Switching to Sheets from Microsoft Excel

2. Sheets and Excel best practices

Adjacent: 3. Manage information in Sheets

ii.1 Piece of work with Excel files in Drive

" "

At that place are dissimilar ways to piece of work with Microsoft Excel files. You tin:

  • Import Excel data into Sheets. Larn more
  • Convert Excel files to Sheets. Acquire more
  • Edit Excel files in Bulldoze without converting them. Acquire more
  • Convert Sheets files to Excel or other formats. Learn more

Use Google Sheets to open Excel spreadsheets

2.2 Apply Excel and Sheets together" "

If your team uses Microsoft Excel and Sheets, here are some best practices for when to utilise each production.

Convert existing Excel spreadsheets to Sheets if:

  • Y'all need to interact or simultaneously edit with your team.
  • Your dataset is v million cells or fewer.

Continue working in your existing Excel spreadsheets if:

  • Your dataset is greater than v million cells.
  • You're using the Hyperion addition with Excel.
  • If you lot employ rare chart types, such every bit 3D pyramid charts or pie-of-pie charts.

Collaborate using Google Sheets

2.3 Edit Excel files in Sheets" "

Open an Excel file from Drive and edit it in Sheets. Any changes you make are saved in the original Excel format.

Chrome Browser only

  1. Brand sure the Function Editing for Docs, Sheets, & Slides extension is not installed:
    1. Open Chrome Browser and in the pinnacle-right corner, click More"" and then More than Tools and then Extensions.
    2. If you run across the Role Editing for Docs, Sheets, & Slides extension, click Remove.
  2. In Bulldoze, double-click an Excel file.

    A preview of your file opens.

  3. At the top, click Open with Google Sheets.

You tin at present edit, share, view version history, collaborate in real-time with others, and more than. All changes you make are saved to the original Microsoft Office file.

2.4 Import Excel data into Sheets

" "

You tin import information from an Excel file to a new (or existing) Sheets file. Your Excel file won't be changed, even equally y'all change the Sheets file.

  1. In Sheets, create a new or open an existing spreadsheet.
  2. Click File and then Import.
  3. Choose the Excel file and click Select.
  4. Choose an import option:
    • Create new spreadsheet
    • Insert new sheet(south)
    • Replace spreadsheet
  5. Click Import information.
  6. If prompted, click Open up now.

In Sheets, the Import option appears under File in the menu

2.5 Convert Excel files to Sheets

" "

Instead of importing data, you tin convert an Excel file to Sheets and go along working on information technology in Sheets. Your Excel file won't be changed.

  1. Open Driveand double-click an Excel file.

    A preview of your file opens.

  2. At the top, click Open with Google Sheets.
  3. Click Fileand then Save as Google Sheets.

To automatically convert all future uploads of Office files to Google Sheets:

  1. In Drive, at the top, click Settings "" and then Settings.
  2. Side by side to Convert uploads, plough on Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format.

    Note: Previously uploaded files will not be converted.

In Drive, you'll see the Excel file and the new Sheets file. You can keep the Excel file or delete it. If you keep the Excel file, to avert confusion, you can rename it to something like [Archived] My doc.xls.

Tip: Utilize these icons to rapidly differentiate Sheets and Excel files in Drive:

SheetsSheets ExcelExcel

Upload files to Drive

2.6 Share a copy of a Sheets file in Excel format

" "

You can work on a spreadsheet in Sheets and then send a copy by electronic mail equally an Excel file (or a PDF).

  1. In Sheets, open the file.
  2. Click File and then E-mail as attachment.
  3. Under Adhere as, choose Microsoft Excel.

  4. Enter the electronic mail accost, subject, and message.
  5. (Optional) Check the Send a copy to myself box.
  6. Click Transport.

You tin can too download a copy of the Sheets file in Excel, PDF, CSV, ODS, or other formats.

  1. In Sheets, click File and then Download as.
  2. Select the file format you desire to download.

Download a spreadsheet and open with another program


Google, Google Workspace, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. All other company and product names are trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.

Was this helpful?

How tin can we improve it?