Spreadsheets


 * __ In the Classroom __**

Spreadsheets in Google Docs allows teachers and students to easily aggregate, organize, and analyze information in one place. With advanced tools for sorting, formatting, creating charts, visualizing information with gadgets, and entering formulas, shared, online spreadsheets can be used in a variety of settings.

Some examples of how teachers can use online spreadsheets: Some examples of how students can use online spreadsheets:
 * Create a seating chart
 * Record grades with an organized gradebook
 * Track attendance, missing assignment, behavior reports
 * Store a database of contact information for students and parents
 * Use a word cloud gadget to visualize written responses
 * Collect data from across the web for research
 * Create interactive flashcards with a spreadsheet gadget
 * Format a weekly class schedule

Overview
With Google Spreadsheets, you can easily create, share, and edit spreadsheets online. Here are a few specific things you can do:
 * Import and convert .xls, .csv, .txt and .ods formatted data.
 * Export .xls, .csv, .txt and .ods formatted data and PDF and HTML files.
 * Use formatting and formula editing so you can calculate results and make your data look the way you'd like.
 * Chat in real time with others who are editing your spreadsheet.
 * Create charts and gadgets.
 * Embed a spreadsheet, or individual sheets of your spreadsheet, in your blog or website.

Edit content in a cell
To enter content in an empty cell, click the cell and add your content. To edit a cell that already has content, double-click the cell and edit the content. Alternatively, you can click the cell once and press Enter or F2. You can create lines breaks within a cell while editing if you want to improve the look of text that requires line breaks, such as addresses. To create a line break, place your cursor in a cell and press Ctrl+Enter.

Format data in a range of cells
You can format data in your spreadsheets in a variety of ways using the options in the spreadsheet toolbar. You can hover over an icon on the toolbar to see a message describing what that option can do. Here are the main formatting options:
 * Print
 * Undo or redo last operation
 * Change the number, date or currency format
 * Format cell contents
 * Change font size
 * Add bold or strikethrough
 * Change color of the text or a background color
 * Add borders
 * Align text
 * Merge cells horizontally in selected rows
 * Wrap text
 * Add formulas

Format numbers, dates, and currencies
You can format numbers in a spreadsheet in a variety of ways, including decimal, percent, and scientific notation. You can also select different date formats and currencies to correctly display the data in your spreadsheet. To format or change the format of numbers, dates or currencies in a spreadsheet, follow these steps:
 * 1) Select the range of cells you'd like to format or modify.
 * 2) Click the **123** toolbar icon.
 * 3) Select the number, date, or currency format you'd like to apply to the range of cells.

Add formulas to a spreadsheet
You can add a formula to any cell in a spreadsheet by typing an equal sign (=) followed by the name of the function. Auto-suggest will show a box displaying the name and syntax of the formula you're building.

Nested functions
A function used in the same cell with another function is called a nested function. When functions are combined, Google spreadsheets will calculate the innermost function first. The nested function is contained in parentheses and is used as one of the components of the surrounding function. For example, let's say you want to calculate the absolute value of a sum of several numbers in the cell range A1:A7. To calculate the sum of these numbers, you would enter '=SUM(A1:A7)' into a cell. To calculate the absolute value of this sum, you need to nest the sum formula within absolute value formula. To calculate both formulas in a single cell, enter '=ABS(SUM(A1:A7))' into the cell. Note that the =SUM function is performed first and is used as a component in the =ABS function.

Formula highlighting
When you reference other cells in a formula, we highlight those cells in contrasting colors to help you more easily build a formula. When you click on the cell that contains a completed formula, you'll also see these cells highlighted.



