“Should I learn Google Sheets?”
If you haven’t asked yourself this question, you should.
“Excel is the King when it comes to spreadsheet programs. Why waste time with anything else?”
As a long time user of Excel, I used to have that opinion… until I didn’t.
The way we use spreadsheets is changing. The way we work is changing. Examine how the events of 2020 have changed the way people work.
For many of us, we aren’t in the same room or even in the same city, but we are working together via teleconferences and cloud-based storage for our files.
The ability to collaborate on data at the same time is becoming more natural for users. No longer does each user have a copy of the data, make their changes, then send their version of the data to someone who must blend all the versions.
We want to work together in real-time and make changes in real-time.
For this to work, our spreadsheets are moving online.
The Job Market
It has long been a staple of employment in the corporate world that employees have a solid working knowledge of Excel.
That requirement hasn’t changed, but more and more employers are requiring knowledge and experience using Google Sheets.
An increasing number of freelance jobs require experience in Google Sheets.
It’s no longer enough to be proficient in one programming language or one spreadsheet application. It’s about knowing the important ones.
Knowing one of these well makes it easy to learn about others. Much of your hard-earned Excel experiences transfer easily to Google Sheets. Granted the features may have different names and the buttons might be in different places, but the concepts are the same. It just takes a small orientation period to get comfortable with the new environment.
What can Google Sheets do?
As you might expect, Google Sheets can do everything you would expect from a spreadsheet program.
You can track income, create budgets, perform data analysis, or anything that would be needed when dealing with numbers.
Google Sheets has hundreds of built-in functions that can be used individually or in combination to create solutions ranging from simple to mind-bending complex.
Can my team collaborate on a sheet at the same time?
Because the data is stored in the Cloud and Google Sheets runs in a Web browser, the collaboration between team members is as easy as checking email.
Spreadsheets can be worked on simultaneously and edits made in real-time. You can even hold a chat session within the program.
What if I make a mistake that negatively changes the work of my colleagues?
Relax. With a feature called Version History, it’s like having a time machine built into every spreadsheet. With a single click, you can return the spreadsheet to an earlier point in time.
Edit History keeps a record of each cell’s changes when they were changed, and from what to what.
If various users require different levels of access, different levels of range and sheet protection can be applied to ensure sensitive data is not unintentionally (or intentionally) overwritten.
I need to collect data from different people. Can this be done easily?
Collecting data, such as survey data, is easily done with just a few clicks.
This survey can be easily shared with others and have the responses collected and stored directly into a spreadsheet.
Can I bring data in from a different spreadsheet?
Google Sheets has a function called IMPORTRANGE to automatically link to and import data from a different spreadsheet.
Is it easy to summarize and visualize information?
Summarizing and visualizing data has never been easier.
Using Google Sheets’ Explore feature, you can leverage Google’s artificial intelligence to create formulas, charts, and pivot tables with just a few clicks.
Can I embed my report on a website?
You mean, like this?
Yes, and you retain full functionality, like slicers, filters, and dropdown lists.
Can my spreadsheet be automatically translated to other languages?
Using The Google Sheets functions GOOGLETRANSLATE and DETECTLANGUAGE you can easily switch all text from one language to another. You can even give the user the ability to select their preferred language.
Sheets can be quickly translated into over 100 different languages.
Is it possible to get the latest information about the stocks in my financial portfolio?
Using Google Sheets’ IMPORTXML and IMPORTHTML functions, you can import any data from public webpages.
Also, the GOOGLEFINANCE function allows you to retrieve the latest information about stocks and currencies.
My job requires complex data analysis. Can Sheets handle complex queries and calculations?
Built-in functions like FILTER and QUERY give you the power to generate incredibly functional and intelligent reports.
I’m Sold! Now, where can I learn all these amazing things?
You can watch countless hours of YouTube videos, read an endless number of technical documents and webpages, and even subscribe to paid resources.
The problem is separating the good from the bad.
I was not satisfied with much of what I discovered. Much of what I discovered failed to focus on the common issues, needs, and mistakes users encounter or what would be considered “best practices”.
A lack of challenges and quizzes existed to help reinforce the learning process and demonstrate different application scenarios.
I decided to create a Google Sheets course based on what I believe most people would benefit from.
This course is designed to be your one-stop-shop for all your Google Sheets needs.
The course is designed for two types of people:
- Spreadsheet beginner, and
- Those familiar with other spreadsheet programs.
Both types of users are looking to expand their skills to be ready for the future.
The Course
The Google Sheets course is divided into two main parts: Essentials, and Advanced.
If you are already an advanced Excel user, I’ve planned out your exact learning path, which lectures you need to watch, which challenges to complete so you can master Sheets.
The course is comprised of:
- Over 14 hours of hands-on tutorials
- Challenges
- Fun but meaningful exercises where you get to discover and correct mistakes in existing worksheets
This way, you don’t just understand Sheets… you master Sheets.
Course Process
After you sign up, you will perform the following steps:
- Register for the course.
- Complete the assessment quiz. This will provide a baseline of your current knowledge level.
- Start learning.
- Become the expert you’ve always wanted to be.
Be aware that you will become the “go-to” person in the office whenever anyone has a spreadsheet question. Your popularity ranking is about to skyrocket.