Google Sheets tip of the week - checkboxes

Google Sheets
Productivity tips
/
March 28, 2024

Introduction

If you think of a checklist, the first things to cross your mind probably are - post-its, paper and a pen. But in the digital era, this paper and pen have been replaced by columns, rows, and a few clicks on the keypad. Do you know where we are headed with this information? Yes, Checklists in Sheets.

Google Sheets offers a versatile canvas for creating checklists that are both accessible and collaborative, transforming task management into a seamless, interactive process. As teams grow and tasks become more intricate, solutions like Dokin augment Google Sheets by adding a layer of automation and integration, enhancing productivity and ensuring no detail is overlooked.

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Let's explore some basics. Checklists, within Google Sheets, are interactive lists where items can be ticked off in real time. Acting as digital to-do lists, they bring clarity and accountability to any project, allowing users to easily track what has been accomplished and what still needs attention. With cloud-based syncing, Google Sheets checklists can be accessed from any device, allowing teams to collaborate no matter where they are.

Google Sheets checklists simplify tracking progress and working together on tasks. Furthermore, you can effortlessly share these checklists, which facilitates cooperation on various projects and assignments.

A Basic Checklists in Google Sheets

Starting from the start, creating a basic checklist in Google Sheets is an entryway into the world of organized digital task management, isn’t that cool? All you need to do is :

  1. Start by opening a new Google Sheet.
  2. Type in the name of your checklist at the top, in the first row.
  3. Below that, in the second row, write down the things you want to list.
  4. For the third row, add a checkbox next to each list item. You can do this by going to the “Insert” menu and choosing “Tick box.”

After you finish these steps, you'll have a simple checklist set up in Google Sheets. To mark a task as done, just click the checkbox next to it.

You can even

  • Assign basic attributes to tasks, such as 'Owner' and 'Due Date,' by adding new columns.
  • Share your checklist with colleagues or team members for collaborative editing and viewing.

How to make Advanced Checklists

As project complexity escalates, leveraging the advanced functionalities of Google Sheets for more sophisticated checklists becomes necessary.

For that, you may employ conditional formatting to highlight completed tasks automatically. Here's a step-by-step guide for setting up an advanced checklist:

  1. Start a new Google Sheet.
  2. Name your checklist in the first row.
  3. List your tasks in the columns below.
  4. Insert checkboxes next to each task by heading to the “Insert” menu and choosing “Checkbox.”
  5. Highlight all the cells with checkboxes.
  6. Go to the “Format” menu and select “Conditional formatting.”
  7. Within the conditional formatting menu, select “Use a custom formula” and input “=TRUE”.
  8. Choose a colour for the fill or text to indicate completion.

After following these steps, ticking a checkbox will automatically indicate that the task is complete. This efficient method keeps your checklist current, saving you valuable time.

To sum up, making Google Sheets checklist is a straightforward and productive strategy for managing tasks. Google Sheets offers the necessary features for both simple and complex checklists, ensuring you efficiently track your work.

Conclusion

And there you have it! With a few clicks and a bit of typing, you've transformed a blank Google Sheet into an organized checklist that's ready to tackle whatever tasks you throw its way. Remember, each little tick on those checkboxes isn't just satisfying; it's a step forward in keeping your projects on track and your mind clutter-free.

Need to juggle a handful of tasks? Google Sheets stands by, your steadfast partner in the quest for peak organization. Basic or advanced, your checklist is more than a list—it's your roadmap to done and dusted!

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Jacopo Proietti

Co-founder @Dokin
Jacopo, a co-founder of Dokin, boasts 8 years in finance, having worked as a finance manager at Ogury and head of Financial Planning and Control at BlaBlaCar.
His passion for data integration led to the creation of Dokin, a game-changer for modern business teams. With customizable templates and built-in data connections, Dokin allows modern CMOs and CFOs to streamlines data reporting across Google Workspace applications.

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