column:
2. Click on "Insert", hover over "Columns" then click "Insert 1 column left" or "Insert 1 column right"
Adding >1 Vertical Column at Once
1. If looking to add more than 1 column, click on the far top side letter (in blue below) 1st, hold down shift, click on another column to the right or to the left of it, which should highlight each selected column as well as all columns between them. For instance, if I wanted to add 5 columns at once, I'd do the following:
A.
B.
2. Click on "Insert", hover over "Columns" then click "Insert 5 columns left" or "Insert 5 columns right"
Re-Ordering Columns/Rows Manually
Select the Column(s) or Row(s)
2A. For columns, click the letter heading again (in the case of the above, C), and drag the column left or right while holding down the click on the mouse, before releasing the click of the mouse when the column is where you want it to be.
2 B. For rows, click the number heading again (in the case of the below, 4 or 5), and drag the rows up or down while holding down the click on the mouse, before releasing the click of the mouse when the row(s) is where you want it to be.
If you're looking at a large spreadsheet (i.e. my Master spreadsheet of home purchase considerations), rather than manually moving rows over one at a time, it's better to group the ones that you want to move and then to move them over to the left in groups.
While there's an option to rearrange rows by #, Google Sheets doesn't appear to currently have the option to rearrange columns by #. For the below, click on "Data" & then "Sort Range" to see:
Common Google Sheets Adam Sends to His Clients:
Why Seller Surveys?
A too-often neglected element of listings is solid seller surveys. These surveys:
1. Enhance marketability
2. Decrease the chances of a lawsuit by buyers
3. Decrease the chances of what could be a costly (i.e. the difference in >$10k in some cases) contract fall through
4. Decrease the time needed to make multiple corrections of repeated information on forms when details are present on multiple locations (especially when >1 MLS data input sheet is used)
5. Decrease the time needed to read through offer & addendum templates when they come in so that when offers come in you can focus on the differences between the offers
6. Decrease the chances of offer withdrawal based on that which wasn't previously disclosed or already taken care of before listing
For more details, see Why Seller Surveys
Why Questions for Offers (For Buyers)?
Why Questions for Offer?
Like seller surveys, it's rare for an agent to have something available where a buyer can go through their offer preferences in a high level of detail with multiple offer types considered, filling in lots of information. This way the buyer is able to avoid assuming a lot and relying on the agent a lot without much detail regarding specific authorization to the agent for their preferences in the offer. Most agents are highly assumptive about a wide variety of offer preferences without ever asking the buyer about many of them or providing details that inform their decision-making process.
One of the ways that these are helpful is that before a buyer has any property in mind, they can shorten the time between when the buyer eventually does see a house and when they are able to get an offer in with their preferences in mind.
If a buyer doesn't touch the questions for an offer until the time that they are ready for an offer, even if Adam has an appointment with another client immediately after his showing with that buyer or right after the buyer tells them they want to make an offer, as long as they have the questions for offer spreadsheet, they can go through their preferences in detail without having to wait for Adam.
Related: Expeditious Offers
Many images courtesy Google Sheets.
Related:
Buyer Related:
Seller Related:
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