Switching to Sheets from Microsoft Excel

Overview: Differences at a glance

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Now that you've switched from Microsoft® Excel® to G Suite, learn how to use Google Sheets as your new spreadsheet program.

What you need:
10 minutes
Account G Suite account
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In Microsoft Excel... In Google Sheets...
Collaboration only in Excel Online  Collaborate in real-time from Sheets
Share using email Share directly from Sheets or by email
Save using the File menu  Save automatically to Drive
Add multiple tabs to a spreadsheet Add multiple sheets to a spreadsheet
Manage versions with version control (Excel
Online only)		 Manage versions with version history
Add formulas and use Formula AutoComplete
for suggestions		 Add formulas and use formula suggestions that appear as you enter text
Record macros or use VBA Record macros or use Google Apps Script
Create filters  Create filters and filter views
Create pivot tables manually  Create pivot tables manually or automatically with Explore
Create charts manually  Create charts manually or automatically with Explore
See recent activity See the activity dashboard
Create notifications using conditional
formatting		 Create notification rules

Table of contents

Section 1: Access Sheets

1.1 Get Sheets on your devices
1.2 (Optional) Add multiple Google Accounts
1.3 Create a browser bookmark
1.4 Add a Sheets desktop shortcut (Windows only)
1.5 Work offline (Chrome only)

Section 2: Best practices

2.1 Work with Excel files in Drive
2.2 Use Excel and Sheets together
2.3 Edit Excel files in Sheets
2.4 Import Excel data into Sheets
2.5 Convert Excel files to Sheets
2.6 Share a copy of a Sheets file in Excel format

Section 3: Manage data

3.1 Perform basic operations
3.2 Search for data
3.3 See changes to data
3.4 Restrict data sharing
3.5 Use keyboard shortcuts

Section 4: Analyze data

4.1 Add charts
4.2 Get automatic charts
4.3 Add charts to Docs and Slides
4.4 Functions in Sheets and Excel
4.5 Add pivot tables
4.6 Get automatic pivot tables

Section 5: Use macros and add-ons

5.1 Automate tasks with macros
5.2 Do more with add-ons

Section 6: Collaborate

6.1 Share spreadsheets
6.2 Add comments and assign tasks
6.3 Email collaborators
6.4 Switch to an earlier version or name a version
6.5 Create filters and filter views
6.6 Protect content
6.7 Limit sharing, downloading, printing, or copying
6.8 Set an expiration date for sharing
6.9 See who’s viewed a spreadsheet

Section 7: Export spreadsheets

7.1 Print spreadsheets
7.2 Download in different formats
7.3 Make a copy
7.4 Email a copy

Section 8: Productivity tips

8.1 Import data from Forms
8.2 Save time with templates
8.3 Find out if someone changes a spreadsheet
8.4 Add checkboxes to cells
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