How to Convert to a Table in Google Sheets

Spreadsheets are a great tool for storing, sorting, charting and presenting our data. For many of us, creating and working with spreadsheets is something we do every day. However, it can be a bit time consuming to set up a sheet for a specific task, such as an event tracker or a task list.

If you’ve ever tried to do this, you’ll know what I mean. This article looks at converting to a table in Google Sheets to make this task quicker and easier.

What are Tables?

Tables are a feature that helps simplify and speed up spreadsheet building by providing a clear structure and format to data ranges. When you select a range, then go to Format > Convert to Table, Google Sheets applies various design and layout features to format and organise your date with a cohesive design. This includes column types, colour coding, filtering and more.

Here are some of the ways that using tables can reduce the time you typically spend manually formatting your spreadsheets:

Automatic Formatting – After you convert to a Table, Sheets automatically applies formatting to your data range.

Column Types – Each column in a table can have a specific column type applied, such as date, currency, etc. This helps to ensure the right formatting is applied, and the right kind of data is entered. If the data doesn’t match the column type, and error is shown.

Contextual Menu – When you click into a table, an extra menu is displayed to help you work with and modify table settings.

Table References – After you convert the data to a table, Sheets provides a name for the table and for each column header. When you reference table items by name, the references update automatically whenever you add or remove data from the table.

Grouping – When you use a table, you can use a Group By view to aggregate the data into groups based on your criteria.

How to Convert to a Table

1. Start with the list of data you want to convert.
2. Click and drag across the range to select it. Make sure to include the headings.
3. Select Format > Convert to Table.

The data range is now converted to a Table. Now you can adjust the column types. In my example, I clicked on the down arrow beside the First Name field heading, then clicked Edit column type, and chose Text. I repeated the process to adjust the rest of the fields.

As a test, I entered some text into the Fees field, which I set as Currency, and as soon as the data is entered, I see an error message pop up. This is a handy feature that helps maintain the integrity of data.

Another useful feature is the automatic freezing of the headings. When you scroll down in the table, the headings will stay in place, so you always know where you are.

Tables have lots of other goodies in store, so I encourage you to try the convert to Table option.