Share your spreadsheet with other people
Now that you've created your Google spreadsheet, you can share it with your friends, family, or coworkers. You can do this from your Documents List or directly from the document. Then, follow these instructions: In the 'Sharing settings' dialog, you can also see who has access to your spreadsheet, change the level of access people have, [|remove editors, commenters, and viewers], and [|change your spreadsheet's visibility option].
 * From the [|Documents list], select the document you want to share (you can also select multiple items), and go to the **More** drop-down menu. Then, point your mouse to **Share...** and select **Share...**.
 * From your document, click the blue **Share** button in the top right of the window.
 * 1) Under 'Add people,' type the email addresses of people you want to share your document with. You can add a single person or [|a mailing list].
 * 2) To the right of the list of names, select 'Can view,' 'Can edit,' or 'Can comment' from the drop-down menu.
 * 3) If you'd like to add a message to your invitation, click **Add message** and enter some text.
 * 4) Click **Share & save**. To skip sending an invitation, deselect the option 'Send email notifications (recommended).' Your collaborators and viewers will still be able to access the document from their Documents List, but won't receive an email invitation.

Create and edit forms
Forms are a useful tool to help you plan events, give students a quiz, or collect other information in an easy, streamlined way. A Google form is automatically connected to a spreadsheet with the same title. When you send a form to recipients, their responses will automatically be collected in that spreadsheet.

Create and send a form
You can create and send a form from your Documents List or from any existing spreadsheet.

Create a form from your Documents List:

 * 1) Click **Create new** > **Form**.
 * 2) In the form template that opens, you can add any questions and options you'd like.
 * 3) Click **Email this form** once you've finished adding your questions.
 * 4) Add the email addresses of the people to whom you want to send this form.
 * 5) Click **Send**.

Create a form from a spreadsheet:

 * 1) Click the **Tools** drop-down menu, scroll to **Form**, and select **Create a form**.
 * 2) In the form template that opens, you can add any questions and options you'd like.
 * 3) Click **Email this form** once you've finished adding your questions.
 * 4) Add the email addresses of the people to whom you want to send this form.
 * 5) Click **Send**.
 * 6) The next time you open the form, a **Form** menu will appear in the menu bar.

Add items and questions to a form
You can add different types of questions to your forms by clicking **Form** in your spreadsheet and **Add item** at the top of the editing page. Here are some of the question types you can choose: checkboxes, grid, drop-down lists with options, multiple choice, paragraph text, which allow for long answers, and scale, to ask your invitees to grade something in a scale from 1-5, for instance. Add section headers if you'd like to divide your form in sections to make it easier to read and complete. Simply select **Section header** from the **Add item** drop-down menu. Each section header can have a title, which appears in a larger font, and a section description.

Split questions into multiple pages
If you've created a long form, for example, and would like to make it easier for your respondents to fill it out, you can add page breaks. From the **Add item** drop-down menu, select **Page break**.

Helpful tips

 * You can edit the confirmation message that people filling out your form see after submitting their responses. Click the **More actions** drop-down menu at the top-right of the form, and select **Edit confirmation**.
 * If you've edited a form and need to send it again, click the **Edit and resend** button in the lower-left corner of the **Share** tab.

Edit a form question
Here are some of the things you can do with your questions:
 * **Edit**: To edit an existing question, just click the **Edit**button to the right of the question you want to edit.[[image:https://www.google.com/help/hc/images/docs_87809k_en.gif caption="Editing question"]]
 * **Delete**: To delete a question, click the **Delete**button to the right of the question you want to delete.[[image:https://www.google.com/help/hc/images/docs_87809l_en.gif caption="Deleting question"]]
 * **Duplicate**: To duplicate a question, click the **Duplicate**button to the right of the question you want to duplicate.[[image:https://www.google.com/help/hc/images/docs_87809j_en.gif caption="Duplicating question"]]

Publish a spreadsheet
Once you're done creating and editing your spreadsheet, you can publish it to a webpage. Go to the **FIle** menu and select **Publish to the Web...**. Then, click **Start publishing**. You can send your spreadsheet's URL to your friends, colleagues, and family, and they can enter it in their browser address bar to view the spreadsheet.

Embed a spreadsheet in a webpage
After you publish your spreadsheet, you can share it with the world by embedding it (or parts of it) in a website or blog. You can also insert a spreadsheet in a [|Google Site]. Just click **Edit page** > **Insert** > **Spreadsheet** from within your site. You'll need to enter the URL of your spreadsheet to embed it.
 * 1) Publish your spreadsheet following the steps listed above and a unique URL is generated.
 * 2) Use this URL to embed the spreadsheet on your website or blog.