Entering data & formatting
5 minutes · 4 steps · free, no sign-up
Every spreadsheet skill starts here: getting data into cells and making it readable. You will build a tiny price list, style the header row and show the prices as money.
- Select cells and type into them
- Select a range by dragging
- Bold a header row
- Format numbers as currency
Click a cell and start typing. Enter edits, Tab moves right, arrows move, Delete clears.
Quick referenceHandy shortcuts
Enter edit the selected cell
Tab move one cell right
Ctrl + B bold
Delete clear the selected cellsThe key ideasSummary: Entering data & formatting
A spreadsheet is a grid of cells. Each cell has an address made from its column letter and row number, such as A1 or B4. Click a cell and type to fill it, then press Enter or Tab to confirm.
You can select several cells at once by dragging, or click a row number or column letter to select a whole row or column. Formatting such as bold or currency applies to everything you have selected, and it changes how a value looks without changing the value itself.
Watch out forCommon mistakes
- Typing units into number cells. Entering
5kgmakes the cell text, so formulas cannot add it up. Keep the number on its own and put the unit in the column header. - Confusing formatting with the value. The
$button changes how a number is displayed, not what is stored. If you need a rounded figure in a calculation, use theROUNDfunction instead. - Retyping when you meant to edit. Typing over a selected cell replaces its contents. Press F2 or double-click to edit what is already there.
Next stepTry it in the real Google Sheets
Open a new blank spreadsheet at sheets.new and type the same price list. Select the header row and press Ctrl+B (Cmd+B on a Mac). Select the prices and use Format → Number → Currency or the currency button in the toolbar. Then try the other number formats in that menu, such as percent and date, to see how one value can be displayed several ways.