To create a new spreadsheet in Google Spreadsheet, sign into your Google Drive account. Then click on the New button on the top left and select Google Sheets.
On your screen will appear a basic spreadsheet, divided into numbered rows and lettered columns.
The rows and columns intersect to create small boxes, which are called cells.
Each cell is identified by its column letter and row number.
Thus the very first cell in the upper left-hand corner is called A1.
Just below A1 is A2. Just to the right of A1 is B1. Just below B1 is B2, and so on.
In the image below, for example, cell D9 is highlighted.
Setting the View Options
You can select some settings to change the view of the spreadsheet or display toolbars you frequently use, such as the one for entering formulas to make calculations.
To do this, in the menu at the top click on View and make sure there’s a check mark next to Show Formula Bar (to display a box to enter formulas).
Entering Information in a Cell
You enter information into a spreadsheet program by typing it into each of the cells.
You can enter three different types of information into a cell:
- Numbers – so you then can perform mathematical calculations on them.
- Text – to identify what the numbers in the columns and rows represent, usually by typing headings across the top of the columns or on the left edge of the rows
- Formulas – to perform calculations on the numbers in a column or a row of cells.
To enter information into a cell, simply click on the cell and type in the information.
When you’re done, you can either press the enter/return key, which will take you down to the next cell, or the tab key, which will advanced to the cell to the right.
Each time you type information into a cell, you’ll notice the information also appears in the Formula bar, the box just above the columns and rows.
For example, if you click on cell:
B3
And type in the number:
100
You’ll see the number 100 displayed in the formula bar above.
