Google Sheets is a very useful tool when you are working with personal finances, or when you have spreadsheet work that you need to perform for your job.
Knowing how to properly use all these tools will help to make you more efficient with your daily tasks.
A common hurdle someone encounters when working with spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets is needing to add another column to their sheet.
You can insert a new column in a Google spreadsheet by clicking a column letter to select the entire thing, then selecting the Insert tab at the top of the window and choosing the Columns option, then Insert 1 column left, or Insert 1 column right.
Whether you miscounted the number of columns you need or came up with another category to add, it’s quick and easy to add more columns to your sheet.
You can continue reading below for a couple of different methods that you can use when your spreadsheet needs another column in Google Sheets.
How to Add Columns in Google Sheets
- Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
- Click on one of the column letters at the top of the spreadsheet.
- Click Insert from the menu at the top of the window.
- Choose the Columns option.
- Click Insert 1 column left or Insert 1 column right.
Below, you will see additional information on making columns in a Google spreadsheet by using an option in the top menu.
How to Make Columns in Google Sheets (Guide with Pictures)
Adding more Columns is simple to do but there is more to these columns than just adding more. You can adjust them to make sure what you are typing will fit and stays organized.
Step 1: Start by opening Google Sheets.
Step 2: Click on the Sheets file you want to work on or start a new one.
Step 3: At the top of the spreadsheet, you will see Columns with letters of the alphabet starting with the letter A.
Step 4: Click on the column letter that is next to where you would like to add another column.
Step 5: Look up at the top of the screen to see the Insert option and select it.
Step 6: Choose the Columns option from the dropdown menu.
Step 7: Now click whether you want to add a column to the left or right of the letter column you highlighted in step 4.
Now that you have your column added, we can adjust it to fit your text or numbers. This will make your sheet look more organized and professional.
Start by clicking on the column letter you want to adjust. You will see a line on each side of the column. Double click on the line on the right of the column and the column will auto-adjust based on the widest cell in that column.
How to Add a Row in Google Sheets
Adding rows to Google Sheets is a similar process to adding a column.
- Open the Google spreadsheet to which you want to add a row.
- Look towards the left side of the sheet to see numbered rows going from top to bottom in order.
- Click on the row where you wish to add another row on top or below.
- Once highlighted, look at the top of the screen and click on the Insert option.
- Find Row and choose whether you want to add a row above or below the one you highlighted in Step 3.
You can do this as many times as needed and it works with any row you choose.
Additional information on Adding Columns to Google Sheets
When working with columns and rows in Google Sheets, there is an alternative way of adjusting the length and size of your squares.
Instead of the automatic way as described earlier, you can also grab the lines that outline your column or row and pull them to your desired size.
You can also click and drag to select multiple columns at once to adjust them to be more efficient.
When working with groups of people on a project together, it may help to lock your columns so no one is altering the format of the sheet. To do this, simply click on the column or row you want to lock. Then, click on the freeze setting. There, you can choose to just freeze one column, multiple columns, or multiple/one row.
another way that you can insert a new column or a new row in Google Sheets is to select the row or column, then right-click on the selection and choose the Insert 1 column right or 1 column left, or the Insert 1 row above or Insert 1 row below.
If you need to insert multiple columns or rows into your spreadsheet, then you can first select the number of columns or rows that you want to insert, then you can use the Rows or Columns option on the INsert dropdown menu, or you can right-click the selection.
The insertion options in Google Sheets will update automatically to include a set number of new rows or columns based on how many of those ranges are currently selected.
Matthew Burleigh has been a freelance writer since the early 2000s. You can find his writing all over the Web, where his content has collectively been read millions of times.
Matthew received his Master’s degree in Computer Science, then spent over a decade as an IT consultant for small businesses before focusing on writing and website creation.
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