Use tables in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, tables can simplify data creation and reduce the need to repeatedly format, input, and update data by automatically applying format and structure to ranges of data.

Tables are well suited to track and organize information like:

Project tracking
Event planning
Inventory management

There are 2 main parts of a table:

For each column, you can set the appropriate column type. Your table ensures all data you enter aligns.
You have access to a unified menu. You can manage table-level settings from the menu and perform actions like create a filter view for your table.

This article includes information on how to:

Convert existing data to a table

Open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
Select a range of cells, either empty or with data.
On the Menu Bar, click Format Convert to table.
Select the appropriate column type for each column.

Learn more about column types.

For some column types, placeholder chips are auto populated to allow for easy data entry. To turn off placeholder chips for a column:

On your computer, open a Sheet with a table.
Next to the table header, open the Column menu.
Click Edit column type.
Uncheck Show placeholders.

Get started by inserting a pre-built table

You can insert a new table with a predefined structure through templates that cover common use cases.

You can select a template that matches your use case. Go to the:

@ menu:
- Click @ Tables
Insert menu:
- Click Insert Tables

A sidebar opens for both menu options where you can browse, preview, and insert one or multiple pre-built blocks.

Set up your table

Create table names

Table names must follow certain rules and format requirements, they can’t:

Be named TRUE or FALSE.
Use "A1" or "R1C1" syntax, like "A1” or “AA11."
Start with a number.
Exceed 255 characters.
Have special characters, except for underscores.

Tip: Spaces in table name changes to underscores in formulas. For example, “Table 1” becomes “Table_1.”

Examples of valid table names:

Table1
Project roadmap
Q3_Sales

Set column types

Table column types help you organize, format your column data, and prevent errors as they report incorrect data types. For example, if you select “Date” as your column type, it shows a warning for cells within the column that don’t follow this type.

You can choose from any of the following types:

Number
- Percentage
- Currency
- Text
Date
- Date
- Time
- Date and time
Dropdown
Checkbox
Smart chips
- People chip
- File chip
- Finance chip
- Place chip
- Rating chip
None: If you select this option, we don’t apply a column type to your column. Choose this option if you want a flexible column that can support mixed data types.

Use table menu

You can control your table settings and further customize it through the table menu. To use the table menu, at the top of your table, click table menu.

In the table menu, you can:

Rename your table
Adjust table range
Turn off alternating colors
Customize your table colors
Remove table formatting
Delete your table
Send feedback

Tip: When you convert your data to a table, we automatically apply basic formatting. You can further customize your table and:

Readjust the row height
Remove the alternating colors
Change alternating colors
Change the font style

Tip: This feature is only available to certain work or school accounts. Next to the table menu, click Conditional notification . Select either:

To set rules: Click Create a new conditional notification. Learn more about conditional notifications.
To use pre-built tables: To help get you started, Google Sheets automatically attaches pre-built conditional notification rules such as “Send email when project task owner changes.” By default, the pre-built conditional notification rules are disabled until you edit or enable it.

Use table references

Table references are a special way to refer to a table or parts of a table in a formula. When you convert your data to a table, we give it a name, as well as each column header. You can then use those names to reference cells in the table. For example: Instead of explicit cell references: =Sum(C2:C7), you can use table references: =SUM(DeptSales[Sales Amount]).

When you reference table elements by name, the references update whenever you add or remove data from the table.

Learn about table references.

Use table views

With views, you can find the data you care about without impacting what others see on the sheet. You can use views to show or hide specific rows and apply other configurations to manage how to visualize data.

Each view can have its own unique configurations to filter and sort.

To create new views, click Table menu , and then select one of the following:
- Create group by view
  - This allows you to see rows grouped together based on the field of your choice.
- Create filter view

Tip: A temporary view is created by default. If you have edit access to the spreadsheet, you can save this view to access it later from the Table menu. Temporary views disappear after the spreadsheet refreshes.

To apply existing views, click Table menu existing view name.

Give feedback on tables

If you have any issues or want to change this feature and help us improve, you can submit feedback to us.

To submit feedback:

Use the “Send feedback” option on the tables menu.
At the top of your sheet, click Help Help Sheets improve.

Related resource

Learn about table references