Using Prebuilt Tables in Google Sheets

Tables are a great addition to your worksheets, but there may be times when you want a table for a specific purpose such as Event Scheduling or Team Goal Planning. Setting up this kind of table can be a bit of a time suck, as the saying goes!

Wouldn’t it be great if somebody (i.e. not you), could set up something for you, all shiny and ready to go! Well, the good news is that somebody did! Thanks, Google, nicely done.

What are Prebuilt Tables?

Google Sheets now have prebuilt tables that are all ready for you to populate with data. They save you the trouble of building your spreadsheets from scratch, and they include a series of table templates for common purposes, including Event Tasks, Project Tasks, Content Tracker, Product Prioritisation, and Recruitment Applicants. Each template has predefined columns and features to help streamline your workflows, and you can insert a prebuilt table with just a couple of clicks.

The nice thing about these prebuilt tables is that they provide a consistent framework for your data. They come with customisable placeholders, smart chips and colour palettes.

How to Add a Prebuilt Table

Ok, let’s have a look at look at setting up and using a prebuilt table. Here are the steps:

1. Ensure Google Sheets is open with a new or existing workbook.
2. If necessary, create a new worksheet to hold your table.
3. Select Insert > Tables. The Table sidebar opens on the right of the screen.
4. From the sidebar, select a category and expand it if needed.
5. Hover your mouse over the tables to see a preview, then click to make a selection.

Your table is inserted into the worksheet, and from here you can customise the table settings, and begin entering your data. You can add more rows or columns as you go. This means you don’t need to spend lots of time messing around with data validation, conditional formatting, or formulas. I reckon it’s a nifty feature. Enjoy.